Almost a clean sweep for ‘Bearded Man’ at SP Art & Photography Show

The 79th Annual Santa Paula Art & Photography Show drew hundreds of artists and art lovers to Blanchard Community Library where they were surrounded by spectacular works entered in the one-of-a-kind and oldest such juried show in the state.

And, for an artistic change of pace, an entry in the Graphics & Mixed Media category took “Best of Show,” the fascinating drawing “Bearded Man” by Bienvenido Sibug.

Santa Paula Society of the Arts President Virginia Gunderson said at the March 19 awards’ ceremony there were 257 entries in the SPSA sponsored show, less than traditional, “But they are the best quality. Several people have commented on it.”

Guitarist Barry Cooper entertained the crowd as they hurried to enter last minute votes for the Peoples Choice Award, just one of several prizes.

Janice Dickenson, a SPSA watercolorist, said this year she did not have a favorite as “There are too many to choose from! But I do love Dorothy Orr’s watercolor this year,” a watercolor titled “Sheltered Autumn Juncture.” 

Dickenson has a good eye: Orr was later named 1st Place winner in the Jury of Your Peer’s and Peoples Choice for watercolors.

Show Chairman and emcee Gerald Zwers gave the crowd a brief history of the show founded in 1937 by Santa Paula artists including Jesse Arms Botke, Cornelis Botke and Douglas Shively, the latter Gunderson’s uncle as well as other area artists. The show led to the creation of the Santa Paula Art Collection owned by various public entities, the genesis of the Santa Paula Art Museum.

“And it’s a pretty darn impressive crew,” that Zwers said has continued the tradition of the show that offers prizes selected by judges, the public and other artists that Zwers said “vote for their own…it’s like the Academy Awards, to be selected by your peers is a very high honor.”

And, a lucrative one noted Zwers who noted “It’s one of the better prize shows in the county.”

Gunderson agreed noting the contribution of supporters: “Limoneira Co. is always good to us to provide the winners of the Judges votes. They are joined by Mike Harvey of Santa Paula Insurance to round out the whole amount for the ‘Founders/Limoneira’ awards.”

The Santa Paula Art Museum has “stepped up to support the winners of the ‘Peoples Choice’ and the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce adds the final amount to provide all the funds for those winners.”

Gunderson said “Santa Paula Community Bank continues to provide the funds for the ‘Douglas Shively Award of Excellence’ or otherwise called the ‘Jury of Your Peers’ where only the artists participating in the exhibit are voting. They also pay for the beautiful ribbons that are now hanging by the winners.”