The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts gets lots of fabulous appli-
cations and one of the reasons is the really generous prize money. Accomplished artists and rising stars vie for the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award and an additional $59,500 in prize money. Congratulations to this year's winners:
Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of Arts Best of Show
$15,000.00 - Steven Olszewski, Pinckney, MI, Sculpture
Board of Directors' Award
$7,500.00 - Aletha Jones, Madison, WI, Watercolor
Roddy Brownlee Reed Award of Artistic Excellence
$4,000.00 - Trent Manning, Winter Haven, FL, Sculpture
Mayor's Award
$3,500.00 - Todd Cameron, Minneapolis, MN, Glass
"Balance", bronze sculpture by Steve Olszewski
Anniversary Award
$2,500.00 - Amy Beeler, Oregon, OH, Jewelry
Friends of the Museum Award
$2,000.00 - Katherine Mathisen, Ocoee, FL, Ceramic
Individual Award of Merit
$1,300.00 - Leslie Bevis, St Petersburg, FL, Painting
Emerging Artist Award 
$1,000.00 - Princess Smith, Painting
Adventures in the Garden Under the Guise of Folley 2013, Watercolor, by Aletha Jones
Even more awards! Did these also come with checks?
Nancy Cervenka, Gulfport, FL, 35mm Tower w/Bue, Sculpture
Carolina Cleere, Tampa, FL, Nirvana's Child, Mixed Media
Micheal Paul Cole, Hannibal, MO, Dragonfly, Photography
Jeff Eckert, Tampa, FL, To Enter In, Drawing
Melissa Finelli, Boston, MA, Untitled, Jewelry
Pam Fox, Sarasota , FL, Fox Sphere, Jewery
Benjamin Frey, Buena Vista, VA, Carousel, Drawing
Susan Gott, Tampa, FL, Garden Grace Cast, Glass
Steven Gregory, Tampa, FL, Inception of Ganesha, Sculpture
Nathan & Amanda Grubich, Ludington, MI, Loud Sprouts, Ceramic
Michael Kahn - mieko kahn, Greenbush, MI, Mosquito Platter, Ceramic
Pully Vase, Glass, Todd Cameron
Robert Kastrinos, Orlando, FL, Ten Can Teapot, Clay
Gillian Kemper, Oklahoma City, OK, Tenacious, Printmaking
John Mascoll, Safety Harbor, FL, Citrus Vessel #2013-25, Wood
Bruce Peeso, Monson, MA, The Biggest Yard, Painting
Tim Peters, Winter Haven, FL, Forest, Ceramic
Marlene Rose, Clearwater, FL, Red Memento, Glass
Michelle Schaeferm, Ypsilanti, MI, Momentum, Cold Wax
Michael Schwegmann, Champaign, IL, Muffler Bucket, Ceramic
Robinson Scott, Anoka, MN, Untitled, Glass
Bill & Jon Slade, Jacksonville, FL, Clamshell, Glass
Andy Smith, Marshville, NC, Raku Vase, Ceramic
Joyce Stratton, New Bern, NC, #1319, Mixed Media
Taman VanScoy, Long Beach, CA, Winter Fields, Watercolor
Li Wang, Palm Coast, FL, Sky, Painting
John Whipple, Winter Park, FL, Bus Ticket, Sculpture
Lynn Whipple, Winter Park, FL, Dude, Dude, Mixed Media
Marc & Wendy Zoschke, Springfield, IL, GYO Lines, Jewelry
Lance-a-litte, Sculpture, by Trent Manning
Congratulations to all of these fine artists. I'm seeing a bunch of familiar names on this list. Best of Show winner Steve Olszewski has been in the best shows forever and I know he isn't online, so no link to his site. Aletha Jones is a perennial prizewinner with her fine painting. Congrats, Aletha, and all the rest who are members here. You work hard and it is wonderful to see your talent and efforts rewarded.
Comments
I just looked over this list again. There is some wonderful work included but it seems the judges were not too enthralled with 2D work. Right? Fewer than 10 of them were in various 2D categories.