56th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Announces Award Winners
Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Awardees Announced
A total of $92,000 in prize money was awarded during Festival Weekend, including the prestigious $15,000 Raymond James Financial Best of Show Award.
“I was thrilled to serve as the Festival Awards Juror for this year’s Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts,” said Katherine Brodbeck, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Columbus Museum of Art. “The exceptional talent on display across media is a testament to the strength of the arts today and to the power of art to reconnect us with our shared humanity.”
“We are deeply grateful to our team of jurors for the time, care, and expertise they brought to this process,” said Jeffery Nader, President of the Board of Directors of Gasparilla Arts. “These awards recognize extraordinary talent and innovation, and we are proud to provide a platform that honors artists’ work while supporting their continued creative growth.”
In addition to the award winners, the Tampa Museum of Art has selected “Roseate Spoonbill in Flight” by John Costin of Tampa, Florida to be added to their permanent collection.
The award winners at the 56th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts are:
Raymond James Financial Best of Show Award ($15,000)
Athlone Clarke, Douglasville, GA | “Safe House” Mixed Media
Board of Directors Award ($10,000)
Helen Gotlib, Dexter, MI | “Autumn Light” Printmaking
GFA Founders Award ($6,500)
Pam Fox, Sarasota, FL | “Venus Fly Trap Cuff” Jewelry
Art Keeble Memorial Award of Merit ($5,000)
Alex Lanier, Miami, FL | “Relocate” Digital
Roddy Brownlee Reed Award of Artistic Excellence ($4,000)
Luis Gutierrez, Raleigh, NC | “Nature Collage” Ceramic
GFA Legacy Award in Honor of Carol Gaynor ($2,000)
Nneka Jones, Tampa, FL | “Point of Intersection” Mixed Media
Ann Sklar Memorial Emerging Artists Award ($1,500)
Hugh Lippe, New York, NY | “A Table Setting” Painting
Gasparilla Arts Young Artists Expo Award ($1,000 each)
Isabella Stanley, Lakeland High School | “Bounded Admiration” Painting
Jude Steele, Davenport High School | “Landshark Land” Photography
Desana Dashi, Palm Harbor University High School | “Mirror of Accountability” Painting
Gasparilla Arts Young Artists Expo High School Representative Award ($2,000 each)
Lakeland High School
Davenport High School
Palm Harbor University High School
Ana Abdo Award of Merit ($1,300)
Jeff Kuhlman, Columbus, OH | “Polaroid Cyanotype 24” Photography
Anne Marie Campbell & Sam Giunta Award of Merit ($1,300)
Wendy Davis, Waco, TX | “Consider the Lilies” Painting
Anthony & Lori Barkett Award of Merit ($1,300)
Olga Nenazhivina, Bradenton, FL | “Scilence” Drawing
api(+) Award of Merit ($1,300)
Cali Hobgood, Urbana, IL | “Envelope” Photography
ARTicles Art Gallery Award of Merit ($1,300)
LJ Eidolon, Johns Island, SC | “Bibliophile” Digital
Bank of Tampa Award of Merit ($1,300)
Dennis Angel, Edgewood, FL | “Leonardo’s World” Drawing
Banua Brothers Award of Merit ($1,300)
Leeann Kroetsch, Tampa, FL | “Graffiti Double Breasted Trench Coat” Fiber
Bay Securities Award of Merit ($1,300)
Jeribai Andrew-jaja, Houston, TX | “Hesitant Thoughts” Drawing
Brian Hoover & Robert Foust Award of Merit ($1,300)
Curtis Whitwam, Tampa, FL | “The Healing Place” Watercolor
Chris & Kara Sundar Award of Merit ($1,300)
Pavlina Alea, Johns Creek, GA | “Neda” Painting
Cy & Florence Rhodes Award of Merit ($1,300)
Jennifer Boles, Shepherdsville, KY | “Wooden Mosaic” Wood
GFA Volunteers Award of Merit ($1,300)
Nathalia Toledo Barcia, Mandeville, LA | “Mystic, Divine Earth Series” Painting
Henk & Arie Award of Merit ($1,300)
Mark Sudduth, Cleveland Heights, OH | “The Order of Things” Glass
In Loving Memory of Tobi Weisbond Award of Merit ($1,300)
Clifton Henri, Chicago, IL | “The Neighborhood Watch” Photography
Jenn & Ira Lambeth Award of Merit ($1,300)
Bruce Peeso, Monson, MA | “Alone” Painting
Jennifer Malin & Marc Dahl Award of Merit ($1,300)
Matthew Naftzger, Pittsburg, PA | “Too Many Legs: Crustacean Serving Bowl” Sculpture
Kelly M. Klein Memorial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Claudia Melchiorre, Cape Canaveral, FL | “Fleur de Lis” Jewelry
Kimberli & Bill Cummings, Concierge Financial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Michael Earley, Angies, NC | “Sirius” Wood
LeLan Martin & Patrick Maher Award of Merit ($1,300)
Reiko Uchytil, Grimes IA | “Little Blue Stem” Ceramic
Marcia & Jack Cohen Award of Merit ($1,300)
Richard Currier, Micco, FL | “Starboard Horizon”
Marilyn Fitzgerald Memorial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Glenn Woods, Palm Harbor, FL | “Dance of the Spirits” Ceramic
Nikki Keys Armstrong Award of Merit ($1,300)
Kate Meyer Fitzpatrick, Painter, VA | “Give Me Love, Give Me Hope” Painting
Nobile-Pollard Award of Merit ($1,300)
Trent Manning, Winter Haven, FL | “Mourning Day Parade” Sculpture
Oliver & Waffle Award of Merit ($1,300)
John Costin, Tampa, FL | “Roseate Spoonbill in Flight” Printmaking
Page Family Award of Merit ($1,300)
Chris Roll, Lakeland, FL | “Mourning Light” Painting
Robert F. Welker Memorial Award of Merit ($1,300)
Ryan Michael Kelly, Venice, FL | “Cement Jungle” Painting
Shari Martinez Award of Merit ($1,300)
Andrew Madvin, Royal Oak, MI |”Gold Caldera” Glass
Terri Hall & Lance Rodgers Award of Merit ($1,300)
Jennifer McBrien, Baltimore, MD | “Piety of Empathy” Fiber
The Barrymore Hotel Award of Merit ($1,300)
Lauren Lane, Atlanta, GA | “The Weight of Knowing” Painting
Trinity Surfaces Award of Merit ($1,300)
Kelsey Floyd, Tampa, FL | Lana Bowl Ceramic
Five Collegiate Scholarships will be awarded on April 23, 2026. Those scholarships are supported by contributions from:
Jeremy Donimirski
Harold, Dixie, Alexis, and Harrison Mootoo
Roddy Brownlee Reed Memorial Fund
The Zumbano Family
Andrew Graham
About Gasparilla Arts, Inc.
Founded in 1971, Gasparilla Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping artists thrive, supporting arts education, and increasing access to the arts for all. Through its signature event, the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, scholarship program, public art installations, and a variety of other year-round initiatives.
Clay Hollenkamp
Gasparilla Arts
+1 813-215-5803
email us here
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