News

Civilian earns judges award for excellence in Army Arts & Crafts
Date Posted: 4/20/2005

By Tim Hipps
USACFSC Public Affairs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Army civilian was the lone recipient of the Judges Award for Excellence among 20 winners in the 2004 Army Arts and Crafts Contest.

Andrew Washington’s “We Touched the Face of God” won the oil painting category for accomplished artists and earned the highest honor bestowed by three judges.

His “Lords of the West” drawing also took first-place honors, making Washington the only two-category winner among nearly 200 entries from military installations worldwide. He works for the 411th Base Support Battalion’s property book office in Heidelberg, Germany.

The Army Arts and Crafts Contest is an annual, juried competition of two- and three-dimensional artwork which has separate categories for novice and accomplished artists and craftspeople. Their work is entered in the following groups: ceramics, drawings, fibers and textiles, glass, oil-base painting, water-base painting, metals and jewelry, wood, and mixed media, both two- and three-dimensional.

“Every region was represented and the talent was excellent, especially in the novice category,” said Linda Ezernieks, arts and automotive program manager at the U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center. “The judges were really impressed with the level of quality.”

Hee-Sun Sagatis of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, took first place in the novice oil painting group with “Oahu H3 Trans-Koolau Tunnels.” Chief Warrant Officer Sam Baker, of Fort Campbell, Ky., took first in the novice drawing category with “Task Force Talon.”

First place in the accomplished water base painting category went to Alexander Kufel of Fort Shafter, Hawaii, for “Seated Nude – Gold.” Also from Shafter, Spc. Shawn Powell topped novices in mixed media three-dimensional with an “1850’s Style Muzzle Loading Rifle and Case.” Shafter’s Jitsuko Sato was first in the novice glass group with “Sannma.”

Cora Duchene, of Fort Riley, Kan., took first place in the novice water-base painting category with “Helping Hand.” Uncha Haney of Yongsan, Korea, won the accomplished mixed media three-dimensional category with “Paper Doll.”

Fort Polk, La., cornered the mixed media two-dimensional category as Africa Harris won the accomplished group with “My Eyes, My Grief,” and Suki Hargens took novice honors with “Papertole – Blue Jays.”

Kristin LaFlamme of Wiesbaden, Germany, won the accomplished fibers category with “Ich bin keine Kaiserin, Ich bin eine Reiserin.” Fort Polk’s Edna White took novice honors with a quilt called “Patriotic Stack and Whack.”

Clelia Evans of Bamberg, Germany, earned first-place honors in accomplished ceramics with “Handcoiled Vase III.” Fort Shafter’s Yvonne Lewis won the novice group with “Dragon Teapot.”

Top honors in the accomplished metals and jewelry category went to Linda Wiley of Schweinfurt, Germany, for her sparkling “Iridescent Blues Spiral Bracelet.” Sgt. Robert Frazier, of Fort Lewis, Wash., won the novice group with an abstract steel configuration called “Vision.”

Staff Sgt. Charles Harkins of White Sands Missile Range, N.M., won the accomplished wood category with “Sheridan Secretary Desk circa 1780.” Maj. William Wong of Fort Riley, Kan., earned novice wood honors with “Cradle.”

In glass competition, Merry Thaden of Heidelberg, Germany, won the accomplished group with “Mirrored Box with Old Tree.”

Entries were judged by Dr. Sally Garen, professor of fine and applied arts at Marymount University in Arlington, Va.; Marietta Dantonio-Fryer, professor of art at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania; and Donna Kirk, architect for the design department at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

First-place winners received $300, runners-up $200, and third-place finishers $100. All participants received certificates of excellence.

May 25 is the submission deadline for the 2005 Army Arts and Crafts Contest. Authorized MWR patrons, with the exception of employees of the Army Arts and Crafts program, are eligible to enter. All submissions must be the entrant’s original work and must be completed within 24 months of the beginning of the contest year.

The novice division is for individuals whose skills have not been acquired in formal education leading to college credit or a degree. The accomplished category is for individuals who have gained skills and knowledge through formal courses leading to credit in college or art schools. Recipients of awards in professional competitions must enter the accomplished division.

For more details, write to USACFSC Attn: CFSC-CR (Arts & Crafts), 4700 King Street - 4th floor, Alexandria, VA, 22302-4418 or by e-mail to art@cfsc.army.mil.

Results of the 2004 Army Arts & Crafts Contest with rank, name, installation and name of artwork:

Ceramics

Accomplished: 1. Clelia Evans, Bamberg, Germany; Handcoiled Vase III; 2. Margaret Tacub, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; Yumiko of Tokyo; 3. Marie Gerken, Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fisherman; Honorable mention: Patty Wilken, Fort Polk, La.; A Step Back in Time.

Novice: 1. Yvonne Lewis, Fort Shafter, Dragon Teapot; 2. Val Kono, Fort Shafter, Frogs on Casserole Dish & Ladle; 3. Melanie Westerman, Fort Rucker, Ala.; Red Clay Bowl; HM: Sharon Schiavoni, Yongsan, Korea; Ceramic Water Lily Fountain; HM: Val Kono, Fort Shafter, Lightness of Being II.

Drawing

Accomplished: 1. Andrew Washington, Heidelberg, Germany; Lords of the West; 2. Master Sgt. Charles King, Fort Irwin, Calif.; Comfort Me; 3. Clark Reehm, Fort Polk, Sac Au Lait; HM: Lee Hilliard, Schweinfurt, Germany; Schwartze Eis; HM: Alexander Kufel, Fort Shafter, Simone, Seated; HM: Staff Sgt. John Pilieri, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Worn Boots.

Novice: 1. Chief Warrant Officer Sam Baker, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Task Force Talon; 2. Mitch Gerber, Fort Riley, Kan.; Operation Freedom Iraq/911; 3. Capt. Antone Malone, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; Remember Me; HM: Pfc. Jeremiah Allen, Fort Drum, My Bride; Lauren Gulotta, Fort Riley, Alexandra.

Fibers & Textiles

Accomplished: 1. Kristin LaFlamme, Wiesbaden, Germany, "Ich bin keine Kaiserin, Ich bin eine Reiserin" quilt; 2. Sgt. 1st Class Aurelio R. Dacquel, Fort Lewis, Wash.; America's Spirit wall hanging.

Novice: 1. Edna White, Fort Polk, Patriotic Stack and Whack quilt; 2. Donna Varbero, Schweinfurt, Germany; Fachwerk quilt; 3. Annelie Bailey, Giessen, Germany; Wedding Picture of Myself and Husband cross stitch; HM: Antje Bishop, Schweinfurt, Germany; Bobbin Lace Fan; Gisa Sparks, Fort Polk, Crochet Christening Gown.

Glass

Accomplished: 1. Merry Thaden, Heidelberg; Mirrored Box With Old Tree; 2. Robert Buermann, Fort Polk; Stained Glass Standing Lamp.

Novice: 1. Jitsuko Sato, Fort Shafter, Sannma; 2. Chief Warrant Officer Cruz Gonzalez Jr., Chun-Chon, Korea; God is My Copilot; 3. Stephen Cressey, Fort Drum, N.Y.; Vase Hyacinth/Seagreen; HM: Margie Buermann, Fort Polk, Mosaic Tabletop; HM: Master Sgt. Perry G., Fort Shafter, Sacred Calf.

Metals & Jewelry

Accomplished: 1. Linda Wiley, Schweinfurt, Germany; Iridescent Blues Spiral Bracelet.

Novice: 1. Sgt. Robert Frazier, Fort Lewis, Vision abstract steel sculpture; 2. Azuncena Stromberg, Fort Polk, Templeque; 3. Damon Soileau, Schweinfurt, Germany; ID Bracelet.

Mixed Media 2-D

Accomplished: 1. Africa Harris, Fort Polk, My Eyes, My Grief.

Novice: 1. Suki Hargens, Fort Polk, Papertole - Blue Jays; 2. Heidi Williamson, Fort Polk, Papertole - Eagle; 3. Sgt. Mike Granillo, Uijonbu, Korea, Dancer; HM: Carol Sibley, Fort Drum, Winds of Freedom.

Mixed Media 3-D

Accomplished: 1. Uncha Haney, Yongsan, Korea; Paper Doll; 2. Sammy Beauchamp, Stuttgart, Germany; Wine Cabinet.

Novice: 1. Spc. Shawn Powell, Fort Shafter, 1850's Style Muzzle Loading Rifle & Case; 2. John Robertson, Wiesbaden, Germany, Organics Sealed in Resin II - Chestnuts; 3. Spc. Amanda Broome, Fort Drum, N.Y.; Ferris Wheel (Origami); HM: Deborah Sprake, Fort Campbell, Passage and Dream Catcher.

Oil-base painting

Accomplished: 1. Andrew Washington, Heidelberg, Germany, We Touched the Face of God; 2. Patricia Carr, Fort Campbell, Reminiscence; 3. Africa Harris, Fort Polk, Brushless No. 1.

Novice: 1. Hee-Sun Sagatis, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Oahu H3 Trans-Koolau Tunnels; 2. Earlean Boswell, Fort Polk, Golden Anniversary; 3. Sgt. Jeffrey Melendez, Fort Polk, Wild Gridiron; HM: Capt. Antone Malone, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., Hot Pursuit; Barbara Ridenour, Fort Polk, Wild Rose.

Water-base painting

Accomplished: 1. Alexander Kufel, Fort Shafter, Seated Nude - Gold; 2. Spc. DeShay Bradley, Fort Polk, Mardi Gras Sun.

Novice: 1. Cora Duchene, Fort Riley, Helping Hand; 2. Brian McDonald, Yongsan, Winter Solstice; 3. Lydia DeRoven, Fort Polk, Uncle Joe's Bentley; HM: Spc. Steven Caprio, Uijonbu, Korea, Connecticut Sunrise; HM: Col. John Simpson Jr., Fort Riley, Kansas Sunflower.

Wood

Accomplished: 1. Staff Sgt. Charles Harkins, White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Sheridan Secretary Desk circa 1780; 2. Guy & Beverly Bozard, Fort Campbell, Rose-carved horse; 3. Chief Warrant Officer Ronald NiDiffer, Fort Riley, Cabinet Makers Bench - Walnut; HM: Karl Beck, Fort Drum, N.Y., Kenworth TR; Staff Sgt. Charles Harkins, White Sands Missile Range, Star Trek Standard Exploration Set.

Novice: 1. Maj. William Wong, Fort Riley, Cradle; 2. Maureen Scott, Stuttgart, Germany, Fan Dance Jewelry Box; 3. Capt. Elizabeth Barnaby, Fort Riley, Twin Ash Bed; HM: Robert Buermannn, Fort Polk, Imperial Tower; Chief Warrant Officer Edmund Guzman, Fort Riley, Maple Hoosier Kitchen Island; Chief Warrant Officer Michael Trotter, Fort Lewis, Racheting Candle Sticks.

Contact Person: Tim.Hipps@cfsc.army.mil