Two Artists Awarded at 10th Annual Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition

Two Artists Awarded at 10th Annual Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition

Pawtucket Foundation & Pawtucket Arts Collaborative celebrate

Pawtucket's Creative Community

(Pawtucket, RI, March 30, 2017) ...The Pawtucket Foundation hosted its 10th Annual Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition on March 30, 2017, a juried show of diverse and dynamic works by 46 artists, held in partnership with the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. The top prize of $1,000 was awarded to Daniel Koterbay for “Cinnamon”,  oil on canvas over panel. The artist was unable to be present for the reception, so Pawtucket Arts Collaborative member Frank Lally read a statement from Koterbay in acceptance of the award. He expressed gratitude to the jurors, the Pawtucket Foundation, and the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. “I want to also thank the Pawtucket Foundation for their continuing support to artists such as myself with this prize...A prize like this has greatly helped artists to be inspired and encouraged to create art.”

Over the past decade, the annual Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition has highlighted outstanding artistic merit and celebrated Pawtucket's growing creative community. Presenting the award, Christine Sullivan, Development Director of the Pawtucket Foundation, stated, "The Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition showcases the very best our arts community has to offer.  It allows us the opportunity, whether we are an artist or merely someone who appreciates the arts to show our support and commitment to the ever-expanding Pawtucket arts scene."

Mr. Koterbay is a Rhode Island artist and is active in the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. He credits the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative as the place where he began to show his work in the area around 2010. “With opportunities like Max12, Summer Members Show, The Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition, and...Life Drawing on Saturdays at PAC,” he states,” I am able to meet fellow artists and be able to immerse myself in the community.” More about Daniel Koterbay can be found on his website, danielkoterbay.com

The Pawtucket Arts Collaborative Award of $250 was given to Jillian Barber, for "Cyclops” ceramic sculpture. Ms. Barber is a ceramicist and sculptor known for fantasy masks sculpted from “individual portrait castings and imaginative, expressive mythical animals.” She creates a headdress to surround each face of flowers or birds, dragons, and shells, often evoking the feeling of a temple mask. More of Jillian Barber’s artwork can be found on her website, .jillianbarber.com.

This year's jurors are Monica Shinn and Shari Weschler Rubeck. Ms. Shinn is an artist with a background in metals, painting and drawing. Ms. Rubeck is a painter with a focus on the figure, incorporating history, live models, and fashion.?

“I look for what I call credibility, or work that seems true and honest,” states Ms. Shin regarding criteria she used to select juried entries. “We were equally aware of organizing an exhibition with a decent variety of size and dimension,” stated Ms. Weschler Rubeck. “We knew immediately we had successfully achieved bringing in a strong group of technique, skill, medium and subject matter.”

The PAC Mill Gallery was alive with a full house of creative energy as artists and art appreciators gathered in support of the arts in Pawtucket.  Live music, by pianist Mike Taber, set the ambiance for a celebration of local visual art. The artwork will remain on display until May 7, 2017.

The PAC Mill Gallery is located at 560 Mineral Spring Avenue, Pawtucket RI. Hours are 4-6PM Thursdays and Fridays, and 1-5PM Saturdays and Sundays. All art is available for purchase through the PAC Mill Gallery.

Artists with work on exhibit at the 2017 Tenth Annual Pawtucket Foundation Prize Exhibition include: Karen Rand Anderson, Bradley Bailey, Jillian Barber, Meris Barreto,  David Black, Mi Ok Bruining, John Buron, Margie Butler, Damon Campagna, Laura White Carpenter, Cindy Chin, David DeMelim, Philip Derby, Julie DeRosa, Christopher DeRosa, Robert Easton, John A. Fazzino, Gary Field, Ann-Marie Gillett, Barbara L. Green, Teale Haley, Paul Hitchen, Diane Hoffman, Roger Johanson, Jennifer Kiluk, Daniel Koterbay, Eliot Krieger, Monica Lee, Jay MacKay, Tracy Reath Manzella, Eileen Mayhew, Tom Moahan, Paul M. Murray, Rina Naik, Cynthia Whalen Nelson, Marguerie Pile, Lorena Pugh, Jeremy Schilling, Beverly Silva, Ken Steinkamp, James Sundquist, Roberta Uhlmann,  Cynthia Wilcox, Cindy Wilson, Amy Bartlett Wright, David Zapatka.  

More photos of the event can be viewed at the Pawtucket Foundation's Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/pawtucketfoundation).  

About The Pawtucket Foundation:

The Pawtucket Foundation represents the business and not-for-profit sector as an advocate and catalyst for downtown, riverfront and transportation gateway enhancements within the City of Pawtucket.

About the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative:

Pawtucket Arts Collaborative is dedicated to supporting, promoting and developing the highest level of the arts for the community and its artists. The non-profit organization does this by creating awareness, education and involvement through its members.

The 2nd Place Pawtucket Arts Collaborative Prize of $250 was awarded to Jillian Barber for her ceramic sculpture, “Cyclops”