Print
E-mail
Metal artist wins best of show at Art in the Park
By Tracy Overstreet
tracy.overstreet@theindependent.com
A Friday-night decision to enter Grand Island’s 27th annual Art in the Park show Sunday paid off for metal artist Bruce Bitter of Hoisington, Kan.
The engineer turned artist displayed a showy arrangement of two-and-a-half feet wide by four feet tall metal panels depicting the settlement story of Dodge City, Kan.
“I love to tell a story,” Bitter said.
The panel replicating the Dodge City train won Best of Show, while other panels in the series commissioned by Dodge City tell the tales of Front Street and saloon girls, boot hill, chuckwagon feeds and the pony express. The stand-out panel — illustrating Dodge City’s famed gun fights — is still on the drawing board, Bitter said.
He made 62 similar panels for Hoisington, Kan., which displays the artwork on downtown lightpoles. The panels have won local and state awards and aid tourism, educate about the community and are decorative art pieces as well.
“They stop traffic in Hoisington,” Bitter said.
Bitter creates the works with a plasma cutter. But unlike most metal work, which shows essentially a silhouttee, the hand-cut details — like the checkered shirts on the Dodge City cowboys — make his art pieces stand out.
Another stand out booth — based on the crowd in and around it — was the photography work of Rick Rasmussen of Doniphan.
Rasmussen expertly captured penguins, seals and icebergs during a December/January trip to Antartica.
His personal favorite, an icy white berg reflecting out of the blue waters, crashed and collapsed into oblivion about 30 minutes after Rasmussen captured its image.
The outdoor art show at Stolley Park was helped by temperatures starting in the low 70s and peaking in the low 80s for the day-long event. Little humidity made for one of the most pleasant settings and was appreciated by the performing artists on the park stage.
Grand Island artist Wilma Keown tried her hand at both the visual and performing arts. She displayed Biblically-inspired acrylic paintings and spent a half-hour on stage singing gospel songs acapella.
“It’s a wonderful time to meet new friends and greet old ones,” Keown said.
Art awards
Best of show, Bruce Bitter, Hoisington, Kan. — “Dodge City Train,” metal sculpture.
First place, Luke Kathol, Grand Island — “Frosty Post,” photography.
Second place, Nancy Fairbanks, Grand Island — “Leaf Bowl,” pottery.
First certificate of merit, Amy McIntosh, Palmer — “Track to the Rainbow,” photography.
Second certificate of merit, Norris Chee, Lexington — “Bear Fishing,” pastel.
Third certificate of merit, Julie Crocker, Chapman — “Winding Creek,” acrylic.
Fourth certificate of merit, Nia Karmann, Grand Island — “Beyond the Tressels,” photography.
Fifth certificate of merit, Benjamin Kinschuh, Axtell — “Carpenter’s Cross,” cut wood.
Sixth certificate of merit, Jean Cook, Grand Island — “Field of Gold,” water color.
Seventh certificate of merit, Connie McHenry, Grand Island — Garden Rainy Day,” acrylic.
Eighth certificate of merit, Carol Bremer, Plattsmouth, “Giraffe Rock,” acrylic.
Ninth certificate of merit, Norman Elstermeier, Grand Island — “Haunted House,” wood carving.
Tenth certificate of merit, Salley Warrender, Grand Island — “Dan’s Quilt,” pieced quilt.
Purchase award, Madelene Rose, Grand Island — “Browsing,” oil wash.
Purchase award, Mandy Sullivan, Doniphan — “Eye of the Beholder,” photography.
John R. Mayer Award of Excellence, Julie Crocker, Chapman — “Young Ringneck,” pastel chalk.
Tweet
The engineer turned artist displayed a showy arrangement of two-and-a-half feet wide by four feet tall metal panels depicting the settlement story of Dodge City, Kan.
“I love to tell a story,” Bitter said.
The panel replicating the Dodge City train won Best of Show, while other panels in the series commissioned by Dodge City tell the tales of Front Street and saloon girls, boot hill, chuckwagon feeds and the pony express. The stand-out panel — illustrating Dodge City’s famed gun fights — is still on the drawing board, Bitter said.
He made 62 similar panels for Hoisington, Kan., which displays the artwork on downtown lightpoles. The panels have won local and state awards and aid tourism, educate about the community and are decorative art pieces as well.
“They stop traffic in Hoisington,” Bitter said.
Bitter creates the works with a plasma cutter. But unlike most metal work, which shows essentially a silhouttee, the hand-cut details — like the checkered shirts on the Dodge City cowboys — make his art pieces stand out.
Another stand out booth — based on the crowd in and around it — was the photography work of Rick Rasmussen of Doniphan.
Rasmussen expertly captured penguins, seals and icebergs during a December/January trip to Antartica.
His personal favorite, an icy white berg reflecting out of the blue waters, crashed and collapsed into oblivion about 30 minutes after Rasmussen captured its image.
The outdoor art show at Stolley Park was helped by temperatures starting in the low 70s and peaking in the low 80s for the day-long event. Little humidity made for one of the most pleasant settings and was appreciated by the performing artists on the park stage.
Grand Island artist Wilma Keown tried her hand at both the visual and performing arts. She displayed Biblically-inspired acrylic paintings and spent a half-hour on stage singing gospel songs acapella.
“It’s a wonderful time to meet new friends and greet old ones,” Keown said.
Art awards
Best of show, Bruce Bitter, Hoisington, Kan. — “Dodge City Train,” metal sculpture.
First place, Luke Kathol, Grand Island — “Frosty Post,” photography.
Second place, Nancy Fairbanks, Grand Island — “Leaf Bowl,” pottery.
First certificate of merit, Amy McIntosh, Palmer — “Track to the Rainbow,” photography.
Second certificate of merit, Norris Chee, Lexington — “Bear Fishing,” pastel.
Third certificate of merit, Julie Crocker, Chapman — “Winding Creek,” acrylic.
Fourth certificate of merit, Nia Karmann, Grand Island — “Beyond the Tressels,” photography.
Fifth certificate of merit, Benjamin Kinschuh, Axtell — “Carpenter’s Cross,” cut wood.
Sixth certificate of merit, Jean Cook, Grand Island — “Field of Gold,” water color.
Seventh certificate of merit, Connie McHenry, Grand Island — Garden Rainy Day,” acrylic.
Eighth certificate of merit, Carol Bremer, Plattsmouth, “Giraffe Rock,” acrylic.
Ninth certificate of merit, Norman Elstermeier, Grand Island — “Haunted House,” wood carving.
Tenth certificate of merit, Salley Warrender, Grand Island — “Dan’s Quilt,” pieced quilt.
Purchase award, Madelene Rose, Grand Island — “Browsing,” oil wash.
Purchase award, Mandy Sullivan, Doniphan — “Eye of the Beholder,” photography.
John R. Mayer Award of Excellence, Julie Crocker, Chapman — “Young Ringneck,” pastel chalk.
Tweet
 |
 |
|
| Cattlemen’s Ball accepting health grant applications | G.I. teen cited for DUI after rolling his SUV three times |
