A Showcase of Sophistication, Montgomery Village-Style

A kaleidoscope of portraits, stencils and still-lifes brought out Montgomery Village’s finer side this weekend as the Village’s most avid artists put their best pieces on display at the North Creek Community Center.

Hundreds of artists and admirers flock to the Montgomery Village Foundation’s Art, Craft and Photography show every year, making it one of the foundation’s longest running and most well attended events—and one that shows no signs of abating.

“Many people return year after year, but we always have new faces every year,” said Jana Serlo, the show’s coordinator.

A pair of judges—one teaches for Montgomery County Public Schools, the other for Montgomery College—picked the best of this year’s 330 entries in each of a dozen categories, from line drawings and pastels to photography and computer-aided designs.

But only two works are awarded the coveted pink ribbon for Best in Show. David Wu won for kids 8 to 12 years old. Whetstone resident Walkiria Torrealba, who teaches at BlackRock, won the adult division with her painting, “Flutist.”

While the show boasts its share of accomplished artists, East Village resident Elroy Williams isn’t in it for the competition or accolades. Williams’s art takes him to more highfalutin venues like Strathmore and the Kentlands Mansion, but he still makes a point every year to be a part of Montgomery Village’s exhibition.

“For me, personally, it’s very important because it’s a community show. No one is left out and it involves the children,” he said. “All these kids that draw, that want to be creative, they get a chance, they get a forum. All the artists, we were drawing when we were kids and we struggled to get a forum. So I think this is great. Sometimes I don’t have anything new, sometimes I don’t have anything small enough, but I try to come up with something because this is important.”