Arts Council presents Dingeldein Award, announces plans for permanent space

Two local artists were honored Friday night during the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's third annual Otto F. Dingeldein Gala.

Judy Barks-Westrich was awarded the Otto F. Dingeldein Award for lifetime achievement in the arts, and Jeanie Eddleman received the Friend of the Arts award for her work in the art community.

Westrich, who taught art at public schools at Cape Girardeau and Sikeston, Missouri, for 39 years, now runs The Artist Studio, where she showcases her art and teaches painting in acrylic and watercolors, papermaking, weaving and printmaking.

"I think it's shockingly amazing," she said of receiving the Dingeldein Award. "I'm nervous knowing I'm in the spotlight. ... I'm used to going to things for other people."

She said art isn't a ponderous, philosophical pursuit to her. She said she paints for pure enjoyment.

"I'm 66 years old, soon to be 67, and my whole life has been engulfed in the arts," she said. "I can't imagine not having it. I have my studio now, and when I'm creating something, I do that for me; for my own personal pleasure ... to stay sane."

In accepting the award, she said she sees no reason why she wouldn't keep on doing what she loves.

Jeanie Eddleman receives the 2015 Friend of the Arts Award from Peter Nguyen, board chair of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Friday, Jan. 8, 2016 in Jackson. (Fred Lynch)

"It's still fun, I still enjoy it, and that's still the point," she said.

Eddleman, also an art teacher, serves as president of the Cat Ranch Art Guild and chairwoman of the board of the Tom Runnels Memorial Scholarship fund.

She said Runnels, her uncle, was instrumental in her journey to become an artist. She primarily draws historic buildings in graphite pencil, but said her first drawing, at age 3, was inspired by Runnels.

"It was a fish," she recalled, "one that my uncle had brought home."

She said her love of art blossomed into a 27-year teaching career in Zalma, Missouri, but she always came back to drawing.

"It's easy," she said, adding one of her favorite buildings to draw is the old Wimpy's restaurant in Cape Girardeau, where her father used to take her to eat as a little girl.

"I feel very honored ... shocked, actually," she said of receiving the Friend of the Arts award. "I am very appreciative of the fact that they selected me. I didn't even know I was in the running."

The Arts Council also used the gala to announce plans to open a permanent, 12,000-square-foot space in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Arts Council executive director Murielle Gaither said the space at 16 N. Spanish St. is a fruition of the Arts Council's more than 50-year history. She said the organization has never had a permanent home until now.

"This is our vision for the Arts Council for the next 50 years, so we're very excited," she said.

The new space will feature soundproofed, ventilated classroom spaces, workshop space, a gallery and a dance studio space that they plan to lease out.

"It's really a blank canvas right now," she said.

Arts Council treasurer and project manager Jerry McCearley said they're beginning a capital campaign for future expansion and to fund operations in the new space.

The new space is slated for a soft opening in May, with a grand opening planned for September.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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