(PHOTOS) Local artists shine in spotlight at Nicolaysen Art Museum

CASPER, Wyo. — While the halls of the Nicolaysen Art Museum are frequently lined with works from artists around the globe, the museum on Friday unveiled several pieces that were made a bit closer to home. Now, the museum is home to the entries in the Casper Artists Collective’s inaugural juried competition.

“For our first one, I think it turned out great,” Collective board member Casey Hanson said with a smile. “It really highlights all the wonderful talent that exists here in and around Casper.”

Hanson estimated that roughly 70 submissions were sent in, with mediums ranging from various forms of painting to sculpture, photography, graffiti art and more.

“One of the things that’s so special about this is all the various types of art we’re able to highlight,” museum executive director Allison Maluchnik said. “It’s one of the many reasons we like partnering with the collective — we see such a variety of artistic forms and also ideas. And we get to see how they bounce off each other. Someone working in watercolors could influence a person working in embroidery, and it’s fun to see how those artists influence one another and their works.”

As a juried show, a panel of judges named the top three pieces. The winning work was “Summer Peonies,” a watercolor painting by Lynn Jones.

Jones, who traditionally works with colored pencils, said she was inspired to use watercolors to replicate a flower picked by her partner.

“I’ll turn to other mediums when inspiration hits or I feel like changing things up,” she said.

The piece took Jones a few months to complete, she said.

Jones said that she was very pleased with the painting after finishing it, but still didn’t expect to take the top prize.

“I was beside myself,” she said, smiling. “It was so exciting.”

Jones is an accomplished visual artist, and over the years has taught classes at the Natrona County Public Library, in Laramie and through the AARP.

“It’s something I’ve always loved,” she said.

In second place was Stevie Vanderheiden’s mixed media piece titled “43472 Venom.” And the third-place piece was an acryllic work by Joyce Maken titled “A Conspiracy of Ravens.”

Maluchnik said the contest entries will remain on exhibit through the end of June.

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