By ROBIN STANTON GERROW
BG Independent News
Newcomers to the Black Swamp Arts Festival (BSAF) juried art show were some of the big winners in this year’s competition.
Best of Show went to the ceramist team of Harry Welsch and Kimberly Wellman, from Lutz, Florida, who made the trek to Bowling Green from their summer home in Michigan.
“My background is in natural sciences, so I see the work as themes from nature,” Welsch said of the intricate pieces of blues and greens. “It comes from landscapes and natural forms, as well as the use of natural material incorporated into the pieces.
“We’ve been making pots for 50 years and are continually challenging ourselves to make new forms and keep going forward,” he said.
Alexander Draven of Akron, also a first-time entrant at the festival, won the award for 3D work for his jewelry and unusual timepieces.
“I forge and fabricate all of the pieces with jeweler’s tools and techniques,” he said. “It’s kind of like tiny blacksmithing. I’ve been a full-time artist for 10 years now. It’s been a journey to get here, but I’m able to do what I love.”
Shooting with film and putting hours in the darkroom paid off for Joe Dagostino of Sagamore Hill, Ohio, when took the honor in Best 2D art with his photography.
“I work backwards because I still work in a darkroom,” he said. “If I see something interesting, I try to get a feel for how I would print it and the materials I would print on. Then I spend time judging the light and finding the best time of day to get it just right.”
Dagostino has been a regular for several years and is always impressed with the festival.
“It’s one of the better shows I do,” he said. “Everything from the volunteers to fans and the food—they put a lot of effort into this, and it shows.”
This year’s Emerging Artist award went to a local linoleum printmaker from Maumee, Katie McKernan-McAlear, another first-timer to the festival.
“I travel to cities throughout the U.S. drawing city skylines, college campuses and other landmarks,” she said. “I sketch the image in reverse, carve out anything that’s going to be white, then roll thin layers of ink, pressing each one by hand using a wooden block. Each one is truly a little bit different and a little unique.
“I went full-time as an artist about four months ago and having them appreciate my artwork is really special,” McKernan-McAlear said. “It’s an honor, and honestly, just really exciting.”
The winner of the Judges’ Award, Stephen Wheeler of Aurora, Indiana, made his BSAF debut with whimsical and fantastical paintings of dinosaurs and cowboys, lion fish and lions, and frogs in top hats among other subjects.
“Ideas are a little bit like fish in the ocean,” he said when asked about his inspirations. “If you look at the top, there’s none, but if you poke your nose in, there’s lots of little one. The deeper you go, the bigger and weirder they get.”
Wheeler is also impressed with the festival over all.
“It feels like the whole town comes out for it and there’s obviously a tremendous amount of local pride to put on a quality show,” he said.
The Sustainability Award went to Allen and Edna Danielsen from Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. Their lamp creations made from antiques and discarded materials bring back a sense of nostalgia for many.
“We take unusual stuff, and make it even more unusual,” Allen Danielsen said. “We walk miles of antique stores to find our materials. We go through shops with an open mind and small flashlight looking for anything we can potentially turn into a lamp.”
Edna Danielsen noted that there is usually a sentimental connection to some object they’ve used whether it is a metal train car or a camera.
“They’ll say ‘my dad had one that looks like that,’ or ‘my grandmother would have had that in her kitchen,’” she said. “Everything has a story behind it.”
Rounding out the awards for 2025 with honorable mentions are Loraine Lynn, fiber and leather; Matthew Godsil, painting; and William Shearrow, ceramics.
