2021 JUDGES
Donne Bitner
Donne maintains a studio at McRae Art Studio in Orlando, Florida. Her work is exhibited in museum shows and gallery exhibitions throughout the United States and has appeared in a variety of publications including American Artist Watercolor Magazine, International Artist, and Watercolor Magic.
Donne’s artwork can be found in the collections of the Huntsville Museum of Art, Springfield Art Museum, Gulf Coast Center for the Arts, Vero Beach Center for the Arts, Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences, Maitland Museum of Art, Rollins College, State of Florida Capital Collection, Holmes Medical Center, Cape Canaveral Hospital, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, and the cities of Atlanta, Orlando, and Melbourne.
She is a signature member of both the National Watercolor Society and Florida Watercolor Society and a member of the Watercolor USA Honor Society.
AWARDS
Donne was bestowed the great honor of receiving The Florida Individual Artist Fellowship grant. She was also awarded three Professional Development Grants from United Arts of Central Florida.
Donne won Best of Show for the 2006 Winter Park Autumn Art Festival. Morris Mitchell, from the Ringling Museum of Art who was a judge at the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival wrote, “Talent and creativity are not the same. You can teach someone to draw but not to be creative. Creativity is when the magic happens.”
Donne won Best of Show for the 2006 Mount Dora Arts Festival. The judges comment that, “Donne Bitner’s work is complex. The images are layered with textures that mesh to give her works a unique voice which makes its own statement. This subtle quality is reflected not only in the chosen work but also in all the works in her booth. Her visual strength is beautifully connected to the best of contemporary art.”
Over a 20 year career participating in art festivals, Donne was awarded seven Best of Show awards.
Courtney Canova
Courtney Canova received his Illustration degree from The Ringling College of Art and Design. In addition to his photography and graphics design business, he is an adjunct professor at Valencia College teaching drawing and design classes.
2018 JUDGES
Barbara Tiffany
David Hunter