Arts Alive in Agriculture: A Juried Exhibition Celebrates its

10th Year

On Thursday, April 27, Fresno Arts Council presented the 10th Annual Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Exhibition in The Barn at the San Joaquin River Parkway Trust and Conservation Center Arts Alive in Agriculture is a celebration of our agricultural industry through the visual arts with the intent to promote and encourage creative perspectives on our intimate relationships with food-production here in the Central Valley

Visual art submissions were solicited and accepted through a juried application process Thirty-eight local artists showed their agriculture-themed work in five categories: Agricultural Landscapes, People and Agriculture, Machines and Technology, Photography, and Sculpture, Assemblage, and Found Objects In each category, cash prizes were awarded to first and second prize, as well as honorable mentions Local art experts, Steve Dzerigian, Jared Barbick, and Matthew Hopson-Walker served as judges They selected Jerry Blessing's mixed-media painting, “Sowing Seeds” as Best in Show, and event sponsors awarded Gail Perry's “Dairy Queens” watercolor painting the Farm Favorite award

“I wanted to say thank you again to the Fresno Arts Council, the sponsors and the juried exhibition judges that made the event possible," said Best In Show winner, Jerry Blessing "The 10th annual Arts Alive exhibition was my first time ever participating in a juried exhibition, and it definitely won’t be my last time! The event was fantastic with roughly 70 works of art being presented, all by wonderfully talented artists The Central Valley has always held a rich, vast culture in regards to art and events like this always serve as a wonderful opportunity for artists and art lovers to come together and appreciate that culture ”

This year’s reception featured a grazing table by Fig and Honey Lavish Grazing, wine tasting courtesy of O’Neill Vintners, and beer tasting by Tioga Sequoia Entertainment was provided by Green Bush Spring Quartet This annual event would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors many from the agricultural industry that this exhibit celebrates A full list of winners is also available on our website, as is a catalog of the show’s featured pieces Please contact the artists directly if you would like to purchase their artwork In 2024, Fresno Arts Council will present the 11th Anniversary of Arts Alive in Agriculture The call for art submissions will be posted this Fall For more information about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, please contact Program Coordinator, Andrea Mele

2023 Arts Alive in Agriculture Winners

Best in Show: "Sowing Seeds," Jerry Blessing

Farm Favorite: "Dairy Queens," Gail Perry

Agricultural Landscapes:

1st: "Cotton Farm," Jessica Keller

2nd: "Valley Blossoms," Daniel Van Green

Honorable Mention: "Barn-Highway 43Hanford," Jim Curnyn

People and Agriculture:

1st: "Palm Turkey," Elaine Blake

2nd: "Keeping the Bees," Mary Beth Harrison

Honorable Mention: "Hard Earned Rest," Dixie Salazar

Machines and Technology:

1st: "Cattle Grazing the Irrigation Canal," Tim Fleming

2nd: "Dairy Queens," Gail Perry

Honorable Mention: "Pistachios and Process," Daniel Van Green

Photography:

1st: "Honeybee Covered in Pollen," Kathryn Cehrs

2nd: "Tending the Flock," Helen Gigliotti

Honorable Mention: "Fall in Firebaugh," Finn Telles

Sculpture, Assemblage, and Found Objects:

1st: "Rocco Checks Messages," Ren Lee

2nd: "Fox," Evany Zirul

Honorable Mention: "String Bean Theory," Beth Thielen