Winners of the 18th annual Patrick J. Kraus Freshman Drawing Competition were announced at a reception in the Communications Hall gallery on Thursday, April 10.
The juried competition, judged by NCC fine arts faculty members, is funded by the Kraus Endowment Fund. The fund, established by the late John “Duke” Kraus, former NCC bookstore manager, and his wife, Katherine, honors the memory of their son, Patrick, a talented artist who attended NCC in 1985-86.
Pictured left to right: Sharon Barshinger, Lauren Doyle, Michele Wagner, Irene Cordero, and Reid Carrescia.
Members of the Kraus family were in attendance at the reception, including Katherine and her children, Stephanie, Melissa, Jim, and Larry.
Jim Kraus spoke before the winners were announced and credited his father, Duke, as being the driving force behind the fund. He also commented on what his brother Patrick would have thought of the proceedings.
“He’d insist that he wasn’t going to wear a tie,” Jim said. “And he’d be suspicious of an actual formal ceremony. It wasn’t his style.”
What he would have enjoyed doing, Jim said, was seeking out the students who did not win. “He’d spend time with the artists who were not recognized and look at their artwork. He’d tell them, ‘don’t let anyone deny you your passion, and don’t give up.’”
Tom Shillea, NCC’s director of art programs, agreed.
“You are all winners just by creating the artwork. The only way you can lose is by not competing,” he told the students before announcing the winners.
Winners receive scholarships for the following academic year. First- and second-place drawings become a part of NCC’s permanent collection and are displayed at both the Main and the Monroe campus.
The winners are:
First Place, $1,500: Lauren Doyle, fine arts major and resident of Catasauqua.
Second Place, $1,000: Irene Cordero, communication design major and resident of Saylorsburg.
Third Place, $350: Reid Carrescia, general studies major and resident of Pen Argyl.
Fourth Place, $200: Michele Wagner, communication design major and resident of Bath.
Fifth Place, $150: Sharon Barshinger, fine arts major and resident of Hellertown.
Entries are on display in the gallery in Communications Hall until April 16. The gallery is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call the College at 610-861-5062.
To view photos of the winners and their drawings, go to the Northampton NOW photo gallery.
