An exhibition of juried artwork featuring the Best of Missouri Hands artists will be on display at William Woods University through Sept. 20. “Celebrating Creativity” will be held in the Mildred M. Cox Gallery, located in WWU’s Gladys Woods Kemper Center for the Arts. This year, four awards were given. Michael and Kathleen Weltzin of Fenton received Best in Show for their “Spiral Chair and Table” made from reclaimed wood and glass. Fred Schollmeyer of Chamois took first place for his airbrushed acrylic “Marbles #7.” Lori Purk of St. Louis took second place for her collection of eight photographs. Nell Kobes of Manchester was awarded third place for her collection of small objects made from silver and pewter.
The Best of Missouri Hands was founded in 1989 as the Missouri Artisans Association, a nonprofit corporation “dedicated to the development and recognition of Missouri’s arts and artisans through education, interaction, and encouragement.” 
The exhibition at William Woods includes a cross-section of the current state of Missouri’s arts and fine crafts from members of Best of Missouri Hands. It contains paintings and drawings, photographs, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry and mixed media.
“Celebrating Creativity” will be this year’s Natalie Collins Acker Memorial Exhibit, an annual event named for a 1932 WWU alumna who was a generous supporter of the arts at William Woods.
Ron Thomas, who recently retired after 40 years of teaching art at St. Louis Community College at Meramec, served as juror for the exhibition. In his juror’s statement, Thomas said, “All of the artists that were selected for the exhibition displayed a consistent and high level of excellence.”The four award winners will be featured in a show of their own at The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles immediately following the WWU exhibit. Their work will be shown in the Ameristar Gallery and will open during the Quilt National Show on Sept. 25. This marks the first collaboration between the three organizations, William Woods University, The Foundry Arts Center and Best of Missouri Hands.
A “meet the artists” reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 20. The Cox Gallery is open to the public, free of charge, Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 1-4 p.m.
For more information, call William Woods University at (573)592-4245 or Ellen Klamon, exhibition chair, at (314)821-5060. View the Best of Missouri Hands website at www.bestofmissourihands.org.
CUTLINES:
Michael and Kathleen Weltzin of Fenton, Best in Show, “Spiral Chair and Table”
Fred Schollmeyer of Chamois, first place, airbrushed acrylic “Marbles #7”
Lori Purk of St. Louis, second place, “Flip Side,” from a collection of eight photographs
Nell Kobes of Manchester, third place, a piece from a collection of small objects made from silver and pewter
