Art appreciation was in full swing April 1-5 this year with the annual art show hosted by the Muleshoe Art Association. The show was held in the AimBank meeting room and had a bumper crop of amazing entries from area and local artists and students.

Dyan Newton from Abernathy was the judge this year, and she had her work cut out for her. Dyan favors working with watercolor but conducts workshops using all mediums. Her impressionistic art can be seen The Adobe Fine Art Gallery in Ruidoso, New Mexico, and Grace Clinic in Lubbock, Texas.

The Best of Show award, sponsored by Muleshoe Area Medical Center, was Neal Kleman’s “Making Musick” in acrylic.

In the Acrylic division, first place went to “Face Behind the Mask,” by Neal Kleman, pictured below. Second place was awarded to Alba Jones for “Listening Image”. Third place went to Ann Johnson for “Hidden Owls.” Jon Birdsong’s “Peek a Boo,” Alba Jones’ “Caprock Ghost,” and Melba Bratcher’s “Blue Eyes” were recognized with Honorable Mention.

In Mixed Media, first place went to Oneida Lopez for “Blooming,” pictured below. Second place was Sandi Chitwood for “Blooming Cactus,” third was Neal Kleman’s “Purple Flowers,” and Honorable Mention went to Oneida Lopez’s “Rosie the Llama.”

In the Photography division, first place went to Shirley White and “Fat Cat.” Cats were a popular subject this year; we had six feline images. Second place in photography was Shirley White’s “Bug Be Gone,” third place was “Incoming Storm” by Rhonda Fowler, and Honorable Mention was Shirley White and “Autumn Bliss.”

In the Pastels and Drawings division first place went to Peggy Bingham for “Fall Splendor,” pictured below. Second place was “Undercurrents” by Neal Kleman, third was “Ruidoso” by Peggy Bingham. Honorable Mention went to Reagan Cox for “Little Boy,” and Connie Anderson for “Walk of Life.”

In Oils, the winner was Margaret Hodgson and “Home Shadows,” pictured below. Second place went to Kip De For and “Around the Bend,” third place was Peggy Bingham’s “His Domain,” with Honorable Mention going to several paintings: Lois Snyder and “Watching Over the Little Ones,” Margaret Hodgson and “Sunshine Barns,” Ruben Armenta and “Birds of a Feather,” Ann Johnson and “I Dream of Aspens,” and Peggy Bingham and “The Last Supper in Sunflower Statures.”

In the Watercolor division, Jon Birdsong and “Discards” won first, pictured below. Second place was awarded to Jan Lloyd and “Grasshopper,” third place was Sharon Pickett’s “Cotton Bolls,” with Honorable Mention going to Sandi Chitwood and “Spring Flowers,” Sharon Pickett and “Calla Lilies,” and Jon Birdsong’s “Red Rover, Red Rover, All You Girls Come Over.”

AimBank chose “And God Created Fall” by Lois Snyder as their Bank Award winner this year.

Muleshoe High School art students were invited to enter the Student Division. Best of Show went to Luke Leal for “Eye of the Prize,” done in charcoal and colored pencil, pictured below. First place was Luke Leal’s “Roots,” done in charcoal and colored pencil, also pictured below.  Fernando Salamanca’s “Mood” in graphite won second, and Sophie Reyna’s acrylic “Fine Dining” won third. Honorable Mention went to Luke Del Toro with “Customs by Luke” in acrylic, and Ariel Gardea’s Detrimental Devotion done in acrylic.

Artwork from the Portales High School Art Students was on display but was not judged.

The Association gave its scholarship this year to Fernando Salamanca who plans to use his art ability in college.

Visitors to the annual show get to vote for their favorite artwork in the show, and this year three winners were chosen. Ellis Funeral Home sponsored a cash award for first place, won by Sandi Chitwood for “Blooming Yucca.” United Supermarkets sponsored gift cards for second and third place, won by Melba Bratcher’s “Blue Eyes,” and Ann Johnson’s “I Dream of Aspens,” respectively.

The Muleshoe Spring Show draws the work of many talented artists, and this year was no exception. If you didn’t make it to AimBank to see the artwork this year, you missed a chance to appreciate the creativity of many artists in the area. Perhaps you can check it out next year about this same time.