Beth Failor won the highest award of Best of Show with “Let’s Pretend,” done in oil on wood panel.  

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Over 200 artists submitted nearly 600 pieces of art for the Placerville Arts Association’s 59th National Mother Lode Art Exhibition.

“I had to whittle that down to the 110 that you see here today,” said Leslie McCarron, judge and juror for the event. “Quite honestly, it was not easy. I knew I wanted a diverse show, diverse in medium, styles, subjects, techniques.” 

The show opened on Nov. 6 and runs through Nov. 22. At the Nov. 7 reception, McCarron presented the awards to the winners with detailed explanations of why each artwork was chosen. 

McCarron said that what may not be seen right away is the emotion, how the piece makes you feel. 

Michael Foster of San Carlos entered “Papanick,” a sculpture made of a multitude of salvaged metal pieces. 

“That is one of my number one criteria when it comes to buying art, making art and judging art,” McCarron said.  “We’ll be talking about emotion and talking about the stories that some of these pieces created in my head. So, when you go look at them you can create your own stories from what I will tell you tonight.”

Beth Failor won Best of Show for her oil painting, “Let’s Pretend.” Awards of Excellence went to Guy Cohen for “A Guitar,” Zoe DiNardo for “Self Destruction,” and Jan Welda for “Alexander.” 

Awards of Merit went to David Mason for “The Little Prince,” James Morrison for “The Mighty Oak,” and Michelle Peltier for “Wires.” The three Honorable Mentions were Ronda Eden for “Shout it from the Mountain,” Donald Macko for “Snow Melt,” and David Ruderman for “Along the Path, Sea Ranch, CA.” 

Winner of Placerville Arts First Place award was Annie O’Connell for “Heart of a Cabbage,” Second and Third Place were Michael Fritschi for “Morning Walk in Coloma” and Bev Barnett for “Quiet Forest,” respectively. (Jack) John McTiernan won the Matt Sugarman Memorial Award for “Under the Rainbow.”

Gloria Vernon won the Anita Wolff Memorial Award with “Ruby,” in soft pastel.

Gloria Vernon’s “Ruby,” a closeup of a cow in soft pastel won the Anita Wolff Memorial Award, sponsored by local artist Joyce Martin. At the end of McCarron’s detailed comments on “Ruby,” McCarron said, “I just wanted to pet her!” 

Carolyn Cunningham, co-chair of the exhibition along with Sue Wickersham, said, “You can’t get a good show unless you get a good juror . . .  And I will tell you that I think this Mother Lode is one of the better, if not the best.” 

The Stellis Trio provided music during the reception, with Lorraine Crozier on violin, Carlos McMillan Fuentes on piano and Chris Allen on cello.

Because this was a national show, entries were accepted from artists nationwide. Artist Marius Starkey is from San Francisco and his artwork “Bridal Veil Falls” was accepted into the Exhibition. Starkey’s paintings have been shown in New York City, Paris, France, Spain, Italy and Japan.

Marius Starkey is one of many out-of-the-area entrants in the Mother Lode Art Exhibition. He was born in Kansas and now lives in San Francisco.

“I have such respect for the curator and her keen eye to include works that truly reflect the many types of art out in the world,” Starkey said.  “. . . I believe that true transcendence of life occurs during the creative process . . . Each brush stroke I make is nothing more than a candle that lights my way through the vast journey of life exploration.”

The Mother Lode Art Exhibition can be visited Thursdays and Fridays 2 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Nov. 22 at the MACC, 10191 Mills Station Road, Rancho Cordova.