Announcing the 2024 Oxford Fine Arts Artists
Oxford, MD – The 40th annual three-day Oxford Fine Arts Show is set for May 17-19, 2024. The prestigious juried exhibition and sales show is well known throughout the area and celebrated as the season’s “kick-off” for art lovers. All submissions were sent anonymously to the juror who selected the much-anticipated list of artists for the year. The juror also selected Howard Lapp as our “Featured Artist” along with a “Featured image” entitled “Winters End” to be the subject of the poster. The competition was steep this year with many submissions for the small show of 30 artists. The juror, Barrie Barnett explains, “There are four criteria I use when selecting artists for a show (and they all happen to start with “c”): competence, confidence, consistency and courage. The artists that made my list showed enough evidence of these plus keen observation skills. Extra points went to those who chose and filtered their subjects through imagination and creativity.”
Please join us in congratulating the talented exhibition artists selected for 2024 show:
Sandy Alanko, Joel Boches, Carole Böggemann-Peirson, Natalie Calloway, MC Carey, Naomi Clark-Turner, Mike Cruz, Freeman Dodsworth, Lois Engberg, Scott Foster, Tamara Hutchinson, Pat Lang, Howard Lapp, Kate Leibrand, Laura McGowan, Karen Merkin, David Pellegrini, Julia Purinton, Diane Rappisi, Steve Rogers, Kathie Rogers, Kenneth Rose, Susan Schauer John, Anne Singer, Sheryl Southwick, Sharon Stockley, Mary Sue Traynelis, Stephen Walker, C. Keith Whitelock, Barbara Zuehlke.
The featured artist is Howard Lapp and the featured work of art is entitled “Winters End”.
“No one nailed the four criteria like Howard Lapp. It’s no accident he’s a local legend; he very much deserves our recognition and appreciation. Cheers, Howard!” continues Barnett.
Known for his iconic scenes from Oxford and other Eastern Shore locales, long time Oxford resident, Howard Lapp, uses shadows, strong color contrasts, and light to create his signature works. His pieces are compelling. The viewer has a sense of being or experiencing the view in real time. Howard has a unique perspective and boldly integrates structure into his pieces while painting in a contemporary style.
With this exhibition and sale being the 40th anniversary, added activities and interaction are being planned. The awards are new and exciting and a student exhibit has been added. Saturday offers a BBQ that invites the community to enjoy the gallery and mix with other art enthusiasts alongside some of the artists as well. Lunch is served both days including the famous strawberry shortcake!
Starting in April, there is an online raffle of beautiful artwork donated by the artists. You can buy raffle tickets online prior to the show and then over the weekend, the raffle continues in the physical exhibit. Both online and physical tickets are combined for the drawing. The raffle drawing happens at the end of the show on Sunday. You don’t need to be present to win.
Karen Walbridge, Co-Chair of Oxford Fine Arts says, “Similar to Cindy Reed’s introduction to Fine Arts, who chaired the event for eight years, I started out cutting strawberries and volunteering for the weekend. And we can’t forget Jennifer Stanley who started the first show forty years ago! The show has gone through some tough times – Covid year 2020 was definitely hard – but with Jody Ware at the helm and the artists’ willingness to adapt to an on-line show we managed to keep the show alive – something that Jody and the committee were bound and determined to do. In 2021, we produced a hybrid show and since 2022 we’ve been back as a fully live, in-person event. With this show we are a bit smaller but stronger and we think this show is going to showcase, once again, a diverse and talented group of artists.”
The schedule of events for the weekend begins with the Friday Preview Party Gala. It provides attendees the only guaranteed chance to “Meet the Artists”, view the full exhibit and the first chance to buy the amazing art! This is a fun evening where attendees mingle with the artists and enjoy live music, cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres. The award ceremony happens at the preview party gala. Tickets sell fast, so save-the-date for May 17th, 2024 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. There are no tickets offered at the door for Friday’s Preview Gala. On Saturday and Sunday, the exhibit is open to the public from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
The juried exhibition and sale has supported the work of Oxford Community Center (a non-profit 501(C)(3) for over 40 years supporting OCC’s mission to provide the region with a year-round schedule of free or reduced educational, cultural and recreational programs and events. For more information, please visit www.oxfordcc.org, or call 410-226-5904.
