Hillsdale watercolorist wins first prize in Trinity Church art show

Sue Arnholter’s watercolor painting, “Race Day,” took first prize in the Trinity Episcopal Church juried art show.

The awards were announced at a reception at the church Friday, Sept. 13.

Arnholter, of Hillsdale, said she doesn’t regularly follow horse racing but “I was struck by the movement” during a horse race.

Second prize was an oil painting of three cows in a field by Michael Spross of Millbrook. A retired art teacher, Spross said he started painting the sky at the top of the composition with brushes.

“This is going to take forever,” he thought to himself, so he switched to palette knives and completed the painting that way.

Third prize went to Pamela Berkeley’s oil painting “Bidet and Pussy Willows,” and the People’s Choice award to Gary Finelli’s “Jesus and Me” (pencil and chalk dust).

The judges were Jason Losh and Karin Wexler.