Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art

Papka of Versailles, Ky.,
earns Chautauqua’s ‘Best of Show’

Children's book illustrator
earns Best Presentation for third year

By Don Ward
Editor

Photo by Don Ward The 2011 Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art show winners pose at the Lanier Mansion on Sept. 25 after having received their awards. They are pictured with festival coordinator Georgie Kelly (front row from left) Gale Bigham, Linda Barnett, Jeri Sanders, Kaska Firor, and Melissa Oesch; (back row from left) Amy Welborn, Dieter Pfropper (standing in for his wife, Maria), Raymond Papka and Madison Mayor Tim Armstrong, who presented the awards.

(October 2011) – Raymond Papka of Versailles, Ky., won Best of Show from the judges at the 2011 Madison Chautauqua Festi-val of Art show, held Sept. 24-25 in downtown Madison, Ind.
Papka creates “encaustic painting and assemblage on wood panels and altered books,” said the description of his work. He was among several artists honored during a brief ceremony on the Lanier Mansion State Historic Site’s North Lawn on Sept 25.
Winners were announced by Chautauqua coordinator Georgie Kelly. They were then presented their handmade wooden trophies by Madison Mayor Tim Armstrong.
Jeri Landers, a children’s book author and illustrator from Rutledge, Tenn., won the show’s Best Presentation award for the third consecutive year. She creates paper-cuttings and greeting cards in addition to her children’s books.

Photo by Don Ward Raymond Papka of Versailles, Ky., receives his award from Madison Mayor Tim Armstrong.

Amy Welborn of Crestwood, Ky., earned the show’s top honor in the Fine Arts category. She works in oils to create her fine art paintings and has won awards in the Arts Association of Oldham County, where she is a member.
Melissa Oesch of Lexington, Ky., was the First Place award in the Crafts category. She creates journals and sketchbooks from recycled materials.
Second Place in Fine Art went to Kaska Firor of Cincinnati. She is a past winner at the show.
Third Place in Fine Art was awarded to Maria Pfropper of Dryden, Mich. Her art is watercolor. She create lithographs in a primitive style using textures and pointillism.
Second Place in Craft went to Linda Barnett of New Albany, Ind. Her work is mixed media and mosaics.

Photo by Don Ward Jeri Sanders of Rutledge, Tenn. won "Best Presentation" for the third consecutive year.

Third Place in Craft was given to Gale Bigham of New Paris, Ohio. His art consists of work such as bowls, pepper mills, rolling pins and laminated rolling pins.
Rain hampered the start of two-day show until about noon Saturday, despite a large crowd that turned out. Sunday’s weather was cool and overcast, but no rain.