ELKINS — Two of the Mountain State Forest Festival’s most popular annual exhibits hosted receptions and announced winners Wednesday evening.

The Photography Exhibit at the Elkins Randolph County YMCA and the Randolph County Community Arts Center/Seneca Trail Artist Guild Juried Art Show celebrated with winners in each of their respective categories.

The Randolph County Community Arts Center/Seneca Trail Artist Guild Juried Art Show featured the work of more than 40 professional and amateur artists from West Virginia, as well as student artists.

The Arts Center Maxwell Gallery is hosting a solo exhibit of works by artist and Arts Center Coordinator Danielle Cade.

The Juror for the Art Show was Michael Doig, professor of art at Davis & Elkins College.

Doig received the 2015 Lois Latham Award for teaching excellence. It is given to an outstanding D&E educator who is characterized by their distinguished intellectual career, enthusiasm for scholarship and intellectual curiosity and, most importantly, by evidence that it is their professional calling to nurture the intellectual and personal growth of others.

“Judging is always hard because it is so personal,” Doig said. “There are certain criteria you look for, but at the end of the day it is still our personal criteria. You have to make personal decisions about a lot of work. Everybody deserves something because each of the pieces represents a part of somebody’s heart and soul – it is hours and hours of commitment, work and money. These are all pieces that people have worked and slaved over.”

Doig said when art pieces don’t win awards the artist should not be discouraged.

“Don’t let it stop you but let it recharge you,” Doig said. “I always say don’t quit.”

Winners in the adult division of art include Laurie Goldstein-Warren, best of show for Sabrina; Louise Braddock, first place for Cast Away; Chet Lowther, second place for Dolly Sods; Dave Shombert, third place for Maple Hollow Form; Alice Neizert, honorable mention for Curiosity; Laurie Goldstein-Warren, honorable mention for Pedicab, NYC; Mickaela DeMotto, honorable mention for Toxic Mushrooms; and Brooke Shull, honorable mention for Garden of Heather.

Other adult awards were given to Adam Weiford, West Virginia Watercolor Society Award for Baltimore Checkerspot and Best West Virginia Landscape Award for Coltsfoot Aster; Karen Ensor-Brown, Grace DePollo Award for Jars, Jars; Kenneth Waddell, West Virginia Watercolor Society Award for Shining Through; Linda Walker-Roberts, Talbott Frame Shop Award for Garden Dream; Grey Darden, O. Ralph Michael Memorial Award for Rushing Tygart; Geoffrey Braunsberg, James Hartman Award for Metro; and Brad Basil, Arnold Schultz Award for Solomon’s Song 5:6.

Maid Silvia Kara D’Ann Alvarez selected Mystic Moonlight by Jill Pivovrov as her favorite, while Maid of Honor Legacy Skout Barger chose Six Green Turtles in the Deep Blue by Katy Crim for her award and Made of Honor Amelia Dawn Preusch chose Shining Through by Kenneth Waddell as her favorite.

Winners for the student art included best of show, Olivia Roby for Geared Up. Elementary school winners were first place, Anastasia Martin for Yes those are my paw prints on the moon; second place, Owen Isner for Elemental; third place, Lily Ward for the Nothing; honorable mention, Laila Cade for Turtle Adventure on Rainbow Hill; and special award, Estrid Garver Daniels for Pantiato.

Student awards for middle school include first place, Polymer Clay Creatures by Michael Pivovrov; second place, untitled by Lydia White; third place, untitled by Kaylee Tustin; and honorable mention, Tristan Kirk for the Rainbow.

High school student award winners include first place, Zorian Misner, for Twisted Twins; second place, Jaime Taylor for Trippy; third place, Tannah Cox for Cherry; honorable mention, Paige Bovam for Heroes and Villains; and special award, Danielle Eddy for Blue Jay.

Randolph Arts Center Chairman of the Board Charlie Friddle III said the Art Show featured pieces from professional artists as well as work from children in high school, middle school and elementary schools. Student art was submitted by students from Robert C. Byrd High School, South Harrison Middle and High Schools, Tygarts Valley Middle and High Schools, Highland Adventist School, Elkins High School and some of the Randolph County Elementary schools.

“There is so much to see and enjoy here from landscapes to modern art,” Friddle said. “We would love to invite everyone to come and visit the Art Center and enjoy the show.”

∫ At the Photography Exhibit, the best of show adult winner was Alan Tucker for On the Fence. Winners in the nature category were first place, Joey Herron for Mockingbird and Holly; second place, Joey Herron for Colorful Wood Duck; third place, Alan Tucker for Lily Pad Beauty; and honorable mention, Janet Mullennex for Hanging on to Summer.

Mick Crim won first place in the black and white category for Dog Daze. Other winners in black and white include second place, Alan Tucker for McNeel Mill; third place, Allen Melson for Harper’s Ferry; honorable mention, Erica Bender for The Final Climb. Winners in the places category were first place, Mary Ann McFarlan for Grist Mill and Fall Morning; second place, Bob Bowes for Hot Pizza; third place, Alan Tucker for Dolly Sods Lane; and honorable mention, Sherry Gibson for Cabin by the Falls.

In the people category, Alan Tucker took first place for the Photographer; second place, Bob Bowes for Lumberjack; third place, Tessa Garver-Daniels for Drowning in Stuffed Animals; and honorable mention to Carol Roby for The Kiss.

Allen Melson took first place in the animals category for Mid Flight. Other winners include second place, Paige Boram for Aqua Matron; third place, Bob Bowes for Great Blue Heron Fishing; and honorable mention, Donald Fasi for Doe and her fawn.

In the youth category, Hannah Willey for Woman at the Market; second place, Christine Zurbuch, Reflections on the Tygart; third place, Emily Dorathy for Gourds Galore; and honorable mention to Lykysha Pennington for Rainy Days.

Alvaraz selected Hard at Work by Janet Mullennex as her favorite while Preush selected Watching You by John Terry as her favorite. Skout Barger liked Sitting Hummingbird by Joey Herron as her favorite while Scout Barger chose Sitting Hummingbird by Joey Herron as her favorite.

Festival goers who visit the Photography Exhibit may vote for their favorite photo and the winner will be selected Saturday evening.

“We have near 200 participants this year and it has been a good turnout,” MSFF Deputy Director General Chad Shoemaker said. “Categories include nature, youth and black and white, and we have prizes for best of show and the Queen’s Choice and Maid of Honor Choice. We have some really neat pictures from all over, including entries from Ohio, Virginia and Charleston, Beckley and Martinsburg.”

Shoemaker said he was glad those participating were more regional instead of all being from Elkins. He said in the Elkins YMCA exhibits, including the Photography Contest, officials were expecting 5,000 to 6,000 people in the next couple days.

“We have two receptions this evening, first at the Photography Exhibit and then at the Arts Center,” said Scott Goddard, MSFF director general. “Both are important to me to celebrate the talent of local photographers and local artists. I went last year and was blown away by the art and photography.”

The Photography Exhibit is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday. The Randolph County Community Arts Center/Seneca Trail Artist Guild Juried Art Show is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.