Buenaventura Art Association’s 26th Annual Open Competition brought entries from all over Ventura County. Juror Gary Lang, Ojai artist and adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University said he could have curated ten exhibits from all the wonderful entries he received.

Jack Halbert of Ventura won “Best of Show” for his “On the Midway” oil painting. The prizes in two-dimensional works are as follows: 1st Place, Horatio Martinez, for his drawing “Rosario Girl”;” 2nd Place, Kathy Ikerd (Santa Paula) for her acrylic painting “Evening Glow;” 3rd Place, Michael Rohde (Newbury Park) for his tapestry “House & Blue Ikat;” Honorable Mention, Steve Cook (Ventura) for his oil painting, “Lord Won’t You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz.” The prizes in three-dimensional works are as follows: 1st Place, Bob Privitt (Thousand Oaks) for his “Bullet Blasted Traingle” sculpture; 2nd Place, Todd Collart (Ventura) for his metal assemblage piece “Land Rover;” 3rd Place, David Blackburn for “True Love” his sculptural marble and exotic wood jewelry box; and Honorable Mention, John Parker (Camarillo) for his “Sustained by the Wind” Maple Wood piece.

Buenaventura Gallery is located at 700 E Santa Clara St. in downtown Ventura. Hours are Tues – Friday from noon – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information, visit their website at www.BuenaventuraGallery.org.