West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History to Host Exhibition Opening and Awards Ceremony at Culture Center

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The 23rd biennial West Virginia Juried Exhibition will open at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston, along with an awards ceremony, on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. Sixty-six West Virginia artists were selected for the exhibit, which will feature 89 pieces, including painting, drawing, mixed media, craft, photography, digital art, sculpture and print. Thirty counties are represented in the show.

The exhibit opening reception and awards ceremony is free and open to the public. The exhibit will remain at the Culture Center until Feb. 10, 2024.

“The West Virginia Juried Exhibition continues its tradition of presenting the best of our state’s well-known and emerging artists,” said West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith. “This exhibition is supported by one of the nation’s largest endowments for juried exhibitions, allowing the department to collect contemporary art for the State Museum collection.”

At the opening reception, the department will announce the exhibition award winners. Governor’s Award winners will receive $5,000 for their work. Award of Excellence winners will receive $2,000 for their work. These are purchase awards, and the art will become part of the West Virginia State Museum’s permanent contemporary art collection.

Merit Awards of $500 each will also be presented that afternoon.

For more information, contact Rachel Keeney, exhibits coordinator for the department, at (304) 558-0220 or Rachel.M.Keeney@wv.gov.

The following artists, by county, will be featured in the exhibition:

Barbour
Kylie Proudfoot-Payne, Belington – Painting

Berkeley
Daniele Piasecki, Martinsburg – Mixed Media

Boone

Judy Foxx, Madison – Painting

Braxton

Steve Balcourt, Exchange – Photography

Patrick Facemire, Gassaway – Painting

Brooke
Herb Weaver, Bethany – Mixed Media

Cabell
Mary Chaney, Huntington – Painting

Vernon Howell, Barboursville – Mixed Media

Larry Mayne, Huntington – Sculpture

Don McDowell, Huntington – Mixed Media

Larry Sumpter, Culloden – Painting

Clay
Brian Reed, Ivydale – Painting

Doddridge

Beth Crowder, West Union – Painting

Fayette

Kevin Umbel, Fayetteville – Painting  

Greenbrier
Kelsie Tyson, Ronceverte – Crafts

John Williams, Renick – Sculpture

Hampshire
Susan Feller, Augusta – Crafts

Jackson

Debbie Sisson, Ripley – Painting

Jefferson

Bruce Fransen, Harpers Ferry – Sculpture

Kanawha
Dick Allowatt, St. Albans – Mixed Media

Edward Grose, South Charleston – Crafts

Sharon Harms, Charleston – Painting

Frederick Hays, Elkview – Painting

Thorney Lieberman, South Charleston – Photography

Chet Lowther, Charleston – Painting 

Lynn Payne, Charleston – Painting

Shannon Scott, Charleston – Print

David Simmons, Charleston – Painting

Lesa Smith, Charleston – Painting  

Michael Teel, St. Albans – Painting

Marion
Derek Overfield, Fairmont – Painting

Greg Satterfield, Fairmont – Painting

Liuqing Ruth Yang, Fairmont – Painting

Marshall
Betsy Cox, Glen Dale – Crafts

Mercer

John Coffey, Princeton – Painting

Leiane Gibson, Bluefield – Photography  

Mingo
Clayborn Dotson, Williamson – Crafts

Monongalia
Nancy Abrams, Morgantown – Photography

Molly Davis, Morgantown – Sculpture

Stephen Lawson, Morgantown – Photography

Connie Moeller, Morgantown – Painting

Monroe
Donald Earley, Greenville – Mixed Media

Jesus Perez, Alderson – Photography

Jo Perez, Alderson – Crafts

Nicholas
Cecil Ybanez, Richwood – Painting/Mixed Media

Ohio
Brian Fencl, Wheeling – Painting

Robert Villamagna, Wheeling – Mixed Media

Thomas Wharton, Wheeling – Painting

Mindi Yarbrough, Wheeling – Painting

Pleasants

Karen Chamblin, Belmont – Painting

Putnam
Pat Cross, Eleanor – Painting

Cathy Fulks-Thomas, Winfield – Mixed Media

Ryan Kennedy, Poca – Drawing

Raleigh
S. Benita Goode, Beckley – Drawing

David Green, Crab Orchard – Photography

Tammy McGraw, Beckley – Photography  

Nicole Suptic, White Oak – Drawing

Randolph
Kilsong Cox, Elkins – Photography

David Johnston, Dryfork – Photography

Taylor

Best Keener-Flanery, Grafton – Crafts

Tucker

John Ryan Brubaker, Thomas – Photography

Kimberly Trathen, Thomas – CraftsUpshur
Suzan Morgan, Buckhannon – Mixed Media

Wood
Mike Danko, Parkersburg – Crafts

Christine Rhodes, Parkersburg – Painting

Damon Rhodes, Parkersburg – Photography