I chose a wide variety of work for the show. I liked the quirky quality of some pieces, even if they weren't done in a "polished" manor. There were many landscapes that had a nice atmosphere & composition. I chose work that had a good feel for paint and color, or created a mood. Some of the strongest work was in photography. I felt that although the photographs were realistic, they transcended that reality and became strong abstract statements with powerful imagery, and great use of color, or in the case of black and white, rich tonal quality. The work I chose for the prizes stood out in professionalism, and presence. The first prize photograph, "Scarborough #5" by William Brennan is so powerful and beautiful an image that I kept coming back to it. The second prize painting, "Old Pot with Tapestry" by Maryann S. Chagnon has a beautiful use of paint and composition, and has a subtle color light. The third prize sculpture "Atlantis" by Henry J. Gauthier is striking in its contrast of textures and shapes and is impeccably crafted. The honorable mention "Heading Home" by Joan McCauley is a wonderful color study, and I liked the use of the medium and layering to create space. The honorable mention photograph by Lenny Rumpler, "On Deck" is a piece that I admire for its very bold abstraction and color. I awarded a judges award to "The Staircase" which is such a surprising image I really didn't know exactly what it was (conjured up images of the top of a musical instrument or the spiral of a shell, or a cobra.) The landscape photograph "Safe Passage" is beautiful in its simplicity of composition, atmosphere, and richness of tones.