The 10th Annual Winthrop Arts Festival and Artisan Market was held over the weekend of March 24 and 25 in beautiful Winthrop Common in Riverview. Residents who came out to the festival met many talented artists and artisans, enjoyed shopping from great vendors, listened to wonderful live entertainment and participated in fun children’s activities.
The 10th Annual Winthrop Arts Festival and Artisan Market is a juried art show. The three judges for this year’s show were Susana Weymouth, the Executive Director of Tampa Bay Business For Culture and the Arts (TBBCA), Martine Collier, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and Michael Parker, artist and President of the SouthShore Arts Council.
Weymouth, on behalf of all three judges said, “As judges we were honored to be invited to adjudicate the 10th Annual Winthrop Arts Festival. We were highly impressed by the diversity represented in age, gender, ethnicity and the types of creative expression.”
Weymouth added, “Congratulations to those whom we felt distinguished themselves with their entries this year.”
Thanks to sponsors, including this year’s Presenting Sponsor, First Citrus Bank, Winthrop Arts was able to give out over $5000 in prize money. This included $2500 to the Best of Show winner, Rachael Ratcliff. The judges said of Ratcliff’s work, “We are pleased to award Rachael Ratcliff Best of Show.” Ratcliff is from Clearwater and her medium is acrylic on canvas.
Other winners included first place winner, Thomas Mueller of Riverview; second place winner, Donald Korte of Brandon; third place winner, Glenn Schuele of Tampa; and honorable mention winner, Mark James of St. Petersburg.
Community members were given the opportunity to be judges by sponsoring the Friends of Winthrop Awards. The winners in this category included Jennifer Martinez (Lennard Consulting); Elizabeth Johnson (Osprey Observer); Andrea Rogers (Lisa Wilcox, P.A.); Rebecca Nipper (Jenn Riley Vacations); and Maryanne Freeman (Children’s Kastle).
In addition to the annual arts festival, Winthrop Arts offers art education for children and the community at the Art Factory and summer camp. Winthrop Arts’ newest project is the Winthrop Arts Mobile Art Factory. This is an outreach project where children living in underserved areas such as Wimauma are able to attend free art classes. Funding for this project comes from generous funders such as Suncoast Credit Union.
For more information, please visit www.winthroparts.org.
