Winners of the Community Sponsored Awards were announced on Sunday at the Rowayton Arts Center’s opening reception. Norwalk artist Lori Lohstoeter won Best in Show with her cold wax and oil painting, “Neglecting Picasso (View from MoMA).” Lee Potter Findlay of Findlay Galleries in Manhattan selected the winners. Winners in this exhibit were awarded prizes totaling almost $4000. Exhibit chairs were Andrea Letters and Richard Koleszar.
The award winners include: Acrylics: 1st Place: Pam Davis (Rowayton) “River Stories.” 2nd Place: James Ryan (Greenwich) “Winter Sojourn.” Digital Art/Mixed Media: 1st Place: Bevi Bullwinkle (Fairfield) “Respect the Dancer” Acrylic/Charcoal. 2nd Place: Gregg Welz (Norwalk) “Sampler,” Cut Paper. 3rd Place: Amy Schott (Wilton) “San Francisco Swallows,” Mixed Media. Honorable Mention: Nancy Gramps (New Canaan) “City Scape I,” Mixed Media. Drawings, Pastels, Prints: 1st Place: Lisa Thoren (Darien) “Musical Chairs,” Monoprint. 2nd Place: Gretchen Bruno (Darien) “Portrait of Jamaal,” Graphite. 3rd Place: Joel Sobelson (Weston) “In the Bag,” Pastel. Oils: 1st Place: Joanne Leaman (Westport) “Engage.” 2nd Place: Belinda Ganser (Norwalk) “Nuns on Beach.” 3rd Place: Michael Brennecke (Westport) “Passengers.” Honorable Mention: Susan Leggitt (Norwalk) “Spruce Head.” Sculpture: 1st Place: Ginny Awn (Norwalk) “Almost Infinity,” Alabaster. 2nd Place: Judith Orseck Katz (Westport) “Three Score & Ten,” Porcelain. 3rd Place: Susan Acker (Stamford) “Aunt Lucy,” Mixed Media/ Assemblage. Watercolor: 1st Place: Susan Spivack (Westport) “Steven King’s Garden.” 2nd Place: Bela Szabo (Norwalk) “Reflection from the Glasses.” 3rd Place: Marianne Rothballer (New Canaan) “Reflection.” Photography: 1st Place: Laure Dunne (Norwalk) “Movin’ Down the Line.” 2nd Place: Tom Kretsch (Westport) “Island Boy – Dreaming of the Sea.” 3rd Place: Ben Larrabee (Darien) “Dolly.”
The community sponsors for the exhibit were: Alphagraphics (Stamford) Darien Rowayton Bank (Darien, Rowayton) Geary Gallery (Darien) The Settler (Darien) Down Under Kayaking (Westport, Rowayton) Jerry’s Artarama (Norwalk) Artists’ Market (Norwalk) DoubleTree (Norwalk) Orchard Farm Foundation (Rowayton) Rowayton Fuel, Rowayton Market, Barbara Seith, Ed & Linda Hortick, Henry & Jess Huse, Kathy Draper and Merion Frolich.
Since the sixties, the Rowayton Arts Center has been a cultural gem in the community. It is an exceptional gallery where regional artists may exhibit and sell their art as well as a wonderful venue for art workshops and classes. The Art School offers classes to children and adults at all levels. The RAC Gallery and Art School are located on the bank of the scenic Five Mile River in Rowayton, CT at 145 Rowayton Avenue. www.rowaytonarts.org