Lyndsay Fogarty
Special thank you to The Alfond Inn for hosting an intimate evening with our top five artists as well as our amazing judges:
Amy Galpin, Curator for Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College
Tiffany Sanders, CMO for JHT, Inc. and participant in a variety of art organizations including Downtown Arts District, SNAP! Orlando and United Arts
Kat Quast, Manager for CityArts Factory
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Winner!
Josiane Pinkcombe
“Shadow”
Artistic Inspiration: The main character is a colorful banana leaf, typical of my homeland. The fishtail palms dance around it as they stand in front of a deep, mysterious blue. Even though the United States became my country in 1968, my inspiration comes from lush gardens engraved in my memory as well as those encountered in new adventures.
Amy Galpin says: Josaine’s incredible technique was instantly recognizable. She shared with us her connection to nature — both in her birth country of Haiti and in her new home of Orlando, Florida. A teacher for many years in Miami, Josaine’s passion for explaining the color and composition choices became apparent in speaking with her. I was struck by her emphasis on memory and her sensitivity toward the environment and distinctive spaces.
Runner-up
Aimee Durfee
“Breathe”
Artistic Inspiration: Feeling the color at the time the paint touched the wood.
Amy Galpin says: I was interested to learn that the artist is self-taught but that she gleaned information from her grandfather’s paintings. The scene here is constructed in the artist’s mind. I’m drawn to the use of color and visceral evocation of the waves.
Runner-up
Dominic DaSylva
“Torn”
Artistic Inspiration: The inspiration for this piece is no matter what war – foreign or domestic – it’s always the innocent caught in the crossfire.
Amy Galpin says: This work resonated with everyone who viewed it, as it connects with our political situation. No matter your personal politics, it is impossible not to feel connected to these two women from the Middle East. The artist used lots of different pieces from various magazine pages and clearly has a strong sense of color and form in the development of his elaborate collages.
Runner-up
Linda (Red) Harrison
“Hidden by the Night”
Artistic Inspiration: This is a representation of facing our truths and continuing to have faith. Often, we hide by the night, hoping for a different outcome or not realizing the greatness is already upon us. The night may hide our reality, but only for a little while. When the light returns, you must be brave and face the truth. You may even find that the night was only temporarily hiding the greatness. Night represents darkness or our fears that limit us to seeing our greatness.
Amy Galpin says: This abstract painting possessed an emotive quality. The artist rigorously applied paint using a paintbrush, a palette knife and even her fingers. The artist’s commitment to painterly abstraction shone in the powerful piece.
Runner-up
Robert Shirk
“Julia”
Artistic Inspiration: I’m always searching for a playful bridge between the three dimensions of sculpture and the two dimensions of painting. Focusing on ways to create an image of drama, beauty and sensuality, not just with the subject matter, but also with the composition, materials and application of color – an image that is fun to view with unexpected surprises. I love watching the dance and delight of the viewers eyes while discovering the movement, harmony and depth created by layer upon layer of images that create the painting.
Amy Galpin says: This piece was skillfully made. I was delighted to have the opportunity to learn about the artist’s framing choice. The candid smile of the woman makes this piece memorable and moving.
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