Scratchboard artist Ann Ranlett judges 2022 Rocklin Fine Arts Juried Show

Award-winning scratchboard artist and Newcastle resident Ann Ranlett judged the submissions to the 2022 Rocklin Fine Arts Juried Show. Rocklin Fine Arts, a group of artists who originally formed in 2007, holds its open juried show annually in February at its gallery on 2650 Sunset Blvd., Rocklin. The group also hosts a student art show in April for first- to 12th-graders, accompanied by the Rocklin Fine Arts Jarrett Visual Arts Scholarship of $1,000 awarded to a graduating senior in Placer County. Entries in the juried show are judged by categories that vary slightly from year to year based on submissions, said Carolyn McNabb, a 2022 Rocklin Fine Arts Juried Show chair. The artwork is typically separated into eight to 10 categories including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, 3D and sculpture, collage, mixed media, photography, colored pencil/pencil/pen and ink and a miscellaneous category that groups together other types of media. This year's show has more than 120 entries, McNabb said. Each category is awarded first, second and third prizes of $100, $50 and $25 as well as a judge's choice award of $100. The show is juried prior to opening and awards are presented on Sunday following the reception. Artist Ann Ranlett works on a pet portrait on scratchboard in her studio. Courtesy/Ann Ranlett Ranlett said she was a Rocklin Fine Arts member many years ago and has done demonstrations and workshops for the organization in the past. After her most recent demonstration, Ranlett reached out to Rocklin Fine Arts to show her interest in being a juror for this year's show. "As for jurors, Ann Ranlett is a remarkable artist in her own right and recently gave a demo to our group," McNabb said. "She is personable, kind and we felt she would make an excellent juror. We ask jurors to comment on the art where possible so that the artists can benefit and grow." Ranlett has judged other art shows, including one for the Arts Council of Placer County and an International Society of Scratchboard Artists show in Kentucky in 2019. "I'm trying to be a fair judge and not just look for things that totally appeal to me," Ranlett said. Ranlett is a Master Member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists, a Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists and an Associate Member with Distinction of American Women Artists. Ranlett is also an artist ambassador for Ampersand, the brand that makes the art panels she uses for her scratchboard art. Newcastle artist Ann Ranlett's "Heart of San Pedro" scratchboard artwork was accepted in the Society of Animal Artists' "Animal Impressions" Exhibition at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Courtesy/Ann Ranlett In addition, Ranlett has won awards at national and international levels for her scratchboard art, including at several International Society of Scratchboard Artists and Society of Scratchboard Artists exhibitions. She won the "Gold Award," or best in show, in the Master's Division at the International Society of Scratchboard Artists 2018 Exhibition. "So I've got that science brain and I love detail," Ranlett said. "That all ties in really, really well to the scratchboard so it's a good fit for the way my brain works."Ranlett earned a bachelor's degree in biology from California State University at Sacramento with a concentration in biological conservation in 1985. She also received a Graphic Arts Certificate from American River College in Sacramento. After taking a scratchboard workshop at an illustration conference in the late '80s, Ranlett said she fell in love with the amount of detail she could achieve with the medium. From 1995 to 2003, Ranlett worked as a senior technical services specialist at the environment consulting firm, Foothill Associates, while fulfilling scratchboard pet portrait commissions on the side. Eventually, she reduced her hours at the firm to part time then quit entirely to make art full time in 2003. Scratchboard artist Ann Ranlett drew a portrait of "Jacob" the chimpanzee to benefit the residents of Chimp Haven, a chimpanzee sanctuary in Louisiana. Courtesy/Ann Ranlett Ranlett mostly creates scratchboard portraits of animals from reference photos she took herself or photos from friends or other artists. Although scratchboard art is in black and white, Ranlett sometimes adds color to her art with watercolor. Ranlett often uses animals from local animal rescue groups such as Placer SPCA, Chako Pit Bull Rescue and FieldHaven Feline Center as references and donates a portion of the sales for that art to the groups. She even created a scratchboard drawing of a chimpanzee named Jacob to put on marketing materials for Chimp Haven in Louisiana after the sanctuary provided her reference photos. The public can view Ranlett's scratchboard art at Auburn Old Town Gallery on 218 Washington St., Auburn or at the art gallery in High-Hand Nursery and Cafe on 3750 Taylor Road in Loomis. Visit ScratchboardArtByAnn.com to view more of Ranlett's work and see scheduled demonstrations and workshops information.