The Hockaday Museum of Art announces that Ron Ukrainetz, Linda Olsen and Darlene Morgan have won People’s Choice Awards in the 2014 Members Salon. The public is invited to enjoy free admission to the Museum on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 26 and 27, to enjoy all of the art in the exhibit.

This year, more than 100 Hockaday artist members participated in the 13th Annual Members Salon, showing a broad range of two and three-dimensional works. The public is welcomed each year to vote for their favorite pieces in the People’s Choice Awards and the 2014 award winners’ works are a testament to the diversity of the popular annual show.

Ukrainetz of Great Falls captured first place this year with his engraving on white claybord, “Flicker’s View.” Born and raised in Great Falls, Ukrainetz is a life-long artist. During the past 30 years as a professional artist, he has garnered awards from numerous shows across the country. He has been featured in many magazines, including Western Art Collector, Wildlife Art Magazine, and The Artists Magazine. Ukrainetz is a living master in acrylics on engraved claybord.

“Artists are perpetual students,” Ukrainetz said. “Each piece created celebrates the lessons learned, and raises new challenges for the next piece.”

Ukrainetz won a $250 cash prize for the top honors.

“Great Expectations,” a watercolor by Kalispell resident Olsen, took the second-place $100 prize. Olsen is a native Montanan born east of the mountains, who has lived in the Flathead for the last 45 years. Always interested in art, she majored in German and Art Education, teaching German at Columbia Falls High School for 10 years. During that time, she painted a little and mostly in acrylics, but was busy raising a family and working in family businesses. About four years ago, she took Karen Leigh's watercolor course at FVCC and fell in love with the medium. Since that time, multiple trips to Mexico have inspired her to paint the people and places she has seen. In “Great Expectations,” there were many layers or washes applied to achieve the sun's glow on her skin. Olsen’s other favorite subjects include local scenes, family and friends.

“Watercolors are both easy and extremely difficult which makes the medium very appealing and challenging to me,” Olsen said.

Bigfork painter Morgan claimed third place honors with her India ink wash, “Girl with the Bear Earrings.” Morgan has been drawing and painting as far back as she can remember. Her subject matter has always been people or animals, and she loves portraiture and feels this is her niche. Most of her paintings for the past 45 years have been Native Americans as she loves their faces, costumes and culture. Most of her paintings are rendered in great detail using India ink as a wash in a similar manner as watercolors, only in black and white.

“The varying tones and values need to be exact to depict to the viewer a visual perception of texture and depth,” Morgan said. “It is a very unforgiving medium and requires a slow process, because mistakes cannot be erased or painted over.”

This is Morgan’s fourth consecutive year placing in the top three slots in the Hockaday Members Salon, and took home a $50 cash prize.

Many of the artists offer their works for sale in the Museum, giving the public a chance to acquire art for their private collections. A portion of the proceeds from each sold piece is donated to the Hockaday’s exhibition and education funds.

The 13th Annual Members Show will be on exhibit at the Hockaday Museum of Art through Dec. 27. The Museum invites the public to take advantage of free admission during the Holiday Open House to be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 26 and 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Hockaday Museum of Art is located in the cultural district of downtown Kalispell at 302 Second Ave. E. It is housed in a 1904 Carnegie Library building that appears on the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, open year-round, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A wheelchair accessible entry and elevator are available. For more information, please visit www.HockadayMuseum.org or call 755-5268.