Community Sponsored Award Winners at Rowayton Arts Center

(Photos: Best in Show: Gregg Welz (Norwalk), 1st place winners: Debbie Smith (Westport), Joel Sobelson (Weston), Lisa Laible (Norwalk), Gregg Welz (Norwalk), Susan Leggitt (Norwalk), Ilana Appleby (Norwalk), Amy Schott Wilton)

Winners of the Rowayton Arts Center’s exhibit, “Community Sponsored Awards,” were announced at the opening reception on Sunday.  This is one of RAC’s most exciting shows, as every category is awarded a cash prize.  33 winners, selected from 108 entries. All funds were donated by friends and local businesses in the community and went directly to the artists.  The art, submitted by exhibiting members, was done without limitations in media or theme.

The juror, Clare Rogan, Curator, Davison Art Center, Wesleyan University selected the work of the following artists:  Best in Show: Gregg Welz (Norwalk), “Solar Winds” Oils: 1^st place: Wendy Moore (Pound Ridge, NY), “Remembering Brothers,” 2^nd: Peter Jerry (Ardsley, NY), “Work Boats- Bahamas,” 3^rd: Linda Francis (Westport), “View to the Mountains” Honorable Mentions: Dawn Dahl (Wilton)“Basilica,” Veronica Cassella-Vaz, (Shelton) “Appaloosa Horse” Acrylics: 1^st place: Lois Weingarten (City Island, NY), “Can Can Girl,” 2^nd: Melissa Orme (North Salem, NY), “Syncopation,” 3^rd: Suzanne Wright (New Canaan), “Tranquility”   Honorable Mentions:  James Ryan (Greenwich), “Dockside Quartet,” Pilar Garra (New Canaan), “Sky”    Prints:  1^st  place: Susan Leggitt (Norwalk), “Taos Plain”  Drawings:  1^st place: Ilana Appleby(Norwalk), “Inspired by theAmerican Ballet,” 2^nd: Dan Long (Westport), “It’s All Falling Down”  Mixed Media: 1^st place: Amy Schott (Wilton), “Bird House #2,”2^nd: Mary Morant (Darien)“Oyster Love,”   3^rd: Angela Liptack (Ridgefield), “Winter Afternoon I”  Honorable Mention:Leslie Rottner (Darien), “Worn Pages”  Photography: 1^st place: Lisa Laible (Norwalk), “Alley Peering,”    2^nd: Mary Harold (Ridgefield), “Railway Cars,”  3^rd: Emily Kelting (Norwalk), “To the Lighthouse, Monhegan”  Honorable Mentions: Laure Dunne (Norwalk), “Views From the Train Line #3,”  Dana Laird (Norwalk), “Fulton”   Watercolor: 1^st place: Marianne Rothballer (New Canaan), “Reluctant Model,”     2^nd: Lynn Stephens Massey (Norwalk), “Diamond Terrapin,” 3^rd: Dick Rauh (Westport), “Witch Hazel Capsules”  Honorable Mention: Wendy Demaiorebus Pieper (Westport), “Bugger Off”  Pastels: 1^st place: Joel Sobelson(Weston), “Two Minutes to Curtain,”  2^nd : Maria Formoso (Riverdale, NY), “There was a Time and Place”  Sculpture: 1^st place: Debbie Smith (Westport), “Living Porcelain,” 2^nd : Susan Acker, (Stamford) “Hybrid,” 3^rd: Ginny Awn, (Norwalk), “Sunset Doves”  Honorable Mention: Judith Orseck Katz (Westport), “Vessel”

Curator Clare Rogan (Davison Art Center, Wesleyan University) commented, “The observational skills, technical skills, and artistic intuition represented in the gallery are extremely impressive. While jurying this exhibition, I focused on the essence of each piece.” The show, chaired by Marcia Powell and co-chaired by Phyllis Padro will be open to the public until May 29.

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The Rowayton Arts Center, on the scenic Five Mile River, is located at 145 Rowayton Avenue, Rowayton, CT. RAC’s gallery hours are 12-5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.  Admission is free. 

RAC has been a cultural hub for almost 60 years. The RAC Art School offers year-round classes and workshops for creative people of all ages and at all levels.  RAC, a not-for-profit organization, underwrites art education programs throughout Norwalk. 

Please visit www.rowaytonartscenter.org for more information about classes and workshops.