2023 Art Festival Winners Galore
The Arts beckoned and the patrons responded!
The largest crowd ever attended the 19th annual Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove the weekend of September 16th & 17th. “What an economic boon this festival continues to be to our area” exclaimed Camille Smith, Festival Chair. “We estimate an economic impact of more than $663,000.00, and that figure doesn’t include overwhelmingly successful artist sales."
The weather cooperated, and the music summoned with some repeat favorite entertainers and some new musicians too. “We so appreciate the talents of all of our performing artists. Our entertainment tent was a popular place to be.” said Erika Guthrie, Performing Arts Chair for the Festival.
Not to be taken for granted is the curated group of culinary artists providing the food for the event. The varied array of choices is always so appreciated., and enjoyed.
This years judges awarded the Best of Show award to Pete Sandker, a watercolor artist from LaCrosse. The judges were particularly intrigued by the incredibly fine details that morphed into larger organic shapes in his pieces. This $500 award, sponsored by Gallery 1802 in LaCrosse, recognizes overall excellence in both the art and the artistic presentation. AND, for the first time ever, the $250 People’s Choice Award was determined to be the same artist as the judges Best of Show; Pete Sandker again! The peoples choice award is sponsored by VIVA Gallery Artist Cooperative of Viroqua, and is selected by ballots collected at the exits from festival attendees. In March of 2024, Mr. Sandker will be a Guest Featured Artist at the VIVA Gallery.
The panel of judges also gave two $100 Merit Awards. This category is sponsored by Crawford County Title. The first award, was given to Mike Zierke of Onalaska, Wisconsin, who does drawings in pastel and pencil. Herb Johnson, of Alma, Wisconsin is a metalsmith and builds metal sculptures featuring kinetic wind movement received the second Merit award.
AND, it was an exciting year in our Youth Art Tent! The anonymous $5000 donor made it possible for us to give cash awards to 14 individual young artists. We had 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners in four categories: Grades K-2, 2-5 ,6-8 and Teen Art. In addition, there was an award for 3-D Art and another for most promising artist.
Each school represented by a 1st place winner was awarded $500 for their Arts program, with additional school awards for 2nd and 3rd place teen art. Further, two more participating schools names were chosen out of a hat for $500 awards for their art programs as well. In total, $5040 was awarded in prize money. It has been said that Art is a place for children to learn to trust themselves, their ideas, and to explore what is possible. We are absolutely thrilled to encourage young artists at The Driftless Area Art Festival.
Lori Bekkum, of Community Development Alternatives concludes: “Once again, we need to acknowledge our countless volunteers, many of whom donate their time and talent to us every year. Without them, and the fine array of sponsors who make this annual event a reality, we wouldn’t be able to pull this off every year. Thank you one and all!”
A complete list of patrons and supporters, a photo gallery, and full details about the festival and its artist is available at www.driftlessareaartfestival.com.
The Arts beckoned and the patrons responded!
The largest crowd ever attended the 19th annual Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove the weekend of September 16th & 17th. “What an economic boon this festival continues to be to our area” exclaimed Camille Smith, Festival Chair. “We estimate an economic impact of more than $663,000.00, and that figure doesn’t include overwhelmingly successful artist sales."
The weather cooperated, and the music summoned with some repeat favorite entertainers and some new musicians too. “We so appreciate the talents of all of our performing artists. Our entertainment tent was a popular place to be.” said Erika Guthrie, Performing Arts Chair for the Festival.
Not to be taken for granted is the curated group of culinary artists providing the food for the event. The varied array of choices is always so appreciated., and enjoyed.
This years judges awarded the Best of Show award to Pete Sandker, a watercolor artist from LaCrosse. The judges were particularly intrigued by the incredibly fine details that morphed into larger organic shapes in his pieces. This $500 award, sponsored by Gallery 1802 in LaCrosse, recognizes overall excellence in both the art and the artistic presentation. AND, for the first time ever, the $250 People’s Choice Award was determined to be the same artist as the judges Best of Show; Pete Sandker again! The peoples choice award is sponsored by VIVA Gallery Artist Cooperative of Viroqua, and is selected by ballots collected at the exits from festival attendees. In March of 2024, Mr. Sandker will be a Guest Featured Artist at the VIVA Gallery.
The panel of judges also gave two $100 Merit Awards. This category is sponsored by Crawford County Title. The first award, was given to Mike Zierke of Onalaska, Wisconsin, who does drawings in pastel and pencil. Herb Johnson, of Alma, Wisconsin is a metalsmith and builds metal sculptures featuring kinetic wind movement received the second Merit award.
AND, it was an exciting year in our Youth Art Tent! The anonymous $5000 donor made it possible for us to give cash awards to 14 individual young artists. We had 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners in four categories: Grades K-2, 2-5 ,6-8 and Teen Art. In addition, there was an award for 3-D Art and another for most promising artist.
Each school represented by a 1st place winner was awarded $500 for their Arts program, with additional school awards for 2nd and 3rd place teen art. Further, two more participating schools names were chosen out of a hat for $500 awards for their art programs as well. In total, $5040 was awarded in prize money. It has been said that Art is a place for children to learn to trust themselves, their ideas, and to explore what is possible. We are absolutely thrilled to encourage young artists at The Driftless Area Art Festival.
Lori Bekkum, of Community Development Alternatives concludes: “Once again, we need to acknowledge our countless volunteers, many of whom donate their time and talent to us every year. Without them, and the fine array of sponsors who make this annual event a reality, we wouldn’t be able to pull this off every year. Thank you one and all!”
A complete list of patrons and supporters, a photo gallery, and full details about the festival and its artist is available at www.driftlessareaartfestival.com.
Past press releases
2022 - Artists of All Ages Honored at Driftless Area Art Festival
Prize-winning artists were honored during ceremonies Saturday and Sunday at the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove. Young artists exhibited their works in the Youth Art tent, which featured the KidsArt Gallery for elementary students and the Teen Art Gallery for alder kids. Eighty-five professional artists from across the Driftless region brought a wide variety of visual art including painting, sculpture, and wood, metal and fiber art.
From over 100 pieces, paintings, drawings and multi-media, displayed in the Youth Art tent, seven elementary school students were awarded blue ribbons by a team of professional artists.
In the KidsArt Gallery, ribbons were awarded in grade categories. They included, from grades K-2, Grace Griggs, Prairie View school. Her art teacher is Meg Buchner. Another Prairie View student of Meg Buchner, in the grades 3-5 category, was Brooklyn Hooverson. From grades 5-8, the winner was Jaycee Sondry of DeSoto Elementary. CarissaBrudos is her art teacher. Blue ribbon winner in a new category, 3-D art, Audry Yaktin, 5th grade, is from Stoddard Elementary, and her art teacher is Meg Buchner.
In the Teen Art Gallery, Naomi Metz, North Crawford High School, was presented with a blue ribbon and a check for $75. Her art teacher was Michael DiPadova. A red ribbon and a check for $50 was presented to Brynn Sullivan of Kickapoo High School. Her teacher is Heather Martin. A white ribbon and a check for $25 went to Kyrie Crager of DeSoto High school. Her art teacher is Carissa Brudos.
Each student was presented a ribbon and a cash award. Some of them had also received “My Favorite Artist” cards from kids who visited the Festival. And the winners’ art teachers each received certificates for purchase of art at the Festival.
Nine schools in the Driftless region participated, along with four individuals who entered their works independently.
“We will continue to encourage school art programs as well as individual young artists to submit their works,” said Jane Holzhauer, co-director of the Youth Art tent program. “It’s good for young artists to be able to show their work and be part of the Festival.” And co-director Jamee Stanley encouraged art teachers to begin planning ahead for participation in 2023. “As the school year progresses there are going to be pieces that deserve area-wide recognition. We hope to see many of these works next year.”
Among professional artists, three awards were made. A jury of artists selected three of the professional artists for ribbons and cash awards. Named Best of Show, John Craig was honored for his giclée prints and collages, described as “continuing to push the envelope and develop his style that is fun, engaging and well composed.” The $500 award is sponsored by J Company Interior Design, now Gallery 804. of Lacrosse
Merit awards were won by Jovy Rockey of Winona, Minnesota and Ken and Michelle Workowski of Viola, WI. Jurors described Rockey as a master of her craft” and called her jewelry creations an elegant and professional collection of bold designs. They called the Workowskis’ hickory baskets “well crafted pieces of functional art – always pushing the limits.” The $100 awards were sponsored by VIVA Gallery of Viroqua.
In balloting done throughout the weekend, Toby Skov of Nature Photography of Viola was voted the People’s Choice. He will receive a $100 prize sponsored by Viroqua’s VIVA Gallery. Skov will and be a featured artist there in upcoming months.
A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Bill Zierke of LaCrosse/Onalaska, for his 70-year career creating paintings and sculptures focusing on barns and wildlife. “Bill has been a highlight of the Festival for many years,” said Lori Bekkum, Festival chairman, “and his works have brought joy to art lovers of all ages.”
The Festival’s major partners include People’s State Bank, The Richland Hospital and Clinics, Wisconsin Public Radio, The Village of Soldiers Grove, and Community Development Alternatives.
2019 Art Festival winners announced
Winds and rain threatened but did not discourage several thousand art lovers and the 78 visual artists who brought a wide variety of works from across the Driftless region. The 15th annual Driftless Area Art Festival, Sept 21 – 22 in Soldiers Grove, had something for everyone and some special awards for both professional and youth artists.
The 2019 award for Best in Show went to Amy Arnold of Viroqua, who creates human and animal figurative wood sculptures. She and her husband Kelsey Sauber Olds, a custom furniture artist, have been collaborating since 2012 in exploring a balance between human and animal; wild and tame; crude and refined; movement and stability; humor and seriousness; adult and child; toy and art object. The award, sponsored by J Gallery Interior Design Studio, La Crosse, recognizes overall excellence in both the art and the artistic presentation.
The panel of judges also gave Merit awards, sponsored by State Street Gallery in La Crosse, to Dan Weimer and Jill Johnson. Weimer, a painter from Red Wing, MN, combines acrylics and watercolor to create unique, stylized landscapes. Johnson, of River Winds Farm and Fiber in Blair Wisconsin, creates colorful hangings with the wool from her Cormo and Bluefaced Leicester sheep.
Earning judges’ honorable mentions were John Craig, Toril Fisher, Wayne Ferra & Mya Madden, and Herb Johnson. John Craig, of Soldiers Grove is known for his whimsical photo montages that focus on historical “happenings” in the Driftless region. Toril Fisher, of La Farge, focuses her acrylic paintings on nature. Maya Madden and Wayne Farra use themes from nature to create one-of-a-kind pieces at their No Rules Jewelry in Lone Rock, WI.
Herb Johnson, in addition to a judge’s honorable mention, also earned the 2019 People's Choice Award. The People’s Choice Award, sponsored by VIVA Gallery Artist Cooperative of Viroqua, is selected each year by festival attendees. A metalsmith from Alma, WI., Johnson builds original handcrafted metal sculptures with nature themes.
Young artists won another set of awards, presented in the Youth Art tent. Blue ribbons were won by artists in three categories, grade 1-3, 4-6, and 7-8. The three artists will each receive a $25 check and framed copies of their pieces. The original works will be sold at live auction during the 2020 Festival, with proceeds going to each artist’s school. This year’s live auction netted a record $3,450, to benefit the art programs in the Stoddard and Kickapoo Schools. That brings the total to $15,312 art lovers have contributed to school art programs since 2010.
The 2019 Blue ribbon winners included first grader Flynn Mendygral, of Kickapoo School in Viola. His teacher is Heather Martin. Another blue ribbon went to fifth grader Felicity Mitchell of St. Charles School in Genoa. Her teacher is Meg Buchner. A third blue ribbon went to eighth grader Emma Schmidt of North Crawford School in Gays Mills. Her teacher is Brandie Myhre. In a new category, 3-D Art, Perpetua Mitchell of St. Charles in Genoa won a blue ribbon. Her teacher is Meg Buchner.
High school students also exhibited their works and, from among 30 paintings and drawings, 12th grader Ava Brosinski of De Soto High School won the First place ribbon and a check for $75. A second-place ribbon and a check for $50 went to Gracie Miller of Kickapoo High School in Viola; and Marieke Kuchenbecker, an exchange student from Germany studying at DeSoto High School, won a third-place ribbon and a check for $25. Lindsey Kuennen is the art teacher at De Soto. Heather Martin teaches at Viola Kickapoo High School.
Major funding Partners for the two-day festival include Peoples State Bank, Village of Soldiers Grove and its Community Development Corporation, Crawford County, Go Macro, Community Development Alternatives Inc., and Wisconsin Public Radio. Benefactors include J Company Design Studio, La Crosse Tent and Awning, Organic Valley Family of Farms, Richland Grant Telephone Cooperative, Rooted Spoon Culinary, Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative, Sleepy Hollow Auto, Star Valley Flowers, plus many other sponsors at the Patron and Supporter levels.
Prize-winning artists were honored during ceremonies Saturday and Sunday at the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove. Young artists exhibited their works in the Youth Art tent, which featured the KidsArt Gallery for elementary students and the Teen Art Gallery for alder kids. Eighty-five professional artists from across the Driftless region brought a wide variety of visual art including painting, sculpture, and wood, metal and fiber art.
From over 100 pieces, paintings, drawings and multi-media, displayed in the Youth Art tent, seven elementary school students were awarded blue ribbons by a team of professional artists.
In the KidsArt Gallery, ribbons were awarded in grade categories. They included, from grades K-2, Grace Griggs, Prairie View school. Her art teacher is Meg Buchner. Another Prairie View student of Meg Buchner, in the grades 3-5 category, was Brooklyn Hooverson. From grades 5-8, the winner was Jaycee Sondry of DeSoto Elementary. CarissaBrudos is her art teacher. Blue ribbon winner in a new category, 3-D art, Audry Yaktin, 5th grade, is from Stoddard Elementary, and her art teacher is Meg Buchner.
In the Teen Art Gallery, Naomi Metz, North Crawford High School, was presented with a blue ribbon and a check for $75. Her art teacher was Michael DiPadova. A red ribbon and a check for $50 was presented to Brynn Sullivan of Kickapoo High School. Her teacher is Heather Martin. A white ribbon and a check for $25 went to Kyrie Crager of DeSoto High school. Her art teacher is Carissa Brudos.
Each student was presented a ribbon and a cash award. Some of them had also received “My Favorite Artist” cards from kids who visited the Festival. And the winners’ art teachers each received certificates for purchase of art at the Festival.
Nine schools in the Driftless region participated, along with four individuals who entered their works independently.
“We will continue to encourage school art programs as well as individual young artists to submit their works,” said Jane Holzhauer, co-director of the Youth Art tent program. “It’s good for young artists to be able to show their work and be part of the Festival.” And co-director Jamee Stanley encouraged art teachers to begin planning ahead for participation in 2023. “As the school year progresses there are going to be pieces that deserve area-wide recognition. We hope to see many of these works next year.”
Among professional artists, three awards were made. A jury of artists selected three of the professional artists for ribbons and cash awards. Named Best of Show, John Craig was honored for his giclée prints and collages, described as “continuing to push the envelope and develop his style that is fun, engaging and well composed.” The $500 award is sponsored by J Company Interior Design, now Gallery 804. of Lacrosse
Merit awards were won by Jovy Rockey of Winona, Minnesota and Ken and Michelle Workowski of Viola, WI. Jurors described Rockey as a master of her craft” and called her jewelry creations an elegant and professional collection of bold designs. They called the Workowskis’ hickory baskets “well crafted pieces of functional art – always pushing the limits.” The $100 awards were sponsored by VIVA Gallery of Viroqua.
In balloting done throughout the weekend, Toby Skov of Nature Photography of Viola was voted the People’s Choice. He will receive a $100 prize sponsored by Viroqua’s VIVA Gallery. Skov will and be a featured artist there in upcoming months.
A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Bill Zierke of LaCrosse/Onalaska, for his 70-year career creating paintings and sculptures focusing on barns and wildlife. “Bill has been a highlight of the Festival for many years,” said Lori Bekkum, Festival chairman, “and his works have brought joy to art lovers of all ages.”
The Festival’s major partners include People’s State Bank, The Richland Hospital and Clinics, Wisconsin Public Radio, The Village of Soldiers Grove, and Community Development Alternatives.
2019 Art Festival winners announced
Winds and rain threatened but did not discourage several thousand art lovers and the 78 visual artists who brought a wide variety of works from across the Driftless region. The 15th annual Driftless Area Art Festival, Sept 21 – 22 in Soldiers Grove, had something for everyone and some special awards for both professional and youth artists.
The 2019 award for Best in Show went to Amy Arnold of Viroqua, who creates human and animal figurative wood sculptures. She and her husband Kelsey Sauber Olds, a custom furniture artist, have been collaborating since 2012 in exploring a balance between human and animal; wild and tame; crude and refined; movement and stability; humor and seriousness; adult and child; toy and art object. The award, sponsored by J Gallery Interior Design Studio, La Crosse, recognizes overall excellence in both the art and the artistic presentation.
The panel of judges also gave Merit awards, sponsored by State Street Gallery in La Crosse, to Dan Weimer and Jill Johnson. Weimer, a painter from Red Wing, MN, combines acrylics and watercolor to create unique, stylized landscapes. Johnson, of River Winds Farm and Fiber in Blair Wisconsin, creates colorful hangings with the wool from her Cormo and Bluefaced Leicester sheep.
Earning judges’ honorable mentions were John Craig, Toril Fisher, Wayne Ferra & Mya Madden, and Herb Johnson. John Craig, of Soldiers Grove is known for his whimsical photo montages that focus on historical “happenings” in the Driftless region. Toril Fisher, of La Farge, focuses her acrylic paintings on nature. Maya Madden and Wayne Farra use themes from nature to create one-of-a-kind pieces at their No Rules Jewelry in Lone Rock, WI.
Herb Johnson, in addition to a judge’s honorable mention, also earned the 2019 People's Choice Award. The People’s Choice Award, sponsored by VIVA Gallery Artist Cooperative of Viroqua, is selected each year by festival attendees. A metalsmith from Alma, WI., Johnson builds original handcrafted metal sculptures with nature themes.
Young artists won another set of awards, presented in the Youth Art tent. Blue ribbons were won by artists in three categories, grade 1-3, 4-6, and 7-8. The three artists will each receive a $25 check and framed copies of their pieces. The original works will be sold at live auction during the 2020 Festival, with proceeds going to each artist’s school. This year’s live auction netted a record $3,450, to benefit the art programs in the Stoddard and Kickapoo Schools. That brings the total to $15,312 art lovers have contributed to school art programs since 2010.
The 2019 Blue ribbon winners included first grader Flynn Mendygral, of Kickapoo School in Viola. His teacher is Heather Martin. Another blue ribbon went to fifth grader Felicity Mitchell of St. Charles School in Genoa. Her teacher is Meg Buchner. A third blue ribbon went to eighth grader Emma Schmidt of North Crawford School in Gays Mills. Her teacher is Brandie Myhre. In a new category, 3-D Art, Perpetua Mitchell of St. Charles in Genoa won a blue ribbon. Her teacher is Meg Buchner.
High school students also exhibited their works and, from among 30 paintings and drawings, 12th grader Ava Brosinski of De Soto High School won the First place ribbon and a check for $75. A second-place ribbon and a check for $50 went to Gracie Miller of Kickapoo High School in Viola; and Marieke Kuchenbecker, an exchange student from Germany studying at DeSoto High School, won a third-place ribbon and a check for $25. Lindsey Kuennen is the art teacher at De Soto. Heather Martin teaches at Viola Kickapoo High School.
Major funding Partners for the two-day festival include Peoples State Bank, Village of Soldiers Grove and its Community Development Corporation, Crawford County, Go Macro, Community Development Alternatives Inc., and Wisconsin Public Radio. Benefactors include J Company Design Studio, La Crosse Tent and Awning, Organic Valley Family of Farms, Richland Grant Telephone Cooperative, Rooted Spoon Culinary, Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative, Sleepy Hollow Auto, Star Valley Flowers, plus many other sponsors at the Patron and Supporter levels.
2018 - Artists, art lovers, and school art programs all came away winners during the Driftless Area Art Festival held in mid-September in Gays Mills, Wisconsin. The festival, temporarily relocated from Soldiers Grove due to flood damage in the park there, offered the crowds sunny weather, the works of 77 visual artists, great entertainment, and culinary treats, […] Read the Full Post
2016 - Art lovers will soon descend on Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, for the 2016 Driftless Area Art Festival, September 17 and 18. They’ll come from all over the Driftless Region and well beyond. Last year’s event drew visitors from 15 states and 279 zip codes. Eighty artists, all from the Driftless Region, will offer fine handmade art including the following categories: ceramics, drawing and pastels, fiber, glass, jewelry, metalworks, mixed media, painting, photography, limited-edition prints, sculpture, and wood, […] Read the Full Post
2015 - It was another record-breaking year for the Driftless Area Art Festival, held September 19-20 in Soldiers Grove. Perfect weather during the eleventh annual event, and 83 visual artists, many of them returning favorites, drew more visitors than in 2014, representing 15 states and 279 zip codes.
When those visitors voted for their favorites among the visual arts exhibitors, the People’s Choice Award went to Jamie Heiden, a repeat favorite, whose innovative photography captures imaginations and prompts rave comments from people around the world. The VIVA Art Gallery in Viroqua sponsors the People’s Choice Award, which includes a blue ribbon and a prize of $100, and Heiden as this year’s award winner will be a featured artist there during May 2016.
When those visitors voted for their favorites among the visual arts exhibitors, the People’s Choice Award went to Jamie Heiden, a repeat favorite, whose innovative photography captures imaginations and prompts rave comments from people around the world. The VIVA Art Gallery in Viroqua sponsors the People’s Choice Award, which includes a blue ribbon and a prize of $100, and Heiden as this year’s award winner will be a featured artist there during May 2016.
