Selecting from a field of more than 250 acclaimed artists, juror Dr. Nadiah Rivera Fellah of the Cleveland Museum of Art, selected the recipients of the 51st Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. $80,000 in award monies were awarded to the participating artists, including the $15,000 Raymond James Financial Best of Show Award.
Held for the first time in a virtual format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 6th and 7th, 2021, the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is the first juried arts festival to award prize monies in this format. The virtual Festival will be available for viewing -- and artist storefronts open for purchase -- until March 21st, 2021.
The winners of the 51st Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts are:
Raymond James Financial Best of Show Award ($15,000)
Nicario Jimenez, Naples, FL | “Immigration: Latin Triumph”, Mixed Media
Board of Directors Award ($9,000)
Nneka Jones, Tampa, FL | “Destroy the Myth”, Mixed Media
Mayor’s Award ($5,000)
Jenny Henley, Marietta, GA | “Untitled – Akai”, Mixed Media
Roddy Brownlee Reed Award of Artistic Excellence ($4,000)
Beth Garcia, Lakeland, FL | “Gator Bloom”, Ceramic
President’s Award ($3,000)
Geoff Buddie & Chris Rom, Swanton, OH | “Blue Ovals (sixteen permutations)”, Mixed Media
Suzanne Camp Crosby Memorial Award ($2,000)
John Deng, Roslyn Heights, NY | “Honey Collectors”, Photography
Eileen Hirsch Memorial Emerging Artist Award ($1,500)
Anna Rodriguez, Tampa, FL | “Dobleces”, Painting
Anne Marie Campbell & Sam Giunta Award of Merit ($1,300)
Tanya Doskova, Phoenix, AZ | “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb and The Baptism of Folly”, Digital
ARTicles Art Gallery Award of Merit ($1,300)
Bryan Yung, Palm Coast, FL | “Spring Morning”, Watercolor
Diane Buckley Award of Merit ($1,300)
R. Michael Wommack, Langhorne, PA | “At 2 o’clock”, Drawing
Emily Shrider Award of Merit ($1,300)
Amanda Outcalt, Washington, DC | “Pop Gun”, Mixed Media
Erin Konley Award of Merit ($1,300)
Matthew Cornell, Orlando, FL | “Inheritance”, Painting
Five Studios Award of Merit ($1,300)
William Kwamena-Poh, Savannah, GA | “Strange Fruit, Skittles/Liberty Dearest, Whose Side are You on When We March”, Watercolor
Harbinger Sign Award of Merit ($1,300)
Alfredo Alea, Johns Creek, GA | “Infinity I”, Sculpture
Harold Scheffel Memorial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Sandra Rodriquez & Emmanuel Diaz, Homestead, FL | “Dialogue. Series Theoretical Corpus”, Painting
In Memory of Justin Paul Brown Award of Merit ($1,300)
Jon Smith, Clearwater, FL | “Boston Museum of Fine Arts with Sargent”, Painting
Jane and Vance Arnett Award of Merit ($1,300)
Adam Crowell, Bonneau, SC | “Curved 10-note tongue drum with stand-in key of D”, Wood
Jennifer Malin and Marc Dahl Award of Merit ($1,300)
Susan Gott, Tampa, FL | “The Couple”, Glass
J.J. Taylor Award of Merit ($1,300)
Julia Gilmore, Jefferson, NH | “Bubble Gum Machine”, Painting
Juanita Cacioppo Memorial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Pam Fox, Sarasota, FL | “Emerging Gold Cuff”, Jewelry
Karen Price Award of Merit ($1,300)
Mychal Mitchell, Austin, TX | “Goldilocks”, Fiber
Kelly M. Klein Memorial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Ummarid Eitharong, DeLand, FL | “Man in the Mirror”, Mixed Media
Lisa and Chuck Carver Award of Merit ($1,300)
Aaron Hequembourg, Athens, GA | “Rope”, Mixed Media
Marcia and Jack Cohen Award of Merit ($1,300)
James McArthur Cole, Plainfield, IL | “The Collector”, Photography
Red Fox Delivery Award of Merit ($1,300)
Rick Abrams, DeLand, FL | “Black Mirror”, Mixed Media
Remembering GFA Family and Friends Award of Merit ($1,300)
Janet Herman, Polk City, FL | “Windy Ridge Bristlecone”, Fiber
Sandra Sroka Award of Merit ($1,300)
Karen Hibbs, New Haven, CT | “Egypt”, Glass
Sheila Seig and John Mullen Award of Merit ($1,300)
Larry Allen, Leeds, AL | “Cut/out covered bowl”, Ceramic
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP Award of Merit ($1,300)
Glenna Adkins, Fort Thomas, KY | “Always On”, Painting
Tada! Award of Merit ($1,300)
Sam Jones IV, Flippin, AR | “Nude in Copper, Silver, and Grey, 2020”, Mixed Media
Tampa Bay Times Award of Merit ($1,300)
Deana Goldsmith, Perkinston, MS | “Writer’s Block”, Drawing
Tampa Electric and TECO People’s Gas Award of Merit ($1,300)
Jennifer Lashbrook, Dallas, TX | “Frida with Yellow Begonias”, Mixed Media
The Bank of Tampa Award of Merit ($1,300)
Robin Frisella, Candia, NH | “Homegrown Goodness”, Drawing
The Barrymore Hotel Award of Merit ($1,300)
Athlone Clarke, Douglasville, GA | “Offering of Light”, Mixed Media
WUSF Award of Merit ($1,300)
Kathleen Brodeur, Winter Park, FL | “Rehearsal”, Painting
Zukku Sushi Award of Merit ($1,300)
Michel Delgado, Chicago, IL | “This Complex Share”, Mixed Media
Lightning Foundation Scholastic Showcase Award (Student $1,000)
Chau Mau | “Dawn But Not Forgotten”
Lightning Foundation Scholastic Showcase High School Representative Award (Student’s School $500)
Venice High School (Sarasota County)
The Tampa Museum of Art Purchase Award will be selected the week of March 8. The work will be added to the museum’s permanent collection.
For more information and to access the virtual Festival, visit www.GasparillaArts.com
About the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
For over 50 years, artists and art lovers from all parts of the country migrate every winter to the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. The country's most accomplished and emerging artists showcase work at one of Florida's largest outdoor art festivals. The Festival is organized and operated by hundreds of volunteers working year-round.
Held annually during the first weekend in March in downtown Tampa, artists feature work in ceramic, digital, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor, and wood. The esteemed event also features local young artists' works, a weekend full of live entertainment, a children's art activity area, and more. The 50th Festival was held at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa, FL.