Elsah Museum Opens 2020 Photography Exhibit

ELSAH - The Village of Elsah Museum announces the opening of the Village of Elsah Museum for the 2020 season with the opening of the annual photography exhibit. The purpose of the exhibit is to celebrate and foster an appreciation of the beauty and unique qualities of the Village. This year’s theme is “My Favorite Window.” The opening of the Museum and exhibit was delayed by COVID 19 restrictions on group gatherings. This exhibit will be open through next year.

This year’s judge is Erica Popp, an artist and college instructor. She commented on the high quality of the submitted images. In addition to our purchase prizes, there were eight special recognition photographs. Historic Elsah Foundation will also feature six historic window photographs from the exhibit on their webpage.

The 2020 Village of Elsah Purchase Prize (for a photograph taken in the valley area) is awarded for “Barbara’s View” taken by the photographer, Barbara L. Clark of Elsah, Illinois. The purchase prize photograph will be part of the Village of Elsah Museum’s collection. As the winner of the Village of Elsah Purchase Prize, Ms. Clark also received the Green Tree Inn award of an overnight stay for two. The photograph is an image of a boat on the Mississippi framed by an interior window of Ms. Clark’s home. The judge said that “the image was chosen for its beauty, window to the Mississippi, and the sense of calm.” In addition, the judge felt that the image was appropriate for this time-period when we are inside our homes and looking outside.

The Greatriverroad.com prize recognizes a photograph that shows the beauty and significance of Elsah’s surrounding area including Chautauqua, the River Road, the nearby bluffs, and the Principia College campus. This year’s prize was awarded to “Foggy Illuminations” by Kim Howland of Godfrey, Illinois. The image stood out for being the only photograph taken at night. The quality of the reproduction and beauty of the image showed an important Bernard Maybeck designed building and the unique use of windows. The judge said of this photograph: “How poetic that the fog, something thought to obscure, gives focus to the light. This photograph is a perfect expression of this year's theme. Like the Village of Elsah Purchase Prize, this photography will also become part of the Museum collection.

This is the second year for a Youth Award for a photograph submitted by a person between the age of 12 and 18 years old. This year’s winning photograph title was “Window Waves of Elsah” by Jonah Hosmer of Godfrey, Illinois. The judge said of this image that it made “full use of the opportunity to use the reflection in the old glass to create a whimsical double exposure effect and yet seeing through to the inside of the building.”

There are eight special recognition photographs this year.

Special Recognition Awards

1. “River Road Daisies” by Jerry Benner of Ferguson, Missouri
2. “The Melting Window” by Karen King of Mt Olive, Illinois
3. “Weather Perspective” by Kim Howland of Godfrey, Illinois
4. “Windows of the Past” by Rosa Renner of Alton, Illinois
5. “Window to the Mississippi” by Chuck Parr of Alton, Illinois
6. “Windows of Elsah” by Patricia Ott of Godfrey, Illinois
7. “The Yellow House” by Hope Mader of Alton, Illinois
8. “Windows of 8 LaSalle” by Joan Baker of Moro, Illinois

Historic Window Awards showing the unique qualities of historic or “old” windows

1. Basking in Spring Sun by Karen King of Mt Olive, Illinois
2. Keeping Watch by Ray Watsek of Elsah, Illinois
3. Looking In & Out by Yvonne Mossman of Alton, Illinois
4. Past & Present by Carolyn Schlueter of St. Charles, Missouri
5. Touch of Green by Jim Noeninger of O’Fallon, Illinois
6. Window Shopping by Robert Erxleben of Salem, Illinois

The following photographers are represented in the exhibit: Joan Baker, Jerry Benner, Barbara L. Clark, Linda Davis-Swink, Julie Elmendorf, Gayle Erxleben, Robert Erxleben, Jonah Hosmer, Kim Howland, Karen King, Hope Mader, Marty McKay, Yvonne Mossman, Bonnie Noeninger, Jim Noeninger, Patria Ott. Chuck Parr, Rosa Renner, Carolyn Schlueter, John Tomlinson, Ray Watsek, and Susan Young.

The Museum exhibit will be open starting Saturday, August 8 and every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 pm during 2020 season and again next spring and early summer 2021. Visitors are required to wear masks, no more than 5 visitors are to be inside the building at any time. Hand sanitizer is available at the door. A celebration of the winners and participants will be held when Illinois rules determine a safe way to have an indoor reception.

All the photographs are for sale and proceeds are retained by the photographer. Additional copies or sizes of the purchase prize winning photographs and other photographs in this and previous exhibits can generally be purchased from the photographer.

Thanks go to all who make this exhibit possible with their funding and time: The Village of Elsah Board of Trustees and Mayor Pitchford, Historic Elsah Foundation, Greatriverroad.com, Green Tree Inn, Burton Art Services, Abigail DeWeese, the Village of Elsah Museum Advisory Committee and Museum attendants, Mary Lu Peters and Donna DeWeese.

More like this: