Newton man earns recognition for fine art

The People’s Choice Award allows fairgoers to participate as judges at the Iowa State Fair, choosing the one piece of fine art they consider the best, most interesting and most pleasing. This year, the people chose Newton resident Judd Hoskins’ drawing “Typewriter Girl” as their favorite work of fine art.

Voters are given the opportunity to choose from the hundreds of pieces on display as well as all mediums including sculpture, oil painting, glass, digital and drawing.

According to Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Superintendent Janet Heinicke, Hoskins received an “overwhelming” percentage of the fairgoers votes with more than 700.

“Typewriter Girl” is a large scale charcoal drawing centering a female writer in mid-thought. The piece reflects an artist’s creative struggle and the never ending desire to create, to expunge themselves of all the ideas that can consume their mind, Hoskins said. For instance, the black and white stockings are like early penitentiary attire worn by prisoners representing the mental prison that many live in, according to Hoskins.

This isn’t Hoskin’s first visit to the fair. He has won awards the last five year, and in 2011, he won the Fine Art Exhibit Best of Show.

“That was quite an extraordinary moment for me to have been validated by a prestigious panel of those intricately tied within the art world,” Hoskins said about winning Best of Show in previous years. “But it’s different when the people speak. The People’s Choice is one of the most meaningful awards that I have received as it speaks to the masses and not just the art community itself.

“I don’t just want to create something that will win jurors over, but something that will evoke a poignant moment and touch all people’s hearts, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how much they may or may not know about art.”

One of Hoskins’ strong suits is his attention to detail and his precise execution of the use of charcoal. Fairgoers often stop to spend more time admiring his work, trying to determine its medium, than they usually do, Heinicke said.

“Judd uses black and white with great effect,” Heinicke said. “He’s the most promising artist.”

Linda Klepinger, director of the Center for Arts & Artists, has known Hoskins for many years and is an admirer as well who describes his skill as “artistically acute.”

“He’s a ‘show stopper.’ Klepinger said. “You don’t see artists like this come along very often.”

For both artists and the public alike, the annual state fair art show serves as an important and unique opportunity of artistic exchange. While artists get a chance to subject their work to the opinion of a general audience, the general audience gets the chance to see a large, gallery like show for free with admission.

“It’s rather nice to see the public put their stamp of approval on Judd,” Heinicke said.

Contact Staff Writer Kate Malott at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6533 or at kmalott@newtondailynews.com.