A shadowbox piece integrating wire-work and colored glass created by Wrangell artist Kris Reed won for its class and division at the Southeast Alaska Fair in Haines this year. It was nominated for submission to the State Fair in Palmer, which ended Monday. Reed has yet to learn whether her entry took any prizes there.
Wrangellites fared well this year at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines, with a dozen local artists garnering 22 prizes.
"All the entries placed pretty well," said Shawna Buness of the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce. This year the Chamber helped organize and send submissions to the Haines fair, after hosting its first-ever Wrangell Fair during this year's July 4 celebrations.
"I think that inspired some interest," Cyni Waddington said of the local fair, getting artists working on projects and pieces well before the regional fair in Haines. "It's also just a way to get the community involved and get some recognition."
Waddington and Buness both confirmed another Wrangell fair will be held next summer, making it an annual tradition.
Exhibits at the Haines fair came from around the southeastern region. These were separated into 20 departments, each with its own junior, senior, professional and group divisions. These departments fell into four categories: agriculture, home arts, youth, and fine arts and crafts.
Twelve Wrangell artists took prizes for their submissions this year.
These include Sydney Reed, taking first place in fine crafts; Dennis Mann, second place for creative writing; Michael Bania, first class for fine arts, class champion; Joan Benjamin, second place for fine arts; Anny Fyni (Newport), second place for hobbies and crafts; Joe Kuntz, first place for Native style arts, division champion; and Haley Reed for creative writing.
Some artists took prizes for multiple entries. Jaquie Dozier took second and first place in fine arts for two exhibits, class champion; second place in pioneer arts and recycling; and first place in hobbies and crafts, class champion.
For three exhibits in fine arts, Thecla Lalonde took first place, class champion; first and second place. Terree Pino took first and second place in fine arts. And Arlene Woodward took first place (division and class champion) in photography, as well as first and second place prizes.
Kris Reed won awards for three exhibits, a second place prize for fine arts; and two first place prizes (class and department champion, class and division champion, respectively) for fine arts, both of which have been sent along to the Palmer State Fair.
One of these two was an abstract shadowbox integrating stained glass.
"I've kind of played with stained glass for years," Reed recalled, her late father having worked in the medium with his business. Reed said she has taken glasswork up again in the past year, starting up a small business with her daughter, Sydney, called "Magpie & Squid."
"I'm just happy it was a stained glass piece that was sent further north (to the Palmer fair)," she said of her entry.
Most exhibits were judged based on "the American System," where entries are judged in comparison to others in their lot. Entries are then awarded place positions according to relative merit, with only one exhibit in each lot able to take first, second or third place.
For creative writing, music and youth entries, "the Danish System" was used, and judging was based on an established standard of quality and given a numeric score. Blue ribbons earn a score of 90-100, red ribbons 80-89 and white ribbons 70-79.
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