May 21, 2013
MONTGOMERY, Ala., – About 1,700 Alabama farmers gave Ozark watercolor artist Jack DeLoney a standing ovation this morning as the famous painter of agricultural scenes received the Alabama Farmers Federation's Image of Agriculture Award.
Federation President Jerry Newby presented the inaugural award to Deloney during the organization's 91st annual meeting held at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center.
"Jack's work has inspired many, has brought farm images to life and has served as a piece of nostalgia for those who aren't even associated with farming," Newby said. "We are proud to be able to present Jack our first-ever Image Of Agriculture Award, which is given to an individual who has dedicated his or her life to enhancing the image of farmers."
At the end of this year, DeLoney is closing his gallery and will cease to produce limited edition prints. He plans to travel throughout the United States and continue to paint original works and commissioned pieces. During his career, DeLoney painted two commissioned works for the Alabama Farmers Federation, "Here at Home," and "Harvest at Home."
During Monday's general session, the Federation's Communication Award for Print Journalism was presented to the Geneva County Reaper, represented by Editor Jay Felsberg. The award is given annually to a media outlet that does an outstanding job of covering farm and agricultural news. The program also included individual and county awards for Federation members for work in various program areas.
The annual meeting continues Monday afternoon with a voting delegate session followed by a closing general session featuring keynote speaker Karl Rove.
