Artists from the Tri-State and from throughout Ohio entered into the 33rd Annual Art Show in oils, acrylics, water colors, mixed media and photography.

The show this year was dedicated to Mary Jo Palmer who died last week.

“She was a very dedicated artist,” said Lily Dickens, president of the Ironton Artists Association. “She was a great supporter of the art world.”

Two art instructors from Ohio University Southern in Ironton were judges this year.

Wendy Dunlap, a faculty member of both OUS and Shawnee State University, teaches descriptive drawing, drawing systems and color, ceramics, figure drawing, watercolor and basic painting.

Craig Fetherolf teaches both at OUS and Ohio University in Athens. He has taught many photography courses including black and white, color, digital, studio lighting, history, ceramics and three-dimensional design.

Both of the judges have exhibited at numerous art shows.

Kimberly Phillips, of Cincinnati, won “Best of Show” in fine art. There were 12 purchase awards.

Taking home “Best of Show” in photography for “Happy Bacon,” two first place awards, “Best in Category,” and a purchase award was Ironton Tribune’s photographer Jessica St. James.

“She ran away with the photography awards this year,” Dickens said. All 42 entries were displayed on easels in row after row filling the auditorium at Central Christian Church in Ironton.

Subjects included children, ballerinas, flowers, fruit and animals. The special category was “Simply Water” and a mixture of entries had all water themes.

“I feel like the show was a success this year,” Dickens said “Every year it gets a little bit better. We’re looking forward to having our show here again next year.”

One of the artists, Elena Filshitinska-Burwell, of Columbus, originally from the Ukraine, entered her art for the first time in a show with eight acrylic paintings.

She is also a concert pianist and belongs to two women’s music groups in Columbus.

“It’s a nice show and I was impressed with the works of artists,” Filshtinska-Burwell said.

She received three honorable mentions for paintings she almost did not enter into the show.

“It was a last minute decision to bring them,” she said. “I do a lot of flowers but ballerinas are my passion. If I don’t paint some days, I feel sick. Same thing if I don’t play piano every day.”