This photo of the veterans in attendance at the opening was featured on MGAA’s Facebook page. Photo by Glenn Grossman

“Patriotic,” the current exhibit at the Middle Georgia Art Association’s gallery in Ingleside Village, features work by 19 central Georgia artists. The exhibit opened Friday, July 20 with an open invite and discounted memberships to active-duty and retired military personnel. A juried exhibition, four artists received awards for their work.

The first place winner was a composite photo by Suzanne Lawler, called “Welcome Home, Dad.” The image features a soldier hugging his children, with an American flag overlaying the photo. Its military theme is reflective of a large amount of the work in the exhibit. Images of soldiers, gravestones, welcome-home celebrations and military equipment are indicative of the culture of central Georgia, which houses an Air Force base in nearby Warner Robins. With the U.S. engaged in wars abroad for over a decade, these images reflect the strains on the soldiers and the families whose loved ones are deployed.

“Welcome Home, Dad” by Suzanne Lawler was the first place winner in the juried exhibit.

Though much of the show focused on the sacrifice of the military, “Caged Freedom” by Leslie Hoops-Wallace offers a highly-charged critique of the leadership of the nation. Contrasting that is a whimsical photo by D.J. Dammann called “At The Fair,” which depicts a ferris wheel-like ride next to an American flag. The show is rounded out with work featuring quintessentially American imagery such as eagles, fireworks and non-objective paintings utilizing “patriotic” colors.

The Middle Georgia Art Association hosts monthly exhibits in its gallery, with openings on the third Friday of each month. The group also displays work at Market City Cafe in downtown Macon on a regular basis. While the monthly, juried exhibits are open to the all artists, a designated space in the gallery and the walls of Market City are for work by members only.

“Patriotic” will be on display through August 10.

The complete list of award winners is:

• First place: “Welcome Home, Dad” by Suzanne Lawler
• Second place: “Caged Freedom” by Leslie Hoops-Wallace
• Third place: “Old Clinton Civil War Reenactment” by Martha Tisdale
• Honorable mention: “Homage to the 82nd” by Joseph Adams

Middle Georgia Art Association: Ingleside Ave., Macon; 478-744-9557; www.middlegeorgiaart.org