Our jurors visit each exhibitor during the Festival as part of the jury process and subsequently award over $17,500 in prize money. These award winners are announced at the awards ceremony at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday during the Festival, at the Allen Street Stage. Here are this year’s jurors:
Potter Bethany Benson is Associate Professor of Art at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Bethany’s work is exhibited locally, nationally, and included in international collections. Her interest in functional ceramics is derived from social interaction and physical pleasure; she employs utilitarian vessels to entice multiple sensory experiences. She received her BFA from University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, furthered her education at Bowling Green State University and subsequently earned her MFA from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Watercolor artist James Farrah holds signature memberships in the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, and the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, among others. While most of his work is in watercolor, he also works in oils and acrylics. He has exhibited widely, and his works are held in the permanent collections of the Tucson Art Museum, the National Sports Museum, and the New Mexico Folk Art Museum, among others. He taught at the Hameau Farm Studio Artist Retreat near Belleville, PA.
Andrew Kuebeck completed undergraduate work at Bowling Green State University and went on to earn a graduate degree in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing from Indiana University. Andrew works in a variety of formats ranging from functional jewelry to sculptural objects and vessels. Recognized as an emerging artist by the Society of North American Goldsmiths in 2012, he has lectured and has taught workshops nationally on the incorporation of photographic images into jewelry and vessels. He is an Assistant Professor and Area Head of the Jewelry/Metals/Enameling Department at Kent State University.
A native Texan, Krissi Riewe is an apparel industry professional, educator, designer, and artist. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of North Texas, and is currently an assistant professor at Kent State University. Her research focuses on exploring materials transformation and new digital technologies such as laser-cutting, 3D printing, and digital textile design. Her experience working for a nationally respected family-owned women’s boutique specializing in professional lingerie, swimwear, and post-surgical fitting gave her an understanding of the fashion industry from manufacturer, to retailer, to end consumer.
