An opportunity for area artists of all ages and interests to share their work with the community, Art Array provides a juried show experience for regional artists. This year, retired art teacher Mary Alice Sessler and Muscatine High School art teacher Jame Hayes judged the works, and they found the task pleasantly challenging, as the many different kinds of entries exemplified a variety of artistic techniques and styles. They also found them even more impressive in person than in the submission photos they reviewed first online. “There are so many styles and mixed medias that were used by artists, incredible diversity in the works that was submitted,” observed Muscatine County Arts Council Member Ed Chamberlin. “This years winners are different in their styles.”

This year, first place went to Carol J. Anthony for her drawing, “Delicious,” a portrait primarily in warm colors. Second place went to Cory Christianson for his impressionistic charcoal landscape “Soaring.” Rick Lodmell won third place for “The Heart of the Matter,” a detailed drawing of a flower. Each of the three winners also received monetary prizes to honor their outstanding works. Honorable mentions went to Garth Conley for “No Exit,” Tracy Edens for “Hollyhock Australorp,” and Duffy De France for “San Marco.” Other exhibitors include NeVada Baker, Joseph Barnard, Kent Broadbent, Robin Edwards, Jim Elias, Laura Farahzad Mayer, Kay Flanders, Cara Fuller, Jim Houseman, Jon Lawrence, Melissa Morese, Janet Reese, and Peter Xiao.

• 

  Delicious by Carol J. Anthony.

• 

  "Soaring" by Cory Christianson.

• 

  The Heart of the Matter by Rick Lodmell.

Photos courtesy the Muscatine County Arts Council.

Prior to the announcement of this year’s winners, the Muscatine County Arts Council held a reception for all of the exhibiting artists at the Muscatine Art Center, located at 1314 Iowa Avenue in Muscatine, allowing people a first viewing of all their works. This year’s event proved quite well attended, with 94 people coming to view the works, hear the artists speak about their creations, and ask them questions about their creative processes. Chamberlin found it quite enlightening. “I had the opportunity to engage with several of the artists and discuss their works,” he shared. “It was interesting to get what had inspired their works.”