The third annual Top Choice Art Show opens at SoBo Gallery

For the third year in a row, SoBo Gallery is featuring the best art from local artists during its summer Top Choice Art Show. On Thursday, June 1, local artists and members of the Winter Garden Art Association gathered at the gallery to kick off the new exhibition. 

The gallery received more than 150 submissions, but only about 60 were selected to be displayed during the two-month-long exhibition.

“It’s really tough to do because every piece in this show is fabulous,” said Mary Keating, a member of the association’s Board of Directors.

The show was judged by renown artist Vikki Jones, who said that the judging process was a challenge because of the high quality of work from all the participating artists.

“There was so much really fine work, so it was a difficult decision to give a couple awards,” she said.

The Best of Show award went to Kim Minichiello for her painting “Peacock,” which she said was inspired by a museum in Paris.

“When my family lived in Paris, I went to every museum, and the gate (in my painting) was inspired by one of those museums,” she said.

Although she never expected to win the top award at the show, Minichiello said she was thrilled when she heard her name called.

“It’s an honor to be acknowledged by your peers like this,” Minichiello said.

For the category of 2D art, Jose Pardo won the Top Choice award for his painting, “The Muse.” 

“It’s always nerve wracking because you hope you’re going to win, but you never really expect it,” he said. “Of course when they call your name, time stops and you’re in seventh heaven.”

The painting was inspired by his father-in-law after he gifted Pardo with a collection of his old tools, which became the subjects for Pardo's painting.

“He could fix just about everything,” Pardo said. “So I set up (his tools) to do a tribute.”

Scott Beavin also won one of the Top Choice awards for his black-and-white photograph, “Sedona.”

“My son was playing in a baseball tournament last summer in Phoenix, so we did a day trip to Sedona,” Beavin said. 

And having been a black-and-white photographer since the ‘80s, his decision to photograph the surrounding mountainous landscape in black-and-white was automatic.

“It’s nice to be recognized for (my work),” he said. “It’s nice for it to be seen by people.”

The Top Choice Award for 3D art was awarded to Larry Roofner for his sculptured rocking chair, and the Curators Choice Award was given to Dan Colonna for his painting, “Pharmaceutical Effects on the Brain.”

The exhibition runs from now until the end of July, and visitors may vote for their favorite piece in the show. The votes will be tallied at the end of July, and the winner will receive the People’s Choice Award. 

Contact Brittany Gaines at [email protected].