By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
Senior citizens with a knack for self-expression received recognition Thursday, June 16 at the close of the 44th Atlantic County Senior Citizens Art Show held at the Ventnor Library. It was the first time the show has been held since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019.
Their work was on display on the second floor of the library throughout the month. First place winners in the non-professional and professional categories will now have their artwork sent to the state competition being held in September at the Meadowview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Allentown.
The show was coordinated by Katherine Aikens, a senior adjunct professor and Art Club advisor who coordinated the Atlantic Cape Community College Art Gallery in Mays Landing. The show included works submitted by Atlantic County residents over age 60 in various mediums, including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, sculpture and photography.
The show was sponsored by the Atlantic County Office on Aging. Cindy McNellis presented colorful certificates to all those who participated. The show was judged by art educator Jennifer Burke, visual artist Paula Farrar and multimedia artist Nadajia R. Hall.
Linda Weisbecker of Absecon won Best in Show in the non-professional category with her acrylic painting “Morning Ablutions.”
“This is my first time entering the Atlantic County show, but I’ve been painting for a long time. It keeps me out of bars and off poles,” she said. I’m thrilled to death to win the top prize in my category.”
It was also Barbara Leiby’s first time winning first place, although she entered the competition twice before. Her untitled painting of flowers took the top prize in the non-professional watercolor category.
In the professional category, Eleanor McKelvey’s sculpture, “Brigantine Lighthouse,” made from paper clay, took the top prize in that category.
“I did a bigger one for the Brigantine Cultural Arts Commission,” where she used to teach, she said. “This was my model for that.”
Best in Show Non-Professional – Linda Weisbecker, “Morning Ablutions,” acrylic
Best in Show Professional – Susan Ireland, “Koi,” acrylic
Non-Professional Category
Acrylics – First place, Linda Weisbecker, “Morning Ablutions”; second place, Evelyn Syvertsen, “Late Afternoon at the Gazebo”; third place, Bonnie Greenetz, “La Hernia Arte”; honorable mentions, Brij Spivastava, “Dancing Cranes”; and Donald Chillemi, “Paris in the Rain”
Mixed Media – First place, Bonnie Rand, “Night Owl”; second place, Deb Mento, “I Am More Than Just Pink”
Oil – first place, Edward Garvey, “Lake Como Italy”; second place, Ray Rennie, “Playground of the Past”; third place, Linda Kolman, “Niagra Falls from the Rainbow Bridge”
Photography – honorable mention, Jim Monroe, “Basket & Flowers”
Watercolors – first place, Barbara Leiby, “Untitled”; second place, Alana DiPrisco, “Potter’s Shed”; third place, Donna Larkin, “Elephant Ride Smithville Carosel”; honorable mention, Bernice Gelfont, “Stroll in the Sunset”
Works on Paper – first place, Edward Sperling, “Elephant”
Professional Category
Acrylics – first place, Susan Irland, “Koi”
Crafts – first place, Joyce Hagen, Shimmering Silvers”
Oil – first place, Brenda Casel, “Morikami Bridge”; second place, Bonnie Cavalier, “Barnegat Bay Boating”
Pastels – first place, Janet Gabriel, “After the Storm”
Photography – first place, Dennis Loughlin “A Dragon?”; second place, Marlene Armstrong, “Monarch on Mum”
Sculpture – first place, Eleanor McKelvey, “Brigantine Lighthouse”
Watercolors – first place, Kathleen Arleth, “Winter Walk in Olde City”
