Diana Daniels's comments about the two
Best of Show Winners

The Best of Show Award ($500) was given to “Walls of Indifference,” a three-dimensional ceramic by Trinidad artist Daniel Frachon.

“The Best of Show was immediately apparent as a great example of a spirit house. It is so evocative!” explains exhibition judge Diana Daniels. “I liked the craftsmanship of its construction. It is clear that this artist is in command of his medium. The piece exhibits a unique combination of skill coupled with vision.“

“Experimentation often fails when an artist is not in control of the medium. It is when an artist is in command that experimentation becomes possible and successful as demonstrated in this piece.”

Best of Show Photography Award ($250) was claimed by Eureka artist Robert Fasic with his digital photograph entitled “Slices.”

“The excitement in the piece is that it has the beauty of a commercial photo spread on top of the commercial spread of the magazines,” says Daniels. “The elements of this photo worked well together, especially the hyper-clarity of the photographic material compared to the soft-focus of the magazine advertisement and text. Again, it represents how success in one’s basic skill level opens the opportunity for creative vision and experimentation.”

“Daniels brought to her judging process a wealth of knowledge of the criteria for excellence for each medium,” says Roy Grieshaber, RAA President. “She focused on the skill of the artist and his or her ability to move into advanced creativity for that particular medium.”

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