Stephanie Cobb$10,000 to be Awarded to Best in Show
Nine painters have been selected as finalists for the Bethesda Painting Awards, a juried competition and exhibition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. Nearly 300 artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. submitted work to the annual competition created to exclusively honor regional painters.
The top prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, June, 7th in a private reception. The Best in Show winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000.
The artists selected as finalists are:
Stephanie Cobb, Washington DC
Grace Doyle, Parkville, MD
Katherine Fleming, Arlington, VA
Jeffrey Hall, Richmond, VA
Trace Miller, Towson, MD
Lindsay Mueller, Arlington, VA
Rachel Rush, Baltimore, MD
Nicole Santiago, Williamsburg, VA
Julio Valdez, Washington, DC
Kate FlemingThe exhibit will be on display June 8 – July 2, 2023 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit will be Thursday-Sunday, 12 – 5pm, and a public opening reception will be held on Friday, June 9th from 6-8pm.
The competition’s jurors consisted of Lillian Hoover, artist, 2019 finalist of Bethesda Painting Awards, and 2012 Best in Show Winner of the Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards; Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi, artist and 2015 finalist of Bethesda Painting Awards; and John Lee, Associate Professor of Painting at College of William & Mary.
The Bethesda Painting Awards was established by local business owner Carol Trawick in 2005. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda and established The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation in 2007. She is the former Chair of the Maryland State Arts Council, Strathmore, Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and founder of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards.
Julio ValdezPrevious Best in Show winners include:
Andrew Hlady, Kensington, MD (2022); Megan Lewis, Baltimore, MD (2021); Lawrence Cromwell, Baltimore, MD (2020); Mary Anne Arntzen, Baltimore, MD (2019); Carolyn Case, Cockeysville, MD (2018); Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Washington, D.C. (2017); Tanja Softic, Richmond, VA (2016); Bill Schmidt, Baltimore, MD (2015); Kyle Hackett, Baltimore, MD (2014); Barry Nemett, Stevenson, MD (2013); Ali Miller, Baltimore, MD (2012); Alison Hall, Roanoke, VA (2011); Nora Sturges, Baltimore, MD (2010); Camilo Sanin, Jessup, MD (2009) B.G. Muhn, North Potomac, MD (2008) Matthew Klos, Baltimore, MD (2007) Tony Shore, Baltimore, MD (2006); Joe Kabriel, Annapolis, MD (2005).
From award-winning theater to independent films, downtown Bethesda’s Arts & Entertainment District is filled with inspiring artists and art venues. The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is managed by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc., and is the producer of The Trawick Prize:
Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Bethesda Painting Awards, Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Awards, Bethesda Film Fest and Play In A Day.
Established by Montgomery County in 1994, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. (BUP) is a downtown management organization that markets and maintains downtown Bethesda. The BUP team works in marketing, maintenance, transportation and administration to produce cultural events and community festivals and attend to landscaping and maintenance needs. BUP also manages Bethesda Transportation Solutions (BTS), the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, and the Bethesda Circulator as well as the non-profit art spaces, Gallery B, Studio B and the Triangle Art Studios.
For more information, please visit www.bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660.
[Source: Bethesda UP press release]
