2011 State Day Awards List

The Lodi Art club has sponsored these awards since 1983 and was the first local art club to establish a state day award.  The club hopes the award recipients will use the funds as a means to continue art training or education.

This award has been sponsored by the Waukesha Creative Arts League since 1993.  It is given for outstanding work in any medium.

Sponsored by the Walworth County Arts Council , this award has been given since 2002 for outstanding artwork in any medium.

This award is sponsored by Friends of Our Gallery (FOG), the support organization for the Rountree Gallery in Platteville which has hosted WRAP shows since 2002.

This award was established in 2007 by C.K. Chang and Jean Lang to recognize outstanding work by young artists under the age of 25.

New in 2008, this award is sponsored by the Whitewater Arts Alliance. The mission of The Whitewater Arts Alliance is to support, promote, and develop the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, organizations, businesses, education, and individuals to foster creativity, diversity, and economic vitality in the Whitewater area.

The Fond du Lac Artists Association has sponsored this award since 2004.  The award is given for excellent work in any media.

This award was established in 2005 in memory of Ada Biddick, wife of Trelay Farms founder Elmer Biddick and an avid painter and active WRAP participant. Originally sponsored by Trelay Farms of Livingston WI, the award is now sponsored by Brad & Peggy Biddick and is given for excellence in painting, any medium.

In 2003 the family of Joseph E. Burk established this memorial award to be given to a WRAA member displaying talent in the area of drawing and painting.  Joseph E. Burk was a commercial artist by trade, an instuctor at the Waukesha Technical School and past president of WRAA.  At age 92 he entered his last art show with a pen and ink sketch at the annual WRAA exhibit and although he won no special recognition that year, he was proud to still be able to produce work worthy of exhibit.

First established in 1977 by well known Wisconsin artist Aaron Bohrod, this award is now a memorial award honoring Aaron Bohrod and his wife Ruth.  It is currently sponsored by Katherine Schmitt and her sisters whose father, Joseph Burk was a good friend of Aaron Bohrod.  It is given for "outstanding excellence in painting" and active participation in WRAA.

These two awards are sponsored by the C.K. & Julie Chang of Madison and are given for outstanding work in painting.  They were first awarded in 2003.

Originally established as one award in 1987, the Lakeland Art League now sponsors two awards, the Lakeland Art League Memorial Award and the Phyllis Blazkowski Memorial Award (for a founding member of the League). They are given for outstanding work in any fine arts or craft medium that does not employ "gimmicks".  It is hoped that the recipient will use the award as a means of continuing art training or education.

This award has been given since 2003 and is funded by the Catherine Hundt Scholarship Fund.

Since 1991, the LaCrosse Society of Arts and Crafts have sponsored an award for outstanding work in any medium and having a conventional nature without the use of  "gadgets" or  "gimmicks".  In 2006 they increased their sponsorship to two awards.

Since 1998, the Manito Art League has sponsored this award for any fine art medium.

The Five Painters group from the Madison area (C.K. Chang, Terry Doeler, Mary Ellen Hagenauer, Donna Miller, and David Whitish Scheifel) has sponsored these two awards since 2003.  The awards are given for painting only (oil or acrylic).

Originally a one time award established in 2006 by Pat Mosher in memory of her husband and his support of her artwork, in 2007 Pat made this an annual award.

The artists of the Headwaters Art League in the Land O' Lakes area of northern Wisconsin began sponsoring this award in 2006 for outstanding artwork in any medium.

The Rural Rembrandts Art Club from the Wautoma area has sponsored an award since 1995 and currently gives two awards, one for excellence in 2-D work and one for excellence in 3-D work.

This award has been sponsored by Mary Ann Inman's School of Eclectic Art since 2004. It is given to a WRAA member for good use of line, color, texture, form or value.

In 2006, the Five Painters group of Madison began sponsorship of a new award called the Five Painters Choice Award.  The recipient of this award is selected by the Five Painters group.

The Chinese Fine Art Association is a Madison based nonprofit organization whose focus is to promote and raise awareness of the various Oriental arts, particularly Chinese brush painting and Chinese calligraphy.  They have sponsored an award since 2003 and currently give two awards, one to a CFFA member and one to a non-member. The recipients are selected by the Chinese Fone Arts Association.

Helen Croft, who served as Awards Chair of WRAA for 9 years, began these two awards in 2001 to provide encouragement and recognition to fellow artists and to communicate to the recipients that fine art is greatly appreciated by peers. The awards are selected by Helen Croft and are given for excellence in watercolor or other water media.

The Stateline Artists group has sponsored these two awards since 1999.  One award is given for outstanding 3-D artwork and one for outstanding 2-D artwork. The recipients are selected by the Stateline Artists.

This award was started in 2007and is sponsored by Mary Lou Lindroth who selects the recipient for outstanding work in any medium.

New in 2007, this award is sponsored by Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts, a nonprofit arts education center in Mineral Point.  It is given for creative use of materials or design elements.

New in 2007, this award is sponsored by Jean Lang who also selects the recipient of the award. It is given to an artist depicting life or scenes of rural Wisconsin - in the old WRAP tradition.

New in 2008, this award was established by Elizabeth Turner Katzelnick to honor a WRAA member artist deserving of recognition for their figurative work on canvas. 

The Sisterhood h'Art Academy is a group whose members have greatly benefited from WRAA and in turn, are sponsoring an award.  Their award recognizes an artist whose work, in the opinion of the Sisterhood h'Art Academy, shows authenticity and captures its essence. In other words, has heart. The award recipient is selected by the Sisterhood h'Art Academy members. The award was established in 2008 and is open only to WRAA members.

This award was established in 2009 by JoAnn Hegarty. Carol Betts Chaplin found great joy and fulfillment during her years of involvement with WRAA, especially the years she devoted to the group while serving on the Board. Carol enjoys many forms of art, but is especially drawn to portraits. She loves all living things and knows that portraits can show us the soul of these subjects, whether human or animal.

The 6 Artopia Artists (Linda Smulka, Gilma Arenas, Sharon Lennart, David Carpenter, Susan Nitzke, and Sherry Ackerman) met through Luci Shirek in 2006 and have been meeting regularly since then to motivate and support each other and help each other grow as artists and people. They value the encouragement they get from each other and want to extend that to other artists.

This award is sponsored by a very active group of Lancaster High School art students. They fundraise every year by having a "Holiday Craft Sale" held during the first Saturday in November. They would like to support and encourage any artist that demonstrates a contemporary style with exciting new techniques.

This award is given in memory of Bonnie Johnson who was an accomplished painter, an active member of WRAA, and one of the Madison Five Painters group. It is sponsored by Bonnie's children.

This award is to recognize and promote 3-dimensional artwork in any medium using any material. Established in 2011, the recipient is selected by a member of the Ness-Wood family.

This award was established in 2011 by Ann and Patrick Fernan in memory of their mother, Joan Fernan. Joan enjoyed the group, the people, the critiques and competition that WRAA represents.

The Contour Notes Cover Award has been given since the early 1960's and is now funded by WRAA.  At the fall board meeting, the WRAA Board of Directors votes on entries submitted by the membership.  The four works receiving the most votes each appear on a cover of Contour Notes in the following year, and the top vote getter receives a $25 award.

The Treasurer's award was established in 1988 by Donna Miller upon her retirement from the WRAA Board of Directors, having served as Treasurer for 12 years. The recipient of the award is selected by Donna for meritorious work in any painting medium.  The artwork must be conventional fine art and not bizarre or experimental.

This award was established in 2007 with an endowment from Eva Beining of Platteville.  Eva and her late husband Carmen began oil painting in 1979, attended many state shows and won many awards.  It is given for landscape, floral or nature painting (not abstract).

This award was established in 2008 by the Gardner family in memory of Ella Gardner, a long time member of WRAA and participant in WRAP.  It is open to both WRAA members and non-WRAA members and is given for 2-D work with a rural theme.

Award established in 2008 by Lee Fenendael to honor Francis M. Kipp, a family member who although now on in years, often lead the family in exploring their creativity.  The intent of this award is to encourage participants to explore and expand their creativity.  The underlying vision is  "Show me something I haven't seen before." The award recipient is selected by Lee Fenendael.

This memorial award was established in 2011 by the Ray and Dorothy Spaulding family. Ray and Dorothy Spaulding were founding members of WRAA. Ray was the founding president and Dorothy also served as an officer. Both are recipients of the John Steuart Curry award and were instrumental in the art movement in WI for over 60 years.

This award is funded by an endowment established in 1985 by Harold C. Berkholz of Fond du Lac WI and is given for creative achievement, excellence in execution and demonstrated artistic creativity.

The John Barton Awards were established in 1966 by Lela Smith to honor Professor John Barton, Professor of Sociology at UW, who was deeply involved and influential in furthering the cultural welfare of the people of Wisconsin. Originally two awards consisting of an art book selected by the award recipient to be given to the library of their choice in their name. In 2009 the awards were changed to a cash award, and in 2010 the two awards were consolidated into one award with an increased award amount.

2011 State Day Service Awards 

The most prestigious award given by WRAA, the John Steuart Curry medal has been given since 1958 in recognition of outstanding work in promoting art in their area - not for profit, but for the joy of helping others. It is named after the first Artist in Residence at UW Madison.  The recipient is selected by the WRAA Board of Directors at its spring meeting from Nominations from the membership.

The three WRAA Memorial Service Awards were established after three board members, Lela Smith, Grace Pendleton and Modesta Macke were killed in an automobile accident on the way to a board meeting.  The awards honor them and all WRAA members who have since died and are given in recognition of meritorious service in promoting the aims and activities of WRAA.  Recipients are selected by the WRAA Board of Direcotrs at the spring meeting from nominations from the membership.

This service award is given to an individual or local art group in recognition of achievement in promoting WRAA membership.  The recipient is selected by the WRAA Board of Directors at its spring meeting from nominations from the membership.

The Sponsor Awards were established in 1998 to recognize the contribution of the WRAP regional workshop sponsors.  One award is given for the highest number of participating artists and one award is given for the largest increase in participating artists over the previous year.  The awards are sponsored by C. K. Chang.

This award was established by WRAA in 2007 and is given for meritorious service in support of Bridging Generations or other youth oriented arts programs.  The award is funded by WRAA and the recipient is selected by the WRAA Board of Directors at its spring meeting from nominations submitted by WRAA members.