Darien Arts Center Announces 58th Darien Art Show and Sale Winners

Darien artist Amy Schott won Best in Show with a mixed media entry, Salzburg Swallows at the Darien Art Center’s 58th Darien Art Show & Sale, which kicked off with a packed gallery at their opening reception on June 2. The DAC, received 244 entries from 157 artists from kindergarten age to adult.

The appeal and variety of the entries in this year’s show have translated into sales of over $1100 in art in its first weekend. The show will be open to the public through Saturday, June 10th, in the DAC Weatherstone Studio at 2 Renshaw Road, behind the Town Hall. Artwork will be on display and available for sale in a variety of media from noon to 5 p.m. each day. 25% of art sales will benefit the DAC.

This year’s judge, Arianne Faber Kolb, Ph.D., commented, “It was a great pleasure judging the Darien Art Show, which features such a range of artistic talent, from established local artists to students of all ages working in a variety of media. It is challenging at times to award prizes, since the artworks are different in approaches and styles yet equally deserving of recognition. This wonderfully diverse show has something for everyone: contemplative abstract works, landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and whimsical cows! I particularly applaud the student artists who submitted their work to this show and I look forward to seeing these budding talents continue to pursue their creative interests.”

This year’s show featured 14 categories and 42 winners. All adult first-, second- and third-place winners will be on display at the Darien Library June 26 through July 14. Adult honorable mention winning entries will be on display from June 13 through July 17 at the Darien Town Hall. Children’s first place winners will be at Dr. David Osherow’s Orthodontics office from June 12 through July 6.

Adult first place winners included Kaz Oda for Oil, Joyce Grasso for Acrylic, Adriana Robles for Color Photography, Sophie Cirillo for Black and White Photography, Christina Klumb for Sculpture, Sandra Aldrich for Watercolor, Meg Tweedy for Mixed Media and Dana Goodfellow for Drawing, Pastel and Graphics. High school first place winners were Faith Helms, Tighe Ekern, and Emily Wright.

Darien Rowayton Bank is corporate sponsor of the Art Show and Sale. Prize sponsors are Ben Larrabee Fine Art Portrait Photography; Big Shots; The Dock Shop; Dana Fead of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties; Rose-Marie Fox, Board Chair, Silvermine Arts Center; Geary Gallery; Jerry’s Artarama; David M. Osherow, D.D.S., Orthodontist; Sugar Bowl and Wilson Avenue Loft Artists. Show sponsors consist of Baubles; Crunch Norwalk: Darien Carpet; Flowers and Flowers by Adam; Frederic & Co.; The Gardener’s Center & Florist; Grieb’s Pharmacy; Imported Cars of Darien; Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club; Michael’s Cleaners; Rowayton Fuel & Oil; Rowayton Market; Silverhill Landscaping; Tammy Langalis of William Raveis Real Estate and Wineport of Darien.

Pictured is Amy Schott, winner of Best in Show at the 58th Darien Art Show and Sale Opening Reception.

Following is a list of the winners:

ADULT AWARDS

BEST IN SHOW

Amy Schott, Salzburg Swallows, Mixed Media

OIL

1st Kaz Oda

2nd Vicki French Smith

3rd Betty Ball

ACRYLIC

1st Joyce Grasso

2nd Lisa Thoren

3rd Carl Smith

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

1st Adriana Robles

2nd Katherine Rawden

3rd Kyle Michael King

BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

1st Sophie Cirillo

2nd Adriana Robles

3rd Kyle Michael King

SCULPTURE

1st Christina Klumb

2nd Tom Volpe

WATERCOLOR

1st Sandra Aldrich

2nd Caroline Weeks

3rd Suzanne Wilsey

MIXED MEDIA

1st Meg Tweedy

2nd Karen Neems

3rd Karen Vogel

DRAWING, PASTEL & GRAPHICS

1st Dana Goodfellow

2nd Robert Carley

3rd Eddie Nino

STUDENT AWARDS

HIGH SCHOOL - PHOTOGRAPHY

1st Faith Helms

2nd Harrison Nicholls

3rd Harrison Nicholls

HIGH SCHOOL - SCULPTURE

1st Tighe Ekern

2nd Tighe Ekern

3rd Skye Ekern

HIGH SCHOOL - ALL OTHER MEDIA

1st Emily Wright

2nd Mariana Seibold

3rd James McPartland

GRADE 6 - 8

1st Greta Hoffmeister

2nd Nora Ashrifeh

3rd Rachel Huang

GRADE 3 - 5

1st Conrad Straden

2nd Joyce Huang

3rd Lillie Foster

GRADE K - 2

1st Rhys Richards

2nd Claire Ventker

3rd Malia Graybill