2025 PAINT THE TOWN AWARDS

  • Professional 1st Place- Stephanie Amato, "On the Rocks"  ($700)
  • Professional 2nd Place- Susan Waters "Greenway Creek"  ($500)
  • Professional 3rd Place- Rebecca Postell "Sundrenched Morning"  ($300)
Professional Honorable Mentions:
  • Keith Burgess, "Lunch at Avalon"
  • John Firth, "Rock Bridge"
  • Rachel Eichholtz, "Rhododendron Blooms"
  • Mary Negron, "Sunny Morning on Hunter's Lane"
  • Leena Joshi, "Blue Hue"
NEW AWARD- Best use of Light: 
​Rebecca Postell "Sundrenched Morning" ($250)
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  • Intermediate 1st Place- Lamar Gilstrap, "Fallen Reflection" ($300)
  • Intermediate 2nd Place- Gloria Chan "Little Bridge at Mill Creek" ($200)
  • Intermediate 3rd Place- Joan Zell "Rock Mill Park" ($100)
Intermediate Honorable Mentions:
  • Maryia Arlova, "Claudia's Barn"
  • Olga Bankston, "Bartender Mic"
  • Maria Valehrach, "Southern Hospitality"
  • Gloria Chan, "A Peek at Avalon's Day"
 
  • Novice 1st Place- Jennifer Light, "Porch" ($100 BLICK)
  • Novice 2nd Place- J. Mosby, "Wills Park" ($50 AAC Gift Card)
  • Novice 3rd Place- Grace Wang, "In the Shadows" ($50 Binders)
  • Novice Honorable Mention- Jennifer Light, "Park"

ART IN THE DARK AWARDS- NEW FOR 2025!

  • Professional 1st Place- Ed Cahill, "Taste of Alpharetta" ($125)
  • Professional 2nd Place- David Schroeder, "A Taste of the Taste" ($100 BLICK)
  • Professional Honorable Mention- Leena Joshi, "10:00 PM" 
  • Intermediate 1st Place- Lamar Gilstrap, "Up on the Roof" ($75)
  • Intermediate 2nd Place- Maryia Arlova, "Firefly Patio" ($50)
  • Novice 1st Place- Jennifer Light, "Zaxby's" ($50 AAC Gift Card)
  • Novice 2nd Place- Grace Wang, "Midnight Cafe"

2025 QUICK DRAW AWARDS

ALL Quick Draw pieces were created within a 2-hour window, 9AM-11AM on Friday, May 9th and then judged on the City Center Green.
  • Professional 1st Place- Keith Burgess, "House on Haynes Bridge" ($250)
  • Professional 2nd Place- Rachel Eichholtz, "Oh she Glows" ($200)
  • Professional 3rd Place- Peter Ho, "Spring Water" ($150)
Professional Honorable Mentions:
  • Paul Batch, "Morning Light"
  • Susan Waters, "Last Minute"

  • Intermediate 1st Place- Maryia Arlova, "Stylishly Rusty" ($100)
  • Intermediate 2nd Place- Maria Valerach, "Pot O' Gold" ($75)
  • Intermediate 3rd Place- Gloria Chan, "Corner of Alpharetta" ($50)
Intermediate Honorable Mentions:
  • Diana Clement, "Morning Blooms"
  • Lamar Gilstrap, "Path to the Divine"
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  • Novice 1st Place- Allison Archibald, "Alpharetta Magnolia" ($100 BLICK)
  • Novice 2nd Place- Grace Wang, Untitled ($50 AAC Gift Card)
  • Novice 3rd Place- Lailona Holloway, "Flowers Upon Me"

MEET THE JURORS

Over $4,000 in awards were given for both the Exhibition as well as the Quick Draw and Art in the Dark competitions in 3 categories:
Professional, Intermediate and Novice.


​AWARDS JUROR: LARRY SMITH

Larry has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Design from Auburn University. At Auburn he studied advertising art and immersed himself in every painting class offered. He worked as an art director and an Atlanta ad agency owner in advertising for 30 years.
 
Since 2001 Larry has devoted most of his creative energy to oil painting. His work has appeared in museums, art galleries, and personal collections throughout the United States. His paintings and studio/gallery have been featured in American Art Collector magazine. Larry is a member of Oil Painters of America.
 
“I work with oil on stretched canvas. My colors, palette knife, brush strokes and finger smudges have movement and energy. For years I have painted in the studio using my photos as reference, (I was a studio mouse). For the past seven years I have begun painting outdoors al a pléin air". 

QUICK DRAW JUROR: BRENDA PINNICK

Brenda Pinnick is lifelong artist who is an acclaimed plein air painter, having received national recognition via juried shows, awards and publications. Her background includes working for Hallmark Cards as a hybrid artist/designer creating high end products for Gold Crown Retailers. She developed and marketed her namesake brand of crafting products including fabrics, scrapbook kits, stamps and other products, selling worldwide via major retail outlets. Her paintings reflect her love of color, exciting brushwork and her ability to capture a moment in time and sense of place. She enjoys painting gardens, intimate spaces and scenic vistas as well as floral still life’s. Her work can be seen on her website, brendapinnick.com and on her instagram page, artistbrendapinnick.
Brenda is a member of American Impressionist Society, American Women Artists and is serving as current President of the Booth Artist Guild.

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