Travis Simmons, second-place two-dimensional, “Why.”

VALDOSTA — Spring Into Art is a powerful exhibit. The most inclusive art show in South Georgia, it annually features hundreds of works by hundreds of artists, and fills every wall and almost all of the floor space in the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts’ galleries.

And now that it’s finished, let’s be frank: Spring Into Art can be overwhelming. So much to see, packed together like a manic kaleidoscope, that a viewer almost doesn’t know where to look.

That’s not a bad thing, but a viewer can lose sight of some gems.

Best of Spring Into Art culls those hundreds of pieces into a more manageable number of dozens. You can relax and enjoy the judges’ picks from all of the Spring Into Art entries, or you can follow the traditional “Best of” tradition by disagreeing completely with the judges’ selections.

The Best of works were announced as early as the April opening of the Spring Into Art show, but the top-prize winners were announced this past week.

This year’s Best of Spring Into Art winners are Janelle Wisehart, first-place two-dimensional, untitled work; Michael T. Schmidt, first-place three-dimensional, “Alternative Industrial Complex #003”; Travis Simmons, second-place two-dimensional, “Why”; Richard Estes, second-place three-dimensional, “Duel Nature”; Meagan Moore, third-place two-dimensional, “Wish”; H. Marshall Norris, third-place three-dimensional, “Depressurized Deactivator Detonator”; Larry Elshoff, fourth-place two-dimensional, “Tire Tracks”; Barbara Balzer, fourth-place three-dimensional, “Smile on a Stick.”

Honorable mentions: Philip Bagrow, Lena Bosch, Rani Garner, Luana Goodwin, Colleen Harris, James Melvin, A. Blake Pearce, Richard Peterman, Pamela Robinson, Brian Wrinn.



GALLERY

Best of Spring Into Art on exhibit in the Sallie and Harmon Boyette Gallery; along with artist Barbara Payne Ward’s exhibit, Josette’s Gallery; artist Fay Bridges Hyatt, Price-Campbell Foundation Gallery; Valdosta Photo Competition, Jerry Tillman Gallery; the Boys and Girls Club, Roberta George Children’s Gallery.

Where: Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, 527 N. Patterson St.

When: These shows run through Aug. 7.

Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed Sundays and Mondays with exception of opening reception evenings.

Admission: Free.

More information: Call 247-2787.