TWIN FALLS — Art & Soul of the Magic Valley awarded nearly $40,000 to 90 participants on July 12 at the Twin Falls Center for the Arts.
Artists from diverse backgrounds entered everything from digital art entries, acrylic works and drawings, to woodworking, ceramics and sculptures.
The 14th annual competition had the largest number of artists entered yet — 216 — for a chance to win people’s votes and prize money.
Grand prize winner Reese Asson thought of his idea two years ago as a representation of his life when he was in a stagnant spot. With Asson’s Renaissance artwork obsession and his continual relationship with God, the idea eventually came to fruition.
Asson’s acrylic painting, “The Illusion of Restraint,” was sponsored by and displayed at Webb Landscape.
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“I’ve always got this idea that he wants me to be somewhere and then I need to be doing something and I’m always held back by these chains — the chains are a representation of guilt,” Asson said.
Asson only worked on custom artwork until he started to do his painting for the Art & Soul competition. It was his first time participating and creating a personal piece.
Asson hoped that people interpreted his artwork by reflecting on their own personal challenges.
“So the idea is that true liberation comes when we let go of our chains — whatever those chains might be — you can only move forward once you let go,” Asson said.
Not only did paintings draw voters’ attention but woodworking also caught their eyes. Kelly Klass won the second grand prize for his woodworking entry, “Hotel Perrine Lives Again,” which was sponsored by Debbi Burr and displayed at Premier AutoGroup. His piece will be on permanent display downtown in a building on Main Avenue North.
Klaas used only photos taken by Clarence E. Bisbee to use as a reference when building his hotel. It took him more than three weeks to make the little bricks that make up the building. He created about 10,000 bricks and used about 7,000. Four and a half months were spent in his shop perfecting his hotel.
Klaas wanted to impress voters with a “wow factor.” Voters took notice but he wants to aim even higher.
“I’m going to go for the gold next year,” Klaas said.
Winning the third grand prize, Talia Horejs impressed the public with her drawing, “Grandma Mary’s Braxton,” which features a portrait of her son created with a graphite pencil. Participating in Art & Soul had been on her bucket list since the competition first started but time passed quickly before she realized that it was time to enter.
The piece was Horejs’ first portrait since 2007 when she did a self-portrait in college. Every time she sat down to draw her son, Horejs would pray.
“I felt just spirit — maybe it was creation — I don’t know,” Horejs said. “It felt like there was something way more than me part of (the drawing).”
Horejs encourages people to continue enjoying their favorite hobbies whether it’s writing, riding a horse, or drawing.
“I love to get lost and escape in the creative process,” Horejs said. “There’s something magical that is part of the creative process.”