The 56th annual Otero Arts Festival is set for April 3-5 at McDivitt Center on the Otero Junior College campus. The Otero Arts Festival showcases creative writing, sculptures, pottery, paintings, drawings, and other works of art submitted by middle and high school students from throughout southeast Colorado. The event will be open to the public April 3-5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m. daily.
Begun as an art contest for elementary and secondary school students 56 years ago, the Otero Arts Festival is the longest running event for public school students that is continuing to be sponsored by the college. Over the past several years, the writing and art contests have drawn over 2,000 entries annually. The entries are showcased in the McDivitt Center gymnasium, filling the entire playing floor and four walls.
Meet the 2011 Otero Arts Festival Judges
Over the years, judges have included outstanding professional artists and art teachers from Colorado’s leading colleges and galleries. This year’s visual art judges include Tim Deibler, award winning artist and art instructional book writer from Walsenburg, CO and international bronze sculptor, Brenda Daniher of Higbee, CO.
Brenda Daniher, international bronze sculpter with bronze sculptures in 9 different countries and artwork in many more is returning to juror the Otero Arts Festival for her second time. Daniher has over 34 life-size or larger bronzes statues which include a Heroic-size bronze that is a 14 ft. long x 10 ft. tall Pony Express Rider and Horse for the Ft. Sedgwick Museum in Julesburg, CO. Daniher has been commissioned to do the artwork for the 2013 NAFA meet. Previously Daniher’s art was featured in 1999 and 2007 on the NAFA mug that was issued around the world. Brenda has received a Letter of Commendation from the United States Post Master General and her artwork was used as a cancellation stamp by the USPS. Her small bronzes are in 8 foreign countries and 18 US states in private collections.
Daniher has illustrated several published books including the Ferruginous Chapter for the 9th edition of North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks by Beebe and Webster. Daniher has been featured in many magazines including: Western Horseman, WildWest, American Cowboy, Fence Post, Colorado Curiosities, Tradewinds, Chinook, North American Falconry Association Journal, Breckenridge 2001, Summit. Daniher also has designs magazine covers for: Four Flags Roping Magazine (four times),Arkansas Valley Journel, Colorado Country Life.
Brenda Daniher teaches Bronze Sculpting at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, CO. She lives on a farm/ranch with her husband, David, in the Higbee area south of La Junta, CO. They raise Shire draft horses and livestock. Her website is: www.benbronze.com
Tim Deibler a first time juror for the Otero Arts Festival has had a life-long passion for art. Since Deibler first saw the 1956 movie “The Mountain” as a young boy his single focus has been to paint landscapes. From his earliest childhood he tried to visually depict the world around him with crayons and paint. By age 13 Deibler was drawing the famous Matterhorn after his parents bought him Edward Whympers book “Scrambles Amongst the Alps” which details the attempts to climb the Matterhorn, including many of Whympers personal sketches. Studying with a professional artist as a child offered Deibler the encouragement he needed to follow his dream.
Deibler is a graduate of the Art Institute of Colorado and has worked in the commercial art and video production fields. Deibler is best known for his stunning portrayal of nature in oil. From rugged mountain peaks to the pounding surf, his work includes paintings from coast to coast and around the world. He has added much figurative work to his repertoire including the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, children and dancers. The favorable acceptance of his book, Capturing the Seasons in Oils, has led to the release of several teaching videos and the formation of his own video company. Deibler is also a popular teacher at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, Colorado and Cottonwood Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs. Deibler has won numerous awards, including the Award of Excellence at the Oil Painters of America’s National Juried Show, four consecutive years and has been granted Signature Member status by Oil Painters of America. Tim Deibler’s website features a list of his paintings, books, videos, workshops and gallery showings: www.timdeibler.com
All area students, grades 7-12, are encouraged to enter the Otero Arts Festival. Entries for the art contest will be accepted on Friday April 1st from 1-5 pm at the McDivitt Center (gym) on the Otero Junior College campus. Students may have one entry for each medium/technique with a maximum of six entries total per student. Entries must be labeled and hung per the guidelines that are posted on this website.
These professional artists will award over 600 ribbons in a contest that annually draws over 2000 entries from middle school and high school artists of southeastern Colorado. They also choose the recipients of Best of Show High School and Middle School and Outstanding Senior Portfolio ribbons. Judging will take place on Saturday April 2 with public viewing of the art show to begin on Tuesday April 5 at 8 am. The exhibit will remain open to the public April 5-7 from 8 am to 4 pm and then again at 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. There is no cost for admission to the exhibit. The public is invited to visit the exhibit and view the outstanding work the students.
2011 Otero Arts Festival Creative Writing Judge
Returning judge for the creative writing entries this year will be journalist and author Lynn Allen, from Cheraw, Colo. Allen is a freelance journalist whose local publications include: Ag Journal, Tribune Democrat, and Colorado Country Life. Allen’s work has also been published in the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Journal, Range, Boer Goat, Goat Rancher, and Southeast Horse Review.
Allen loves to pass her knowledge and experiences on to other aspiring writers. She has taught several courses including: Writing for $, Writing Your Memoirs, and Self Publishing Basics. She is a motivational speaker for groups and presents at writers’ groups and conferences. Her presentation “Get Out of Your Own Way” is a motivational talk that gives inspiration and guidance to promising writers.
Allen has been honored with several journalism awards: two from Colorado Press Association and one from the Society of Professional Journalists. She also participated in a 5-day Journalism Fellowship to Washington DC.
Allen’s book Life Out Here was selected as a top five finalist in the Indie Book Awards (sponsored by the Independent Publishing Group) and won a spot on their table at the New York Book Fair in June 2009. “Lynn captures the essence of the heart and soul of those who make their home in a part of the country where the scenery outside your back door consists or acres and acres of prairie dotted by various critters and everything in between,” states Pat Gonzales. “Between cold blooded tractors, egotistical horses and misadventures with a grease gun, I laughed so hard it hurt!” Daniel Beard, Editor, The Tangled Web Magazine. . More Life Out Here is currently in the works.
Allen chooses to write non-fiction because she says she finds real people and real things fascinating. Her writing hero is Gay Talese, the newspaper man who created the base for today's creative nonfiction and whose favorite subject was the common man.
“He had an incredible gift for taking what looked ordinary and exposing the extraordinary in it…and doing it all in 2,000 words or less,” she said.
Area students in grades 7-12 are encouraged to enter the Creative Writing division of the Otero Arts Festival. Entries are currently being accepted for the Creative Writing division through Friday, March 4. All poems, short stories, essays and creative books that are entered will be displayed in the Reading Room during the public viewing dates, April 5-8.
First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded in each of the three writing categories for grades 7 -12. A ribbon and $50 award will be given for Best Representative Writing in middle school and a ribbon and $100 award will be given for Best Representative Writing in high school.
The Creative Writing contest continues to feature a winning high school senior portfolio. High School seniors are encouraged to enter a poem, short story and essay in the Senior Portfolio creative writing competition. The winner of the Senior Portfolio creative writing division will be awarded a one-year, renewable, full-tuition scholarship to Otero Junior College.
“This year’s competition will again show the depth and talent that exists in our area students,” said Phillips. “The committee for the Otero Arts Festival would like to invite the public to come and read these wonderful works. All Creative Writing entries will be on exhibit in the Reading Room.”
Entries are currently being accepted by mail at Otero Arts Festival Creative Writing, 1802 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 or by bringing entries to Humanities Center Room 105 by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 4. For complete creative writing guidelines and information: (Click Here)
2011 Otero Arts Festival Gallery
2010 Otero Arts Festival Gallery
2009 Otero Arts Festival Gallery
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