Art-Photography Show continues to be a Bloomfield festival tradition

By Nick Schneider This photo taken by Bloomfield High School senior Rachel Rush was selected as the "Best of Show" in the Photography category at this year's Bloomfield Apple Festival Art-Photography Show. The photo was taken at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. and it depicts a dramatic reflection in the monument of visitors passing by. The judge said, "The photo captured the moment in a very emotional and beautiful way. It tells the complete story of what this monument stands for and reflects the patriotic homage it deserves." [Order this photo]

By Nick Schneider Apple Festival Art and Photography Show committee member Vera Biery, at right, discusses the entries with art judge Jan Cabel, at left and Catherine Branstetter, a member of the Bloomfield-Eastern Greene Friends of the Library. [Order this photo]

The Apple Festival Art-Photography show opened Friday afternoon after about 200 entries were judged.

Public viewing will be conducted Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the library, located at he corner of Franklin and Mechanic streets.

"It's basically to encourage art, especially in our young people," committee member Vera Biery said.

Biery said she was very pleased with the number of entries and was especially happy with the quality of the work that was exhibited.

"We are pleased. We think the quality is really up this year. We are very happy with that," she added.

Biery commented about the growth of the photography part of the show. She noted that about five years ago there were just seven entries.

"We almost dropped it. But said we'll go one more year and it's gone us every year ever since," Biery said.

This year, photography drew 88 entries -- which included about 20 students entries.

Cheryl Helms, a Bloomfield photographer who directs a 4-H Photography Club and helps with the Apple Festival show, agreed the quality of the photos was better than normal this year -- especially from the young exhibitors.

"We have some really nice photos in the show," she commented.

This year's field of contestants included 70 in the student art category; 65 in the high school art category, 28 in the adult art category.

Art categories were Animals and Birds; Floral and Butterflies; Landscape and Seascape; Portrait, Still Life and Miscellaneous.

Adults and students were judged together in the photography show in the following categories: Animals and Birds; Floral and Butterflies; People and Places Traveled; Black and White; Portrait; Hoosier Happenings, Digital Enhanced photos; and Miscellaneous.

Ribbons were presented to the first three places winners in each category. From the group of blue ribbon winners, a best of show was selected in Adult Art, High School Art, Junior High Art, Elementary Art (by grade) and Photography.

Best of Show winners included:

*Photography -- Rachel Rush, Bloomfield

*Adult Art -- Donald Bridges, Bedford

*High School Art -- Robert Baxley, North Daviess High School

*Junior High Art -- John Tirey, North Daviess

*Kindergarten Art -- Sophia Edwards, Eastern Greene Elementary

*1st Grade Art -- Kayla Jones, Eastern Greene Elementary

*2nd Grade Art -- Gage Pope, Eastern Greene Elementary

*3rd Grade Art -- Riley Harper, Eastern Greene Elementary

*4th Grade Art -- Andrew Fuller, Eastern Greene Elementary

*5th Grade Art -- Rylie Mayfield, Linton-Stockton Elementary

*6th Grade Art -- No entries

The Bloomfield-Eastern Greene County Friends of the Library has sponsored the art and photography show annually since 1981.

The show actually got started after the late Linda Lohkamp and Paula Hamlin brought the idea to the Friends group after being involved in the Scotland Festival Art Show for a number of years.

"They were talking one day and said why can't we do this at Bloomfield. They brought the idea to us (the Friends group) and that's how it started," Biery recalled.

In the early days, the show was held outside in the library's yard and some of the art work was leaned up against the building -- similar to the outdoor show that had been conducted for years as part of the Scotland Festival.

The show was moved indoors to the library's community room in the late 1980s because of weather worries and not wanting to damage any of the submitted entries, she said.

"We keep growing, so we are happy with that," Birey added.

The Friends of Library plan to continue that show and it will be a part of the 2009 Apple Festival.

For more information and to get a copy of the rules contact Biery by calling 384-4644.