Rural Texas 2015 • Top 3 Winners

Rural Texas 2015 • Top 3 Winners

Congratulations to Grand Prize winner Stephen Fisher, First Place winner Beckey Zajicek, and Second Place winner Ricky Niell. The award winning photographs are on exhibit at the Uptown Downtown Art Gallery, 301 N. San Jacinto Street in Rockwall TX until December 20. 

Juror's Statement

“I was impressed with the quality of the work submitted for this competition, and the various ways that people interpret rural life, particularly as it relates to Texas.  The difference between the images that were selected and those that were not was mainly how closely the honorees aligned their images with the prospectus requirement regarding the attributes of Texas’ rural nature in its past, present and future.  Kudos to all who created images to submit to this competition.  Well done.  Never stop creating!"   … Dion McInnis

Juror: 

Dion McInnis, president and founder of The Empowered Creativity Institute, states “I became a photographer at six, a writer at 12 and a poet since birth.” 

After a career as writer-photographer, he entered the realm of higher education in 1987 where he served four universities over a 27-year period in development and fundraising, alumni/community relations, external relations and communications.  McInnis is also the author of six books.  A life of seeing led to his cornerstone message:  SEE differently; CHANGE perspectives; GROW authentically. 

He has written for two national photography magazines and has been exhibited in a variety of shows. He currently instructs with the Houston Center for Photography, the Jung Center-Houston and several photography clubs.  His style of photo reviews has made him a favorite at several clubs in the Houston area.   For three summers he taught one week each at the University of West Bohemia in Czech Republic, guiding students from Czech Republic, Russia and Ukraine.  His presentations inspired by the trips emphasized “art removes borders.”  He often blends words and images in his work.

He states that he lives in the city but has dirt in his blood, a connection to rural people, places and culture.  He is currently working on a personal book about his visit to Mississippi to better understand his roots on his father’s side.  His trips to his property in East Texas feed his rural eyes and Southern roots.

TOP 100 RURAL TEXAS 2015 • Click here to view the full show of 100 images. 

• Adamo, Nick - "Shelby" - Top 25
• Adamo, Nick - "Chicken"
• Adamo, Nick - "Truck"
• Armer, Larry - "Magnolia Bee"
• Armer, Larry - "Southern Girls Conference"
• Baxter, Al - "Country House" - Top 25
• Baxter, Al - "Dimebox"
• Baxter, Al - "Still Rockin'"
• Bazin, Kate - "Texas Dreams" - Top 25
• Bazin, Kate - "Equestrian Salute"
• Bazin, Kate - "West Texas Road"
• Blow, David - "The Gathering"
• Bossarte, Denise - "Country Church"
• Brown, Jerry - "Front Porch, Uncertain, TX" - Top 25
• Brown, Jerry - "Mt. Pilgrim Baptist, Fayetteville, TX" - Top 25
• Brown, Jerry - "Barber Shop"
• Carter, Robin - "Country Comfort" - Top 25
• Carter, Robin - "Rural Heaven" - Top 25
• Carter, Robin - "Lonely Tree"
• Chandler, Andrea - "Longhorn" - Top 25
• Chandler, Andrea - "Mr. Cowhill Farm"
• Chandler, Andrea - "Time Machine Mustang"
• Cook, Pierre - "Toyah School Bus"
• Cook, Pierre - "Van Horn"
• Cook, Pierre - "Big Bend Panorama"
• Crowe, Willetta - "Ella's Farmhouse" - Top 25
• Crowe, Willetta - "Untitled #1"
• Crowe, Willetta - "Untitled #2"
• Dalton, Judy Wilder - "Goat Island Residents"
• Dalton, Judy Wilder - "Ready to Launch"
• Dalton, Judy Wilder - "Wood County Landscape"
• Donaho, Darby - "Tucson and the Cowboy - The End of the Day" - Top 25
• Duprie-Routh, Stephanie - "Comal Food Store" - Top 25
• Duprie-Routh, Stephanie - "Dairy King"
• Duprie-Routh, Stephanie - "No Name Church"
• Fisher, Mike - "Anachronisms"
• Fisher, Mike - "Big Front Yard"
• Fisher, Mike - "Just Thought I'd Stop By For a Drink"
• Fisher, Stephen - "The Barn" - Top 25, Grand Prize Award
• Fisher, Stephen - "Ready for Work" - Top 25, Honorable Mention
• Fisher, Stephen - "The Gate"
• Harvey, Melinda - "Red Mud Cemetery" - Top 25
• Harvey, Melinda - "Bull Dogs"
• Harvey, Melinda - "The Last Rotary"
• Heffron, Barbara - "Refuge"
• Heffron, Barbara - "Summer Breeze"
• Hellrung, Christi - "Office"
• Hellrung, Christi - "TXTags"
• Hoffman, Hanna - "Windmill at Sunset" - Top 25
• Hoffman, Hanna - "New Tractor Old Museum"
• Hoffman, Hanna - "Evening View from Country Road"
• Hoffman, Hanna - "Small Town Street"
• Hoffman, Hanna - "Hungry Bulls"
• Hoffman, Hanna - "Sunday in Columbus"
• Hyde, Yuvonna - "Untitled #1"
• Hyde, Yuvonna - "Untitled #2"
• Hyde, Yuvonna - "Untitled #3"
• Jackson, Cole - "Vestige" - Top 25
• Kelly, Brendan - "Landscape Decor, Memphis. TX - Top 25
• Kelly, Brendan - "It's Just Us, Amarillo, TX
• Kelly, Brendan - "The Darkside of Faith, Megargel, TX"
• Lloyd, Michael - "Texas 4-Wheeler" - Top 25, Honorable Mention
• Lloyd, Michael - "Rural Texas 77" - Top 25
• Lloyd, Michael - "Rural Texas 75"
• Lloyd, Michael - "Country Road"
• Lloyd, Michael - "Town Meeting"
• Lloyd, Michael - "Water Gates"
• Lowe, Robert - "Herd 2" - Top 25, Honorable Mention
• Lowe, Robert - "Branding"
• Lowe, Robert - "Calf Rope"
• Marshall, PV - "PV"
• McEnany, Sara - "Untitled #1"
• McEnany, Sara - "Untitled #2"
• McMullen, Shannon - "Small Town Pride"
• McMullen, Shannon - "Summer Nights in Texas"
• McMullen, Shannon - "Winter Frost"
• Moon, Randy - "Farm Truck"
• Moon, Randy - "Harrison County Courthouse"
• Moon, Randy - "Jefferson Texaco"
• Niell, Ricky - "Cindy" - Top 25, Second Place Award
• Niell, Ricky - "Plow" - Top 25
• Niell, Ricky - "After Storm"
• Portis, Ed - "Bird Family of South Texas"
• Portis, Ed - "Family Farm"
• Portis, Ed - "Singing for Tips"
• Sentenac, Dennis - "Cow Mom and Junior"
• Sentenac, Dennis - "Ernie Shiner Wisdom"
• Sentenac, Dennis - "Ram Dad"
• Suler, Patti - "Gone Home"
• Suler, Patti - "Homemade Cake"
• Suler, Patti - "Ready for Company"
• Szalay, Patsy - "Love in Bloom This"
• Wegenhoft, Tracey - "Feed Barn, Flatonia - Step Right Up"
• Wegenhoft, Tracey - "Red Shoes White Chemise on Brown Pier"
• Whitfield, Susan - "Honey of a Day" - Top 25
• Whitfield, Susan - "Redneck Still Life"
• Whitfield, Susan - "Texas Snail Mail"
• Zajicek, Beckey - "Storm's Comin" - Top 25, First Place Award
• Zajicek, Beckey - "Ricefield Road" - Top 25, Honorable Mention
• Zajicek, Beckey - "Recycled"