“The Hills” exhibition at the Pump House Center for the Arts continues to the end of the month. This year’s annual competition fills the building with 90 pieces by 49 artists.
At opening night, board president Mike Throne stood in for director John Payne. Throne listed the winners, plus gave reminders of upcoming events. Hear him in the below video.
I also caught three of the winning artists and interviewed them at their paintings.
Aaron Brushart won second place with his painting “6 Columns,” which he said represented the different levels of the human condition. He said it was his first time to enter “The Hills.” He’s from Waverly, and says he has been painting since he could walk. You can see some of his 30- to 40-foot murals on his TikTok and Instagram accounts, as well as his Facebook page.
Stuart Beverly won an honorable mention with his “Goldie A. Gunlock Memorial Park,” part of his series on local parks and trees. He also entered a painting based on a 1950s aerial photo of Chillicothe.
And, Pam Ballard won first place with “Birds Greeting the Morning,” when said she was charmed by the animals singing in the bush next to her morning seat. She said she has been an art teacher for many years, and finds pleasure by painting every day in her barn loft studio.
The last day of “The Hills” is Saturday, September 28th. October’s show, “Seven Perspectives,” will open 6:30 to 8:30 on Thursday, October 3rd. Director John Payne announced, that “sponsored by Hook’s Pizza, there will be plenty of pizza to snack on as you view the show.”
Find photos of the winning works on the Pump House’s Facebook page.
Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including the video interviews.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.