Marilyn Murphy, juror, is an artist living in Nashville, Tennessee whose oil paintings and drawings create curious situations implying a larger story that often explores dualities both formally and conceptually (safety and danger, peace and turmoil, fire and water).  Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, she is a Professor of Art at Vanderbilt University, her work has been shown in more than 270 exhibitions nationally and abroad and has curated more than thirty-five exhibitions.  Recently, she was a guest artist at Whitecliffe Design in Auckland, New Zealand and had solo exhibitions at Carl Hammer Gallery in Chicago and Cumberland Gallery in Nashville.  She selected fifty-five pieces from thirty three artists from the Bi-State Area of two hundred seventy seven entries.

This exhibit was sponsored by Meridian Coca-Cola Bottling Company.   The exhibition began March 17 and ran until May 1.  The awards reception was Saturday, May 1.  The juror selected eight works for awards, including $1000 Best of Show Award.  The Best of Show artist will be featured in an exhibition at the museum the following year.

Meridian Museum of Art

37th Annual Bi-State Art Competition Awards

$1,000 Best in Show Award

 Ana Iverson               Tassle Octopus                                    Charcoal         

 $500 Purchase Awards

Sabyna Sterett             Flying Over Moon Lake #3                Recycled Plastic bags

Robyn Moore              Woman of Llachon, Lake Titicaca Peru

                                                Selenium-toned Van Dyke Brown Print/Encaustic on panel.

 $250 Achievement Awards

Herb Rieth                  Backstab,                                            Acrylic/ Mixed Media

Jerry Lamme               Gesture,                                               Zone Plate Inkjet hand-coated paper

Claire Lewis Evans     Reach,                                                             Bronze

$100 Merit Awards

Lanette Parker             Ravage Ritual                                     Mixed Media

Shuh Chang                Mirror Image                                      B/W Photograph

Laurin McCraken        Pure Sapphire                                      Watercolor