The Carmel International Arts Festival (CIAF) committee recognizes this year’s winners, who hail from all across the United States. This helps to highlight how diverse and significant the festival has become.
The 2022 Best of Show Award winner was Judy Goskey of Burton, Ohio, in Jewelry. Jerry Mannell of Carmel took first place in Paint, Meg White of Stephensport, Ky., placed second in 3D, and third place went to Wendy Franklin of Indianapolis, also in Paint.
Best in Media awards are given for each of the nine categories. In 2D, the winner was Blake Gore of Christianburg, Va. David Gilbertsen of Camp Lake, Wis., won in 3D; Tim Peters of Winter Haven, Fla., in Ceramics; and Jeri Vitello of Bremen, Ind., in Fiber. In Glass, the winner of Best in Media was Henry Levine of Albany, Ohio; Penny Atkinson-Potter of Howell, Mich., in Jewelry; Bruce Neville of Terrace Park, Ohio, in Paint; in Photography was Kate Tillman of Lakeville, Ind., and finally, Lee Ellis of Fishers in Wood.
Honorable Mention awards were given out for each medium, as well. These went to Jesse Kunerth of Pittsburgh, Pa., in 2D; Denny Wainscot of Frankfort, Ind., in 3D; Tanya Leslie of Boones Mill, Va., in Ceramics; Andres Arango of Miami, Fla., in Fiber; William Ortman of Gahanna, Ohio, in Glass; Paul Albritton of Holly Hill, Fla., in Jewelry; Robert Bridges of Georgetown, Ky., in Paint; Brian Doyle of Minneapolis, Minn., in Photography; and Neil Kemarly of Pioneer, Ohio, in Wood.
The 2022 Mayor’s Award was presented to Don Tran of St. Louis, Mo. His medium was Fiber.
The 2022 Mayor’s Award was presented to Don Tran of St. Louis, Mo., in Fiber. (Photo provided by Carmel International Arts Festival)
Artists come from all over the country each year. Past festivals have also featured art from Carmel’s Sister City of Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan. This year, artist Sebastian DelBrenna brought his jewelry to the event all the way from another Sister City: Cortona, Arezzo, Italy.
The festival also celebrates up and coming artists by awarding scholarships to local high school students. The winners of these scholarships included: Rosemary Waters Excellence Award: Alex Altenburg, Carmel Arts Council Award: Alex Altenburg, Innovation in the Arts: Foster Wilson, Best of Show: Noah Moshe, Best of Show: Lauren Schaefer, Best of Show: Avery Guo, Innovation in the Arts: Phoebe Smock, and Best of Show: Hayden Tutton.
Festival committee members say they are already looking forward to next year and are excited to expand the diversity of the artists present even more. This event helps to share the culture of various areas with visitors to this central Indiana event. Next year’s event will take place Sept. 23 and 24, 2023.
Learn more about the event at carmelartsfestival.org. See more information and pictures of winners and events on Facebook.