Perkins County artist wins best of show at MCC paint-in

Kaitlin Meyer of Perkins County was named Best of Show winner at the McCook Community College Paint-In and Art Show. She was honored for her folded paper piece “Bird of 3,000 Folds.” Norton Community High School was named winner of Friday’s paint in competition.

There were 29 teams of high school artists from 19 schools who took part in MCC’s annual Art Show and Paint-In Friday.

The judge for this year’s event was Hana Brock, a 2020 MCC graduate with an associate degree in fine art. She holds two bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and is planning to pursue a master’s degree.

Brock announced this year’s paint-in theme which was “Transitions and Nostalgia (Liminal space).” Liminal space is the uncertain transition between where you've been and where you're going physically, emotionally, or metaphorically. The theme was announced at 9 a.m. at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center and teams had three hours to complete the painting on four foot by eight-foot sheets of paper.

Arapahoe (team 2) was the second-place winner in the paint-in, Lexington (team 3) received third place and Norton (team 2) received honorable mention.

Meyer was one of 29 individual winners in the seven categories who were announced Friday as winners in the art show, which was exhibited April 1-12 at the Wrightstone Fine Arts Gallery on the MCC campus.

Schools participating in this year’s paint-in included: Southwest, Chase County, Cambridge, Southern Valley, Norton, McCook, Hitchcock, Medicine Valley, Sutherland, Ogallala, Wauneta-Palisade, Maywood, Dundy County-Stratton, Wallace, Lexington, Arapahoe, Brady, Decatur Community and Perkins County.

Here are the winners of the art show competition.

Best Of Show – Kaitlin Meyer, “Bird of 3,000 Folds,” Perkins County.

Painting – Judge’s Choice: Pryce Johnston, “Greg Octavius,” Maywood; 1. Rob Manning, “Ringo Rango,” Norton; 2. Rob Manning, “Pickled Herring,” Norton; 3. Jolie Farr, “Pleasure and Pain,” Cambridge.

Drawing – Judge’s Choice: Annon Wolfe, “Old Ford Mustang,” Cambridge; 1. Cora Bogardus, “The Flightless Dragon,” McCook; 2. Easton Fries, “Goodbye Chandler,” Chase County; 3. Kaitlin Meyer, “Humming Flower,” Perkins County.

Prints/Printmaking – Judge’s Choice: Rob Manning, “Terminator,” Norton; 1. Maria Lopez-Campos, “The Perception of Beauty,” McCook; 2. Stephani Martin, “Frill,” Southern Valley; 3. Jarrett Hagen, “Unhinged,” Norton.

Mixed Media – Judge’s Choice: Mackenzie Clydesdale, “Sweet Paris,” Norton; 1. Pryce Johnson, “54 Oddly Specific Things I Like,” Maywood; 2. Paytin Sickles, “Self Worth,” Cambridge; 3. Alex Stanley, “The Dog,” Hitchcock County.

Pottery – Judge’s Choice: Pryce Johnston, “Gunther (Toad Calendar),” Maywood; 1. Ali Del Carlo, “Cooper,” Maywood; 2. Natalie Dame, untitled, McCook; 3. Nevaeh Lucero, “Bubbles,” McCook.

3-Dimensional/Sculpture – Judge’s Choice: Mareesa Hempler, “Flowers Not Given,” Norton; 1. Pryce Johnston, “Send Nudies,” Maywood; 2, Jarett Hagen, “Bones and Botany,” Norton; 3. Natalie Simmons, “O Christmas Tree,” Norton.

Digital and Photography – Judge’s Choice: Isabella Tores, “Golden Hour on the Prairie,” Perkins County; 1. Marko Jordan, “Little Guy,” Southern Valley; 2. Hope Sandman, “Garden of the Gods,” Dundy County-Stratton; 3. Hope Sandman, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Dundy County-Stratton.