Women in the Arts Awards
The annual Celebrating the Genius of Women art exhibition features local finalists as well as national and international artists who have entered work in the Women in the Arts Inc. competition. Join us in the main lobby to meet the artists and participate in an interactive gallery walk followed by an awards ceremony. Find out which pieces win the Patron's Choice Award and Women in the Arts awards.
Patron's Choice Award
You are also invited to decide the winner of this year's Women in the Arts Patron's Choice Award by voting either in person or online from March 9-19. Patrons who submit their vote in person, and have a library card in good standing, are automatically entered into a raffle drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the Friends of the Library Gift Shop. Online voting can be completed on the Orange County Library System's Facebook page.
Denisse Berlingeri, born and raised in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, is an award-winning Puerto Rican fashion designer and artist. Her artwork is very much a reflection of her personality, inspired by nature and her roots.
Mel Kistner worked for 12 years as a Licensed Clinical Therapist, using art as a tool to help others. Her career as a therapist informed her artwork as she learned more about how thought, emotion and behavior intersect in everyday life.
Mila works with a vast variety of materials, including metal, ink and acrylics to create her artwork. For this competition, Mila will be exhibiting a diverse collection of hardened clay sculptures.
Vicki Jones is an award-winning graphite artist and printmaker. Her work is a staple of many Florida art festivals.
Shosh Cohen first began stone carving while attending The University of Tampa. Now she wakes up consumed by the stone carving process, creating original and custom sculptures from marble, steatite and alabaster.
The following artists were selected to be in this year’s annual art competition and recognition events at the Orlando Public Library.
Honorable Mention | Local Artists
Francine Levy
Michelle Irizarry
Patricia Lentine
Wendy Swanson
Recognition | U.S. and International Artists
Jan Golden (Houston, Texas)
Lidia Simeonova (Shelby Township, Michigan)
Irina Goryunova (Russia)
Julija Proskurina (Poland)
Kaliya Kalacheva (Bulgaria)
Katerina Tsitsela (Greece)
![28°31'10.5\"N 81°22'36.5\"W](https://www.ocls.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/GORYUNOVA.28%C2%B031%E2%80%B210.5%E2%80%B3N%2081%C2%B022%E2%80%B236.5%E2%80%B3W.OIL%20ON%20CANVAS.40%E2%80%B3x30%E2%80%B3.jpg?itok=4bSm-UxX "28°31'10.5\\"N 81°22'36.5\\"W")
Guest Artist at Women in the Arts Awards:
Irina Goryunova, Russia
“I was in America on June 12, the day of the nightclub shooting in Orlando and I made a painting dedicated to the victims of the tragedy. I called it 28°31′10.5′′N 81°22′36.5′′W, the geographical coordinates of the Pulse nightclub.”
Title: 28°31'10.5"N 81°22'36.5"W
Oil on canvas
On view starting March 25