ZANESVILLE - Ohio artists waited at the Zanesville Art Center as the winners of The Ohio Show 2009 were announced with the Best of Show going to two photographs.

Doug McLarty, of Xenia, won Best of Show and a $1,000 award for his two photographs, Cone of Tranquility and Red Leaf Study I. Working in photography for the past 40 years, mainly print film and black and white, McLarty went to digital photography four years ago and was inspired to try a new way of making photographs.

"I'm very excited," he said after winning the award. "It's mostly design inspired. People have really responded to it."

Tia and Michael Martinez, of Columbus, were two of the people who responded to McLarty's photographs.

"His work's fantastic. I don't know how he does it but I like how the colors are so vivid and blended like that” Tia said.

"I can see this is going to be a guy (McLarty) who'll be a great photo artist. The way he handles colors is something else. I can see why he won. There's a lot of nice artwork here but his really stands out.”

The Ohio Show received 199 entries from 116 artists living in 45 Ohio cities and towns. "It was the 65th year for the show," said Susan Talbot-Stanaway, museum director. "It used to be a regional show but now it's the largest Ohio show in the state. It's open to any Ohio artists."

The Ohio Show will be on display until July 22.

Winners at Zanesville


Red Leaf Study 1


Cone of Tranquility