Winners of the 2015 Roy Wood Peach Festival Art Show were recognized at Peoples Southern Bank on Thursday.

Eight winners out of 46 entries received awards in the show’s Junior and Senior divisions.

Richard Mills, Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts at Auburn University Montgomery, served as judge for the third straight year.

“When I am asked to serve as juror for an exhibition, I look for interesting personal expression,” Mills wrote in his notes on the winners’ pieces. “I like to see artworks that are developed through observation, innovation and a dose of curiosity.”

Callie Childress took home the first place prize in the Junior Division for her painting “Wisteria.”

“The canvas is filled with interesting, observed patterns, beautiful brush marks and solid form and composition,” Mills said of the painting. “Color choices, color mixing and bold expression make this work personal and, well, beautiful.”

Childress, from Clanton, said she based the idea for the painting off of the farmhouse in Selma which was owned by her grandmother.

“I visited several times and thought it would make a good painting,” Childress said.

Childress said the painting took her about three or four months to finish, and her favorite part was the array of colors.

Childress plans to hang the painting in her living room, and said she was surprised to find out she won the first place prize.

“I thought it was really neat, and I was excited to hear that I won,” Childress said.

Aiden Turner placed second with his painting of “Making Ice Cream.”

“The placement of objects is compositionally sound and the violet background allows the warm colored peaches to produce a nice surprise,” Mills wrote about Turner’s painting. “Also, well-crafted brush marks.”

Turner said it took him about three or four days to finish the painting, and he enjoys painting.

Catherine Stone took home third place for her drawing titled “Peach Tower.”

“This drawing is wonderful in it’s immediate impact on the viewer,” Mills said of Stone’s drawing. “I like the layered linear marks. They are exciting visual elements. The depicted locale also adds a personal touch.”

Stone said this was her first “big” project, and she enjoyed working on the drawing.

Gracie Winton received honorable mention for her piece titled “Killer Whale.”

“This ink wash could easily be overlooked, but the rectangular space it exists in is filled with mysterious, improvised shapes that are visually rewarding,” Mills wrote of Winton’s piece.

In the Senior Division Charlotte Rowland took home the first place prize for her piece titled “Bowl Composition.”

“The ‘Blue Heron’ still life is very artistically formed,” Mills wrote of Rowland’s painting. “Great color, personal observation and beautifully produced brush marks make this piece stand out to me and hopefully, to others.”

Rowland said she has had the “Amari” bowl in her house, and decided it would make a nice painting.

“I put the bowl in front of me and went from there,” Rowland said. “I did have fruit in the bowl when I did the painting. I am very honored that this won.”

Rowland said she will keep the painting hanging in her home.

Danny Foshee received second place for a painting of a gray truck which Mills described as “skillfully painted.”

“Proportional relationships are observed well, and the tiny pebbles on the road form a nice secondary interest,” Mills said.

Dell Geeslin won third place and honorable mention for her two entries.

“The skillful rendering of the children and their environment is observed with a keen eye,” Mills wrote about the third place drawing. “Drawings are direct links to the artist’s soul, and this one does not disappoint.”

The honorable mention painting received feedback that the “still life was painted with very fresh, sure marks,” Mills wrote. “A celebration of color is evident and the observational rendering is true. A very nice work.”

First-place winners received $100, second place winners received $75, third place winners received $50 and honorable mention winners received $25.

Organizers said the show is in its 31st year.

The show is named after the late Roy Wood, an artist and longtime Peoples Southern Bank employee.

The event was held in the lobby of the Chilton County High School auditorium the first year, but Wood sought permission to move it to the bank, which also started providing cash prizes for the winners.