"Naptime" by Julie Blackmon, Springfield, Missouri

"Lutheran Church" by Steve Stenzel, St. Paul, Minnesota

Photographers from eight states took top honors in “PhotoSpiva 2005,” the national fine arts photography competition sponsored by Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin. Awards were announced April 15 at the center.
 
In a first for the 28-year-old competition, jurors Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison named two first place winners. “As collaborators, we sometimes agree, often compromise, and sometimes agree to disagree,” the couple stated. “After a lengthy discussion regarding the selection of a first place winner, we concluded that compromise was the best solution: we chose two first place winners.”
 
Springfield, Missouri, photographer Julie Blackmon received first place for “Bratz Dolls,” “Hanging,” and “Naptime,” from her series “Mind Games.” Blackmon received a Merit Award in the 2004 competition.
 
Steve Stenzel (St. Paul, Minnesota) also received a first place award for “Homecoming Queen,” “Lutheran Church,” and “Priest.” Third place went to Mary Dorsey Wanless (Topeka, Kansas) for two untitled bromoil prints made through a painstaking 19th century printing process. No second place winner was chosen.
 
Three photographers received Honorable Mention awards: Rebecca Foley (Bloomington, IN) for “Barbeque” and “Christmas”; Susan Lirakis Nicolay (Center Sandwich, NH) for “The Color of Light”; and Rhona Shand (Pittsburg, KS) for “Ossification.”
 
Merit Awards went to Louviere & Vanessa (New Orleans, LA) for “Muse,” Carol Reid (New York, NY) for “Old City Socks A-7/15,” and Joshua Smith (San Francisco, CA) for “Catalpa Street, 2004” and “Kimbrough Avenue, 2004.”
 
Spiva Center for the Arts established the annual event in 1977. “‘PhotoSpiva’ is now the oldest, continuously-running photography competition in the U.S,” said Jo Mueller, Spiva's executive director. “With $2,000 in cash awards, it’s always been a very competitive event for both amateurs and professionals. This year was no exception.”
 
The ParkeHarrisons selected 86 photographs for the exhibit from among 441 entries submitted by 98 photographers from 25 states. The resulting exhibition includes a range of photographic processes and techniques. Visitors can expect to see everything from digital images to traditional black and white prints to photographs made with a pinhole camera. According to the ParkeHarrisons, the exhibit is “a ‘snapshot’ of current issues and practices in contemporary photography.”
 
“PhotoSpiva 2005” is on display through May 20.
 
Spiva Center for the Arts is located at Third and Wall in downtown Joplin. Galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is by voluntary contribution; donations are welcome. 
 
Financial assistance for PhotoSpiva 2005 was provided by the Freeman Johnson Trust, Friends of St. Avips, and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. Missouri Southern State University provided the venue for the Jurors’ Lecture.

George A. Spiva Center for the Arts
222 W. 3rd Street
Joplin, Mo 64801
Tel: 417-623-0183
Fax: 417-623-3805
www.spivaarts.org

Jo Mueller, Director