Are You Ready to Enjoy Indiana Art at Its Best?

It is our great pleasure to warmly welcome the 83rd Annual Hoosier Salon Traveling Exhibition, Indiana Art at Its Best to the Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery from Monday, November 5 until Friday, November 30, 2007.

The varied works chosen by this year's jurors, Ann Piper, Associate professor of Painting and Drawing at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas and Scott Wolniak, studio art teacher in various media at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago, brings an especially eclectic and diversified scope of art to our gallery.

Each year since 1925, artist members of the Hoosier Salon Patrons Association bring their newest and finest works to stand the test of expert jurors. In its 18th year at the Indiana State Museum, there were 586 entrys presented to the jury. Of these, 174 pieces by 142 artist members were juried into the show. Prizes of nearly $30,000 were awarded for excellence.

To belong to the Salon an artist must be a current Indiana resident and dues-paying member, or have lived in the state for at least one year. A member of the Salon may enter up to three pieces of art each year to be juried.

From September through January, 150 of these pieces are divided into five tour groupings that travel to 34 different venues throughout the state.

Each artist speaks clearly in his or her own unique voice. Artists chosen for our venue include: Mason Archie, Eleanor K. Brewer, John Charles Brooks, Tom Butters, Gayle Coyle, Dick Davis, Mark Dillman, Robert Eberle, Carol Fisher, Jennifer Hughes, Carol Moratti, John Oilar, J. Anna Roberts, Jerry Smith and Sharon Sommerville. What a delight to find three of "Montgomery County's Best" among Indiana's Best, included in our tour.

It is the Salon's hope that each of you find an artistic creation that brings you joy! Visitors may wish to purchase a piece that speaks to their heart to be included in their own private collections. Others may choose to incorporate the images into their mind's eye, to be played forward any time in the future. Whatever your choice, don't miss the opportunity to view INDIANA ART AT ITS BEST during the entire month of November. I promise you won't be sorry!