Winners

Kimberly Wurster of Coquille took 1st Place for a pastel titled April Afternoon; a landscape depicting the Elk River on Oregon's south coast.

Wurster, a native of western Montana, relocated to Oregon in 1995 and has used her new surroundings as her subject matter. April Afternoon is part of a series on the Elk River, a popular river visited by both locals and travelers from afar. "I'm a self-taught artist. My goal is to capture the spirit of my subject, to exemplify the beauty found in the everyday life that is native to the coast range of Southern Oregon". A classically trained cellist for over 30 years, Wurster shifted her creative outlet to painting after she and her husband established wildlife refuges in Montana. "We were working hands on to turn fallow, unusable ranch land into nesting areas for migratory birds. My observations of the flora and fauna in these wildlife refuges became the imagery for my artwork." Wurster has completely surprised and elated to win 1st Place. "I am enjoying this honor and it has inspired me to continue to create works that have such a deep meaning for me."

Veneita Stender of North Bend took 2nd place for a broche made of silver and semi precious gem entitled Xiphias.

A self -directed artist, Stender took her life long fascination with stones and learned the art of fusing metal and gems. After retirement from Southwestern Oregon Community College as a Professor of Home Economics, Stender studied at the Oregon School of Arts & Crafts, the University of Oregon's Craft Center and the Mendocino Arts Center under master craftsmen to learn the techniques for creating jewelry with precious metals and stones. "I strive to show the synergy between the stone and the metal. For Xiphias, it is the reticulation process on the silver that gives the broche its unique texture."

Monte Rogers of North Bend took 3rd Place with an oil painting titled Buttonwillow Farrier.

Rogers is an award-winning western artist whose works meld expressive color with realism. After receiving a degree from Art Center in Los Angeles, Rogers spent the next 30 years working as a professional illustrator. After years of being instructed what to create, Rogers decided to create what he wanted and his love of western themed art took off. "You can hear the farrier working on the horses hooves, while the strong sunlight bouncing off his cowboy hat tells you that the heat of the day will force him to work quickly. I like to give the viewer an entire story with my images".

James McCarten of Brookings received a Merit Award for an oil painting titled Coastal Skies.

McCarten combined usage of brush strokes and pallet knife infused both shadow and light into a mood provoking, expressionistic landscape. "Nature's varied texture and light have been an infinite inspiration for me. Art is a window for the imagination to travel and I use this window to produce an extensive portfolio of landscapes and vistas" Starting his formal art education at the age of ten while living in New Jersey, McCarten received a Bachelor of Art from UC Davis. McCarten has exhibited his works throughout Sonoma and Marin counties in Northern California before relocating to Brookings.

Barbara Mahon of North Bend received a Merit Award for a watercolor tilted Nasturtium Walkway, a realistic depiction of a brightly colored vine and flowers gently reaching into the sunlight.

With a degree in Art Education from Montana State, Mahon was an art instructor in both public and private schools in the San Francisco, CA area. Mahon teaches outreach classes for Southwestern Oregon Community College as well as conducts private classes at her home studio. An active member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon and the Loft Gallery, Mahon is the past-president of the Bay Area Artists' Association. "I've combined my love of teaching, community involvement and the strong desire to pass on the skills and joy of painting through my classes, my activities and my artwork".

Photographs courtesy of The World Newspaper.

For more information on CAM, email info@coosart.org.