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Artists Are Cream Of The Crop

Photo by Cheryl Kuck

Art show judge Terry Smith, left, and East Hillsborough Art Guild President Leo V. Watson Jr., stand by the choice for first place and best of show, "The King,'' by amateur artist Dyanne Overstreet

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By CHERYL KUCK

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 25, 2009

PLANT CITY - Visitors to the annual Florida Strawberry Festival art show exhibit and competitions may have not realized the work that went on behind the scenes by the East Hillsborough Art Guild.

Members of the organization worked for eight months to stage the show during the festival, which ended its 11-day run March 8. The work included preparing and distributing application forms, accepting and watching over the artwork and other duties.

The groundwork started in the summer and continued through the festival.

The hard work paid off, and the show was a huge success, a guild official said.

"I think we had a record year for art show visitors. There were a lot of winter or seasonal travelers as well as local people and from all over the state," art guild First Vice President LuAnn Watson said.

Both youth and adult divisions competed in two-dimensional (oils, acrylics, watercolor, graphics, mixed-media) artworks and in sculpture. In addition to ribbon awards, cash prizes were given. The outstanding strawberry theme, an oil painting titled, "First Pick of the Season" by Debra Bryant, received the top award of $50 from the strawberry festival association. The artist also won the festival's best of show in 2008.

The art guild sponsors a People's Choice Award. The public was invited to vote on what they considered the best adult and youth work in the show. Nancy Driscoll received the adult award of $50 for her acrylic painting titled, "The Coast of Maine." The $50 youth award went to 16-year-old Anthony Caroll for his finely detailed graphite drawing, "Girl With Strawberry." He also received a second place in two-dimensional art. This year, the guild counted 10,000 People's Choice votes.

Each year, a person of respected reputation in the art world is selected by the guild to judge the show. This year, Terry Smith, an award-winning naturalist artist from Lakeland, was the judge. The wildlife and landscape artist is known for the exquisite detail of his paintings, whether they are miniatures or murals.

The judge's penchant for detail and a discerning eye led him to select the work of amateur artist Dyanne Overstreet. Her acrylic painting of a rooster, "King," received a first place in her category and the best of show award of $150. The award was sponsored by the art guild.

"I'm amazed with the number of so many good pieces of art," Smith said. "Normally, when I judge a show, it is much easier to pick the winners. I just kept coming back to the small rooster painting because every feather was painted with remarkable expertise, even using iridescent medium to give them a special sheen. This was not just a painting of a rooster, it had personality and attitude. You could really see the bird was aptly titled."

First-place winners in the adult professional artist division included Brigitte Mailahn, oils; Kim Wells, acrylics; Nelida DiLorenzo, watercolors; Tim Mandese, graphics/mixed media; and Peggy Little, miniatures. Susan O'Hara received a first place in adult sculpture.

First-place winners in the amateur artist division were William Mayo, oils; Dyanne Overstreet, acrylics; Felix Velazquez, watercolors; and Debbie Schiffmacher, graphics/mixed media.

First-place winners in the youth two-dimensional artist category by age were Cory McCollough, 15- to 17-year-olds; Tiffany Sardina, 12- to 14-year-olds; Wesley Tanner, 9- to 11-year-olds; and Julianne Hatchett, 6- to 8-year-olds. First place in youth sculpture included Elizabeth Barwick, 12- to 14-year-olds; Jakelyn Pinner, 9- to 11-years; and Alex Sullivan, 6- to 8-year-olds.

In a drawing, Mary Wyman, a tourist visiting the festival from Maine, won a painting donated by LuAnn Watson.

Money raised by the show goes to high school art scholarships, student art workshops and other causes.

Cheryl Kuck can be reached at wkuck@tampabay.rr.com.

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