Riverside Festival of the Arts Announces Artist Winners

By Christina Georgiou

Easton painter Cecily Mowad took first prize in the fine arts category at
this weekend's Riverside Festival of the Arts.

The 17th Annual Riverside Festival of the Arts was held this past weekend, and while most enjoy the event for the wide array of types of art and varied techniques the show displays, along with a chance to purchase one's favorite works, the celebration of the arts also offers a few contests as well.

From those displaying works at the show, in the fine arts category of juried art, festival judges
Allentown Art Museum chief curator Diane Fisher, Easton artist and NCC art professor Isadore LaDuca, and Forks Area Art Society president Penny Hochella, selected the following winners:

• First place and a $500 cash prize went to Cecily Mowad, a painter from Easton
• Second place and a $200 cash prize went to Dan Westfall a photographer based in Oregon
• Third place and a $100 prize was awarded to Tom D'Angelo, for his paintings on wood
• Painters Cece Tucker and Jonathon Rischaway received honorable mentions.

In the fine crafts category:

• Sculptor Hal Murray took first prize and $500
• Zoe Einbender and her Real Fruit Jewelry took second place and a $200 cash prize
• Trish and Ron Maietta won third place and a $100 cash prize  for their blown glass and jewelry
• An honorable mention went to Michael Cho for his ceramics.

 The Riverside Festival of the Arts also held a plein air art contest during the weekend. Artists paid $10 for a canvas, and spent the weekend outdoors creating the city scene of their choice.

Entries were critiqued by three judges--Bill Barrell, a founder of the Rhino art movement and owner of Bullseye Studio in Easton, Sandra Corpora, a local plein air fine artist, and attorney Raymond J. DeRamond, who is employed by plein air contest sponsor Gross McGinley, a law firm in Allentown.

The judges chose three works for prizes:

• First place went to Stephen Russell, of Bethlehem.
• Second place was awarded to Claudia McGill, of Wyncote.
• Third place went to New Jersey artist Marina Zindel.

Riverside Festival of the Arts plein air contest winners
Marina Zindell, Stephen Russell, and Claudia McGill
pose for a photo after being awarded their prizes at the
arts fest Sunday afternoon.

All the works created in the plein air contest will be on exhibit, and a number will be for sale, at the Quadrant Bookmart, 20 North Third St., until October 31, said Riverside Festival of the Arts organizer Ellen Shaughenessy.

Shaughnessy added the annual weekend fest went extremely well this year and drew a record-breaking crowd at Easton's longest-running arts festival.

"This festival was the biggest and best-attended ever," she said. "We were so lucky to have gorgeous weather."

Easton textile artist Susan Huxley talks with
a customer.

Easton photographer Yvette Hendler is visited
at her booth by Easton artist Bill Iavacone.