Kimmel earns third award
in as many years at Chautauqua

By Don Ward
Editor

MADISON, Ind. (Sept. 25, 2005) – Melanie Kimmel only began making her unique fabric art four years ago, but the result is obviously impressive enough to catch the attention of Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art judges. Kimmel has won an award all three years she has been here.

Photo by Don Ward Melanie Kimmel, right, accepts her Best of show award from Chautauqua representative Stacey Fitzpatrick.

Kimmel, of Latrobe, Pa., won Best of Show on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the 2005 Madison Chautauqua. She won that prestigious award two years ago in her first appearance at the show. Last year, she collected the First Place award in the Fine Art Category.
“I started out quilting in 1998 and went to more crafty type shows,” Kimmel said. “But I’m a degreed mathematician, and I couldn’t get the detail in a quilt that I wanted. So this gives me more satisfaction than what I was doing before.”
The 2-dimensional fabric art is similar to painting with a fabric-only palette. But no painting is used in the process. Each piece of artwork is a layered composition of small fabric segments that are cut individually, arranged and web fused to a background fabric, which serves as her “canvas.” She then frames her artwork using acid and lignin-free materials and non-glare conservation glass. She also makes the rustic wood frames for each piece.
Two other former Chautauqua winners also repeated as winners this year. Kathleen Green, an oil painter from Groveport, Ohio, won First Place in Fine Art. Barry and Sandi Black repeated as First Place winners in the Craft Category with their impressive hand-carved and painted butterflies.
Green won that same award in 2003 and earned Best of Show in 2002. Her realistic paintings are made with a glazing technique by applying many layers of oils. This results in work rich in color and detail.

Many of her subjects are country settings, including porches, rooms and doors. “I used to do a lot of Amish paintings, but I don’t do that any more,” said Green. who was participating in her fifth Madison Chautauqua show. “I’ve recently gotten more into shadows and light, and capturing how light strikes across a room or onto subjects.”
Barry Black’s butterflies look like the real thing and many are even mounted in 3-D box frames. On first glance, you would think they are real butterflies. But on closer inspection, you realize they are intricately carved wooden pieces of art.
Black, from Warsaw, Ind., is a three-time Chautauqua winner, having captured Best Presentation in 2003 and 2002.
Best Presentation this year went to a Chautauqua newcomer, Jasen W. Goslin, a nature photographer from Indianapolis whose style resembles that of famed photographer Ansel Adams. In fact, Goslin studied under one of Adams’ assistants.
Although he has been exhibiting his nature photos at shows for six years now, this is the first year he has attended shows outside of Indianapolis. Previously he was a studio photographer. His booth earned high marks from the judges because of its unique design. Goslin bought striped material off E-bay and created a patterned background against which he hangs his black-and-white only framed photos.
“The contrast is what makes the photos stand out,” said Goslin, who came up with the idea himself.

Photo by Don Ward The 2005 Madison Chautauqua winners are pictured above with coordinator Georgie Kelly (far left). They are Charity G. Gichina, Greenwood, Ind. (Third Place-Fine Art); Joan Habb and Marla Dawson, Ellettsville, Ind. (Third Place-Craft); Harlan Harrell accepting for his wife, Janice Harrell, North Vernon, Ind. (Second Place-Craft); Melanie Kimmel, Latrobe, Pa. (Best of Show); Jasen Goslin, Indianapolis (Best Presentation); Marla Helton, Greencastle, Ind. (Second Place-Fine Art); Kathleen Green, Groveport, Ohio (First place-Fine Art); Barry Black, Warsaw, Ind. (First Place-Craft); and Chautauqua awards presenter Stacey Fitzpatrick.