BRADFORD — The inaugural Art In The Stacks event took place Friday evening in the Bradford Public Library. The New Friends Of Bradford Public Library sponsored the event, including the cash prizes for winning artwork. Artists were judged in two different age groups; toddlers through eighth grade and ninth grade through adulthood.
First place winners were awarded $25, second place was $15, and third place was $10. Carolyn Smith, president of the New Friends Of Bradford Public Library, said the main reason for the event was to bring more people in to the library. She said she hopes this becomes a yearly event.
“[The teachers] had their students determine if they wanted to submit something. We had a pretty good turnout of children sending stuff,” said Smith.
The judge for the art competition, Ashley Barnt, was a graduate of Bradford. She said she always found art appealing, even as a young child.
“Art was my favorite subject all through elementary school and even high school. I worked with many mediums including acrylic paint, ceramics, pencil drawing, and watercolors,” she said.
After graduating high school, Barnt went on to the School of Advertising Art in Kettering, Ohio, to study graphic design and photography. She said although art is not her career anymore, she still enjoys being an artist as a hobby. Barnt was happy to see each piece of art and said there was a lot of talent in all of the pieces.
The winners for the children’s group were Jaylynn Wilburn, who won third place for a woven piece. Second place went to Ricehlle Geer for her abstract bunny and first place went to Owen Canan for his ceramic pancakes.
The adults division winners were Skipp Miller, who won third place for a mosaic piece, Tori Derstine, who won second place for a multi-media horse, made from pictures gathered out of magazines, and Mackenzie Weldy, who won first place for a detailed, pencil drawn astronaut.
The people’s choice will be awarded on April 7 and the winner, determined by the public, will get a Joann Fabrics gift card. All of the artwork will remain displayed at the library until the people’s choice is awarded.
