Judges Made Good Decisions For SCAN’s Spring Show

By Shannon Hicks

Jurors accepted 154 paintings, drawings and related works of art for for the 31st Annual Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) Spring Juried Art Show, which opened on Saturday, May 5, and presented 16 artists with awards for their efforts the following afternoon.

The spring show is one of the largest undertakings of the Newtown-based artists’ collective. It is presented in the lower meeting/community room of C.H. Booth Library in Newtown for two full weekends and the week that connects them. This year’s show will therefore continue until Sunday, May 13.

Anna Held Audette, Constance Evans and Charles A. Ray served as the Jury of Selection and Awards for SCAN this year, and many of the conversations that were overheard on Sunday, May 6, during the show’s opening reception seemed to be in agreement: The jurors made very good choices in presenting this year’s awards.

“The judges are all removed from SCAN, which is sometimes difficult to achieve but very important,” commented Ruth Newquist during the show. Mrs Newquist is a member of the artists’ group, which was formed by her late husband Laurence more than three decades ago.

When the awards ceremony began, Mrs Newquist was called into the spotlight when she was presented this year’s Best in Show Award, an honor that is accompanied by a $300 cash prize. Best in Show became The Larry Newquist Award for Excellence/Best in Show in 1997 in honor of the group’s founder and director, and was first presented at that year’s spring show.

Mrs Newquist said on Sunday afternoon that she was “shocked” when she learned of the judges’ selection.

“I’m happy, of course, and it’s a little strange to have this award considering whose name is on it, but I’m also thrilled,” the artist said. Mrs Newquist won the title for her efforts on the bright and large-scale watercolor of a street scene she calls “SoHo Natural.”

Mrs Newquist has won a number of awards during her career, including many first place honors for her watercolors, but the SCAN 2001 Spring Show represents her first “Best in Show.”

Incoming SCAN president Hope Kocian also agreed with the judges’ decisions.

“I think the jurors did a very good job,” Mrs Kocian said during Sunday afternoon’s opening reception. “There are a lot of different styles and a lot of different mediums this year, and I think that always makes a show strong.”

SCAN Spring Show chairman Susan Deming had more help from her co-chairman, Anne Marie Scharf, than she initially thought she was going to need in pulling together the show this year. Mrs Deming had emergency surgery on one of her knees less than two weeks prior to the show’s opening. As a result, Mrs Scharf handled a number of final details, including the presentation of the awards on Sunday afternoon. Mrs Scharf and SCAN president Melody Asbury announced this year’s award winners, while Ms Deming continued to help coordinate things from her seat.

“She was rapidly elevated to full-fledged chairman status,” laughed Mrs Deming, referring to the work done by Mrs Scharf.

The show, which is open to the public at no charge, includes 154 works of art this year including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, graphics, sculpture and mixed media. The artists submitting come from all over Connecticut as well as New York state. There are members and non-members represented in the exhibition.

With $800 in cash prizes and an additional collection of merchandise awards, the Annual SCAN Spring Show is the group’s largest show of the year.

The Award Winners

The Larry Newquist Award for Excellence/Best in Show, $300, to Ruth Newquist, for the watercolor painting “SoHo Natural.”

The Bee Publishing Co. Award ($150), to Peggy Westphal for her graphics piece entitled “Ladies.”

The Taunton Press Award ($150), to Rosemary Barrett for the sculpture “Child with Mother.”

The Newtown Savings Bank Award ($150), to Virginia Zic for the watercolor painting “Earth Fragments — Ancient Places.”

Society of Creative Arts of Newtown Award ($100 each), to Alice Belejack for the oil painting “Bethlehem, CT,” Michael Morshuk for the mixed media work “Approaching Monhegan” and Marilyn Ventresca DiChiara for the watercolor painting “Ballerina.”

The Amaral Motors Award ($50), to Kita Macon for the oil painting “Peacocks and Peonies.”

The Dresser Industries/Instrument Division Award ($50), to Edward Kruelski, Jr for his pastel work “Hand Made.”

The Dick Blick Award ($50 gift certificates) to Leslie Lillien Levy for the pastel piece “Vertical Fruit Sequence,” Martha Koons for the graphics work “Timmy’s Toes,” Lorraine Agri for the mixed media work “Stark Woods,” and Anne Tuttle for her mixed media piece “Roof Sitters.”

The Barn Gallery Award ($50 gift certificate), to Ralph R. Schwartz for the oil painting “Man in His Disciplined Environment.”

The Koenig Frame Works Award ($50 gift certificate), to Lorraine Ryan for the watercolor “Emily’s Quit.”

The KEC Framing Award ($50 gift certificate), to Betty Christensen for her watercolor painting “Light from Above.”