SOMA Artists Earn Awards In Essex County Senior Citizens Art Show

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Residents of Maplewood and South Orange recently earned an award in the annual Essex County Senior Citizens Juried Art Show.

The Essex County Senior Art Show and Exhibit was open to all professional and non- professional artists ages 60 and older. Artwork was judged on originality, composition, style, quality and creativity. Judging was done by Heather Carter, founder of Carter Fine Art Services.

The winner from Maplewood was Peter Astor, who received second place in the Non-Professional Category for "Welcome to the Building."

The winner from South Orange was Cindy Wolf, who received first place in the Professional Acrylic Category for "Tree of Life" and second place in the Professional Sculpture Category for "Isle of the Giraffes."

“The talent displayed by our senior artists is truly amazing and the artwork is inspiring,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“Essex County has a thriving fine arts community and our Senior Art Show enables our older residents, both professionals and non-professionals, to display their original creations where the public can see them,” DiVincenzo added. “This is an excellent event for us to promote the arts and inspire our residents to use their talents.”

The artists were recognized during an awards ceremony on Thursday in the Robert O'Toole Community Center in Essex County Cedar Grove Park in Cedar Grove.

The county presented the following artists with awards:

Belleville

• Mary Del Negro received second place in the Professional Photography Category for "Violet I rises."

Bloomfield

• Joan Park received first place in the Non-Professional Oil Category for "Contemplating Life" and first place in the Non-Professional Watercolor Category for "Budapest."

Caldwell

• Matthew Fox received first place in the Professional Prints Category for "Mayan Man."
• Randy Keenan received second place in the Professional Mixed Media Category for ''TBZ-Docenting."

Cedar Grove

• Janet K. Allen received first place in the Non-Professional Mixed Media Category for Morning Glory Dreams."
• Jane Ballinger received second place in the Professional Watercolor Category for "Red Barn Farm."
• Richard Hanifan received first place in the Professional Drawing Category for "Peggy's Cove."
• Roseann Martin received second place in the Non-Professional Drawing Category for "Man's Best Friend."
• Marie Matarazzo received first place in the Non-Professional Drawing Category for "Indian Brave" and first place in the Non-Professional Pastel Category for "Pink Hibiscus."
• Constance Seugling received first place in the Professional Mixed Media Category for "Garden of Eden" and second place in the Professional Prints Category for "Modern Roundup."
• John Shiever received second place in the Non-Professional Photography Category for "Last Pay Phone."

East Orange

• Marcella Booker Tannis received second place in the Non-Professional Craft Category for "My Favorite Pastimes."
• Carol Jenkins received an honorable mention in the Professional Drawing Category for "Spiral."
• Glendora Simonson received first place in Professional Craft Category for "Brotherly Love."

Fairfield

• Robert Szpila received first place Professional Photography Category for "Pastel Morning."
• Louise Woodcox received first place in the Professional Pastel Category for "Autumn Weeds" and second place in the Professional Oil Category for "Setting Sun."

Livingston

• Susan Greenwald received first place in the Non-Professional Acrylic Category for "Sharing."
• Maryann Guerriero received first place in the Non-Professional Craft Category for "Circles."
• Elanor Halpern received second place in the Non-Professional Watercolor Category for "Aware."
• Barbara Sax received second place in the Non-Professional Mixed Media Category for "Blue Cheese Moon."

Maplewood

• Peter Astor received second place in the Non-Professional Category for "Welcome to the Building."

Montclair

• Mary Hadley received second place in the Professional Drawing Category for "Distinguished Gent."

Roseland

• Evan Stuart Marshall received second place in the Professional Acrylic Category for "The Cliffs."
• Robin Vitullo received first place in the Professional Watercolor Category for "Rue Montorgueil 23."

South Orange

• Cindy Wolf received first place in the Professional Acrylic Category for "Tree of Life" and second place in the Professional Sculpture Category for "Isle of the Giraffes."

Verona

• Dolores Stecyk received second place in the Non-Professional Oil Category for "My Dog Louie."

West Caldwell

• Carol Chesler received first place in the Non-Professional Sculpture Category for "Grandpa."
• Christine Elvin received first place in the Professional Oil Category for "Flat Tired II."

West Orange

• Girard Benicaso received first place in the Professional Sculpture Category for "Complete Detective."
• Gerard Companion received an honorable mention in the Non-Professional Acrylic Category for "Two Kings."
• Marita Kelly received first place in the Non-Professional Photography Category for "Cherry Blossom Princess."

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