The 54th annual Ocala Arts Festival drew to a close on Sunday, but not before a collection of awards were distributed amongst the winning artists that participated in this year’s event.
The event, which is hosted by Fine Arts for Ocala, saw thousands of visitors flock through the streets of downtown Ocala on Saturday and Sunday.
Hundreds of artists competed in a variety of mediums for the Best in Show award, which came with a $5,000 prize. That prize was awarded to Richard Currier, whose paintings focus primarily on landscapes, oceans, and figures. To view some of Currier’s works, visit the Richard Currier Art website.
Seven awards of distinction, each for $1,000, were given to artists working in clay, painting, sculpture, and drawing. Those winners included William Kidd, Charles Gatewood, Susan Currier, David Figueroa, Kwang Cha Brown, Steve Andrews, and Ira Burhans.
Ten awards of merit, each for $500, were given to the following artists: Robert Goodlett, Bryan Yung, Lawrence Packard, Michelle McDowell Smith, Dustin Goolsby, Lisa Mote, James Carter, Eric Shupe, Emma Greenhill, Charles Bahringer, and Michael Bateman.
An additional Best of Show for Emerging Artists was awarded to Michael Bateman.
For more information on the show, visit the Fine Arts for Ocala website.