News

MWR officials announce Army Arts and Crafts Contest winners
Date Posted: 2/24/2006

By Tim Hipps
USACFSC Public Affairs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Multi-talented Myrna Hawkins of Fort Hood, Texas, and glass specialist Jerry McVey of Fort Riley, Kan., highlight the list of winners in the 2005 Army Arts and Crafts Contest.

"Native American" Myrna Hawkins, Fort Hood, Texas First place accomplished ceramics

Hawkins won first-place awards in ceramics with “Native American” and metals and jewelry with “Neck Art.” Her “Influence of Africa” earned second-place honors in metals and jewelry, as did “Concave Sculpture” in the mixed media three-dimensional category. She also received an honorable mention in mixed media 3-D for “Water Girl.”

“Diversity like that is kind of unusual in the art contest,” said Linda Ezernieks, program manager for arts and automotive at the U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center, headquarters for Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

McVey won best-of-show honors for his glasswork “Orchid with Fused Glass Petals.”

“The judges were really impressed with the fact that he had done the fused glass in addition to cutting and leading,” Ezernieks said. “He actually cut the individual little pieces, put them together, put them in a kiln and melted them – fusing them – and then used them as a design element.”

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

"Orchid with Glass Fused Petals" Jerry McVey, Fort Riley, Kan. First place novice glass

The accomplished division is for competitors who have gained skills and knowledge through formal courses leading to credit in college or art schools. Those whose skills have not been acquired in formal education leading to college credit or a degree can compete in the novice division.

The contest featured 306 entries from military installations around the world, a 55 percent increase from the 2004 competition. Accomplished artist Andrew Washington of Heidelberg, Germany, was the only two-category winner in last year’s contest. He won two categories again this year with "Think" in the drawings category and "Scorched Earth" in oil-base paintings.

Novice artist Rebecca Phillips of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, won the oil-base painting category with “Before Dinner” and mixed media 2-D with “Street Crossing.” She also earned a pair of third places with “Sleeping” in the drawings category and “Inspiration” in oil-base painting.

First-place winners received $300, runners-up $200, and third-place finishers $100. The contest was judged by Brenda Carver, Sally Kubarek and Carolyn Burgan.

"Scorched Earth" Andrew Washington, Heidelberg, Germany First place accomplished oil-base painting

Carver has a bachelor’s degree in art from Baldwin-Wallace College and a Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from the University of Puget Sound. She also served 10 years as an Army Arts and Crafts director in Europe. Kubarek, an artist proficient in many mediums, has exhibited work in Berlin, Giessen, Frankfurt and Wuerzburg, Germany. Burgan, an Army MWR recreation specialist, is a fiber artist.

May 5 is the submission deadline for the 2006 contest. Authorized MWR patrons, excluding Army Arts and Crafts program employees, are eligible to enter by submitting digital images of their work through installation arts and crafts facilities or recreation centers. Entries must be the contestant’s original work and completed within 24 months of the beginning of the contest year.

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

2005 Army Arts & Crafts Contest

Results of the top three finishers and honorable mentions in the 2005 Army Arts & Crafts Contest with rank, name, installation and title of artwork:

Ceramics

Accomplished: 1. Myrna Hawkins, Fort Hood, Texas, “Native American;” 2. Master Sgt. David Strong, Fort Dix, N.J., “4AESO/5;” 3. Jamie Doremus, Fort Drum, N.Y., “Vase Study.” Honorable mentions: Master Sgt. David Strong, Fort Dix, N.J., “Bowl, Ceramic C06, M160A;” Ruth Foster, Fort Hood, Texas, “Green Pot;” Val Kono, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, “Bottles.”

Novice: 1. Deida Bourne, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; “Standing Lillies;” 2. Deida Bourne, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; “Hollie Bowl;” 3. Yuko Westover, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; “Vase Flower.” HM: Heather Laney, Fort Campbell, Ky., “Six Goblets;” Eunyong Reynolds, Korea, “Flowercopia;” Brittany Beim, Stuttgart, Germany, “Fraternization.”

"A Risk Worth Taking" Staff Sgt. Ricky Melton, Korea Second place accomplished drawings

Drawings

Accomplished: 1. Andrew Washington, Heidelberg, Germany; “Think;” 2. Staff Sgt. Ricky Melton, Korea, “A Risk Worth Taking;” 3. 1st Sgt. Charles King, Fort Hood, Texas, “The Patriot.” HM: 1st Sgt. Charles King, Fort Hood, Texas, “Above the Skies.”

Novice: 1. 2nd Lt. Bert Uyenco, Korea, “Jimmy Witherspoon;” 2. Yayek Deburgh, Korea, “Japanese Dolls;” 3. Rebecca Phillips, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; “Sleeping.” HM: Penny Smith, Fort Campbell, Ky., “Mystical Spirit;” Jesina Horn, Fort Drum, N.Y., “Sunflowers;” Conner Berrier, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, “Deep in Thought.”

Fibers

Accomplished: 1. Kristin LaFlamme, Heidelberg, Germany; “Mondschein Gruppe Banner;” 2. Sarah Latham, Fort Drum, N.Y., “Aslan and the Dragon;” 3. Annie Bailey, Giessen, Germany; “Mt. Rushmore.” HM: Janet Juliana, Giessen, Germany, “Blue and Green Large Mat;” Kristin Laflamme, Heidelberg, “Explore.”

Novice: 1. Yuko Westover, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; “Hawaiian Quilt;” 2. Robert Erlich, Fort Polk, La., “Buckskin Outfit;” 3. Patty Wilkens, Fort Polk, La., “Block & Block Scrappy Quilt.” HM: Jennifer Thompson, Fort Irwin, Calif., “Mission Falls Shawl;” Lucy Carvalho, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, “Stenciled Hawaiian Quilt Turtles.”

Glass

Novice: 1. Jerry McVey, Fort Riley, Kan., “Orchid with Fused Glass Petals” (Best of Show); 2. (tie) Patricia Bess, Fort Riley, Kan., “Jewelry;” Mutsuyo Royster, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; “Aloha Shirt;” 3. Kiku Kealoha, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; “Mosaic ‘152601’ House Number.” HM: Patricia Bess, Fort Riley, Kan., “Baubble Dish” and “Heart;” Norma Fuqua, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, “Abstract Flame.”
Metals and jewelry

Accomplished: 1. Myrna Hawkins, Fort Hood, Texas, “Neck Art;” 2. Myrna Hawkins, Fort Hood, Texas, “Influence of Africa.”
Novice: 1. Alfred Ellerbee, Korea, “Woven Ring;” 3. Deborah Sprake, Fort Campbell, Ky., “Polymer Clay Necklace.” HM: Jennifer Schripsema, Korea, “Fused Glass Pendant;” Sgt. 1st Class Theodore Orris, Fort Polk, La.; “Steel Rose.”

Mixed media 2-D

Accomplished: 1. Fritz Desroches, Ansbach, Germany, “On the Move;” 2. Fritz Desroches, Ansbach, Germany, “A Big Catch.” HM: Lee Hillward, Schweinfurt, Germany, “Gargoyle:” Myrna Hawkins, Fort Hood, Texas, “Water Girl.”

"Hawaiian Heritage Quilt of Glass Beads" Hee Sun Sagatis, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii Third place novice mixed media 2-D

Novice: 1. Rebecca Phillips, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; “Street Crossing;” 2. Joyce Miyamoto, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; “Bird of Paradise & Monsteria Leaves;” 3. Hee Sun Sagatis, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; “Hawaiian Heritage Quilt of Glass Beads.” HM: Caitlyn Eldridge, Giessen, Germany, “The Old Mill.”

Mixed media 3-D

Accomplished: 1. Un Cha Haney, Korea, “Best Friends;” 2. Myrna Hawkins, Fort Hood, Texas, “Concave Sculpture;” 3. Suki Hargens, Fort Polk, La., “Winter Owls.”

Novice: 1. Maj. Leon Pennington, Fort Rucker, Ala., “Beauty;” 2. Jane Byos, Korea, “New York Diner;” 3. Sgt. 1st Class Rory Eldridge, Korea, “WWII German Vehicles.” HM: Maj. Leon Pennington, Fort Rucker, Ala., “Will May.”

Oil-base painting

Accomplished: 1. Andrew Washington, Heidelberg, Germany, “Scorched Earth;” 2. Sgt. 1st Class Max Gomes, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, “Images of Hawaii: Makaha Roach.”

"Before Dinner" Rebecca Phillips, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii First place novice oil-base painting

Novice: 1. Rebecca Phillips, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, “Before Dinner;” 2. Hee Sun Sagatis, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; “Aloha State Radio Control Air Show;” 3. Rebecca Phillips, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, “Inspiration.” HM: Cpl. Devona Brown, Fort Irwin, Calif., “Sunset Beauty.”

Prints

Accomplished: 1. 1st Lt. Jenny Pittam, Heidelberg, Germany, “Innsbruck Train Lines;” 2. 1st Lt. Jenny Pittam, Heidelberg, Germany, “Altrium Stairs.”

Novice: 1. Nicholas Keene, Stuttgart, Germany, “Sunrise;” 2. Jessica Heidt, Stuttgart, Germany, “Peace Dove.

Water-base painting

Accomplished: 1. Raeford Lewis, Fort Riley, Kan., “Passed Faces;” 2. Raeford Lewis, Fort Riley, Kan., “Red on Red Landscape;” 3. Spc. Casey Taylor, Korea, “Balls 5.”

Novice: 1. Marisa Johnson, Korea, “In Full Bloom;” 2. Blenda Paltanawick, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, “Running Musk Ox;” 3. Tracie Griffith, Fort Campbell, Ky., “Chinese Carp: Grace in a Fish Pond.” HM: Jessica Heidt, Stuttgart, Germany, “Peaceful Savannah.”

Wood

Accomplished: 1. Guy Bozard, Fort Campbell, Ky., “American Pride.”

Novice: 1. Staff Sgt. Charles Dablow, Fort Polk, La., “Black Walnut Trunk;” 2. Lt. Col. Marian Amrein, White Sands Missile Range, N.M., “Jewelry Box;” 3. Mark Pankow, Fort Belvoir, Va., “Music Stand with Clarinet Rest.” HM: Pvt. Bradley Underwood, Fort Campbell, Ky., “Claro Walnut Retirement Humidor,” Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Allison, Friedberg, Germany, “Violin;” Sgt. 1st Class David Rhine, Fort Hood, Texas, “OIF Chest;” John Solace, Fort Meade, Md., “Beginner Bowl;” Staff Sgt. Anthony Bess, Fort Polk, La., “Voyager Paddle.