The 2022 Florida Strawberry Festival Fine Arts Show, presented by the East Hillsborough Art Guild (EHAG), showcases the artwork of the talented residents of the Tampa Bay area. The show is open to the public during the annual Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City.
There were numerous entries in multiple media from professionals, amateurs and youth.
The judges for this year’s show were Ellen Chastain and Laura Putnam. Chastain is the education manager for the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College. Chastain has been in the visual arts field for over 15 years and is sought after as a qualified juror and judge of art competitions. Putnam is the manager of exhibitions and adult programs at the Polk Museum of Art. Putnam is a native Floridian who earned her BFA from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design.
The Adult Best of Show was awarded to Sandra Lallemand from Dade City, who won in the adult professional acrylics category. The Best of Show award comes with a ribbon and a cash prize.
The Strawberry Theme Award was given to Mamie Robinson from Plant City, who won in the adult amateur oils category. The Strawberry Theme Award comes with a ribbon and a cash prize.
This year, a Youth Best of Show was presented for the first time. The winner was Malyssa Ollar from Tarpon Springs, who received a ribbon and a cash prize. The Youth Best of Show was sponsored by Jarret Scott Ford of Plant City.
Karen Crumley, chair of the show, said, “The quality of the youth entries is getting better and better each year. They are seeing what other youth are producing and think to themselves, ‘I can do that too.’”
This year, Suncoast Credit Union sponsored prizes for all of the amateur awards in all four divisions.
Crumley said, “They wanted to encourage art, give back to the community and to keep the arts thriving in our community.”
In addition to the traditional awards given, area businesses can get involved by being a Business Leader Choice Award sponsor. This year, there were 15 Business Leader Choice Award sponsors, including the Osprey Observer, which selected a sculpture created by Delaney Richards, and Winthrop Arts, which selected a watercolor created by Barbara Tudek.
For more information on this year’s show and to get information for next year, please visit www.ehagfinearts.com.
