40th Annual Bosque Art Classic Awards Ceremony
The 40th anniversary of the Bosque Art Classic saw celebration of the arts and artists, as well as some passing along of wisdom at the opening night ceremony on September 13, 2025.
The Bosque Arts Center Art Council awarded over $16,000 in prizes to deserving artists, thanks to generous sponsors in the community of Clifton. Art Council president Karen Cornett reflected on the first Art Classic in 1986 and led a toast to its 40 years.
Bill Farnsworth of Florida walked away with the $5,000 John Steven Jones Purchase Award for his oil, Something New, while Carla D’Aguanno took the Art Patrons Purchase Award and the Gold Medal Oil/Acrylic Award for Beasts of the Field. Both pieces joined the permanent collection of the BAC.
Cowboy Artists of America member Bruce Greene served as juror for the show. Out of the 681 pieces received from across the nation, Greene selected 230 for the exhibition.
A crowd of over 300 people gathered for opening night, with Art of the West magazine’s Andrew Krane attending. AotW sponsored a full page ad that went to People’s Choice winner Reg Narmour.
Richie Vios received the Boren-Selvidge Award sponsored by the family of the late James Boren, CA, and selected by artist Nancy Boren.
Greene addressed the crowd prior to the awards ceremony, complimenting the exceptional work in the show and also passing along to the artists advice given to him by the late Tony Altermann.
“You need to do one of these two things, and if you can, do both of them,” Greene said. “You need to create a mood or tell a story.
“When you start to think in those terms, then you start to come up with titles, ideas, story lines…that you’re more passionate about. And that’s when you really will start to reach the people.”
Kathleen Sharp closed the evening, speaking on behalf of her parents, John Steven Jones Purchase Award sponsors Roland and Joyce Jones.
“John Steven was my brother who died in 1988,” Sharp said. She highlighted how her parents turned their loss into an award in John’s memory to encourage others.
“Something that was taken now they have been returning year after year after year to artists …to support them in becoming more of who God had already created them to be.”
Other award winners included Jesse Lane, Jeff Williams, Debra Goodwin, Ronnie Zint, E. Melinda Morrison, Daniel Anz, Terri Wagner, Eileen Nistler, Charlie Bullock, and Travis Stewart.
Art Council, award winners and sponsors present, and judge Bruce Greene