Energen Art Competition

Energen Announces Winners of 2013 Art Competition

For Release: March 12, 2013      
For more information contact: Susan Delenne 205 326-1612 

Energen has announced the winners of its 14th annual art competition, which celebrates Alabama artists.  James McManus, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energen Corporation, will present the winning artists with their awards on March 24. 

Dirk Walker is the winner of the Energen Grand Prize Award and $7,500 for his work “Life on Highland Avenue.”  Walker, of Birmingham, is a first-time participant in the competition. 

Kelley Alford is the winner of the $3,000 landscape category for her work “Swimmin’ Hole.”  Alford is from Birmingham. 

Jim Denney is the winner of the $3,000 wildlife category for his work “Red-tailed Hawk.”  Denney is from Alexander City. 

John Hyche is the winner of the $3,000 non-representational category for his work “Measure Up.”  Hyche is from Birmingham. 

Patty Ringland is the winner of the $3,000 employee choice category for her work “Rainy Night Lights in Five Points South.”  Ringland is from Birmingham. 

This year, four artists received honorable mention awards with a $250 cash prize.  John Kelley of Cottondale was recognized for his work “Back-off.”  John Lonergan of Pell City was recognized for his work “Sisters In Backlight.”  Michael Marlowe of Birmingham was recognized for his work “Afterglow.”  Taylor White of Gardendale was recognized for her work “Silent Wisdom.” 

This year’s judge was Jean Ignatz of Northport who won the Wildlife award in the Energen Art Competition in 2012 and 2008. Ignatz, a well-known artist in West Alabama, is co-owner of Riverport Gallery in historic downtown Northport, Alabama.  She is an accomplished portrait painter, who is often commissioned to do portraits in charcoal, pastels or oils.  A native of Northport, Ignatz enjoys painting landscapes, wildlife and other still life subjects.  Ignatz has won many national, regional and local awards. 

The 2013 Energen Art Competition featured 482 art entries in the competition from a total of 258 artists.  Through a competition review process, 200 works of art were selected for the final round of judging and exhibition.  Artists from across the state entered the competition. A total of 89 new artists entered and many previous winners also entered the show this year. 

All of the selected art is now featured in a free exhibition at Energen Plaza in downtown Birmingham.  The art exhibition is open to the general public Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.  The public exhibition will close Friday, March 22 at 5 p.m.   

Winning art becomes a part of Energen’s permanent collection, “The Wonders of Alabama Art.”  Energen’s competition has been featuring and recognizing Alabama artists for the past 14 years.  The Energen Art Competition is open to artists 18 years of age and older who currently live in Alabama or who have lived in the state.  Artwork must be original and must have been painted no more than three years prior to the date of the competition.  Eligible work must be two-dimensional and in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, pen and ink or mixed media.     

Proceeds from the 2013 Energen Art Competition, plus a contribution from Energen, will go to Camp Smile-A-Mile, Alabama’s Program for Children with Cancer. Camp Smile-A-Mile’s mission is to provide year round challenging, unforgettable recreational and educational experiences for young cancer patients, their families as well as young adult survivors from Alabama at no cost to the families. The purpose is to provide these patients, families and survivors with avenues for fellowship, to help them cope with their disease and to prepare them for life after cancer.

After learning that Camp Smile-A-Mile would be the recipient of Energen’s Art Competition funds, Bruce Hooper, Executive Director said:  “As Alabama’s Program for Children with Cancer, Camp Smile-A-Mile is extremely honored and grateful to be selected as the nonprofit beneficiary of the 2013 Energen Art Competition.  Energen is a company known for its kind heart and generous spirit.   The donation from Energen will significantly impact the programs of Camp SAM and will be a blessing to the children and families we serve.”

To see a photo of the winning art from the 2013 competition and previous winning art, go to art.energen.com.  For more information on the Energen Art Competition, check the Energen website at art.energen.com, follow the event on Twitter @EnergenArt or like the event on Facebook at facebook.com/EnergenArt, leave a message on the Energen Art telephone line at (205) 326-1800 or send an e-mail to art.committee@energen.com. 

Energen Corporation, headquartered in Birmingham, is a growing oil and gas exploration and production company complemented by a single-state natural gas utility.