Area residents admire the creative achievements of regional artists
By Daniel Arens
People from Hazen, Beulah, and other communities throughout western North Dakota gathered at the Hazen City Hall over the weekend to admire the creations of local artists, vote for their favorite artwork, and take in both special presentations and live entertainment.
This year, the Hazen Art and Craft Association held their 47th annual Hazen Art Show, bringing in over 200 works of art from students, amateur adults, and professionals. Following a private judging of the art last Friday, the show ran on Saturday and Sunday, including not only the displayed art but also interactive presentations.
Cheryl Neely, the featured artist at this year’s art show, worked on colored pencil sketches of a lion and two macaws during the show, drawn from photos she has taken in Walt Disney World. As she worked, she talked about the style and techniques of creating lifelike colored pencil art, talking through the process with interested viewers.
Other presentations included Vicki Benzmiller, who discussed porcelain art and pen work on china, and Stacie Kruckenberg, President of the Art and Craft Association, working with Zentangle, an increasingly common form of art using repetitive patterns.
Several awards were given over the course of the art show. The “Best of Show” awards were given to those artists in each category selected by the show’s judge, Laureen Evans. Evans, who lives in Dickinson and works with a wide variety of art, chose Paul Schumacher’s “Still Life” for the Best of Show Student Award, Donna Zander’s “Buddies Forever” for the Best of Show Amateur Award, and Judy Lindquist’s “Flowers” for the Best of Show Professional Award.
