Winners of the Earth Fest Fine Art Show 2007 presented by Bay Rivers Art Guild were announced recently. Ninety paintings were entered and hung in the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort.

Winners are Best of Show (First Place): Joe Sheffield, “Evening Passage by Sand Island Lighthouse,” watercolor; Second Place: Donna Pond, “Ready to Reap, Ready to Sow,” acrylic; Third Place and the Libby Lindsay Memorial Award: Virginia Dekle, “Elegance,” watercolor; Honorable Mention: Herb Thomas, “Bellingrath Oak;” Jean McKee, “Crabs;” Frank Ledbetter, “Turtle;” Veronica Galey, “Resting Redeemer;” Bruce Larsen, “Fossil;” Paul Pella, “Whale;” Larry Horn, “Pines on Nolte Creek;” Todd Alan, “Leatherback Turtle;” Carole Hagerman, “Delta II;” and Peg Weatherly, “Farm Buildings on Highway 181.”

This competition was judged by Joan Blackburn of Pensacola. She is a national award-winning watercolorist.

Also, Todd Alan is the winner of the Earth Fest Community Award. His crayon will be used for the 2008 Earth Fest Poster and T-shirt. This award was selected by Melisa Applegate, program director of Alabama Coastal Foundation; Cara Stallman, natural resource planner with 5 Rivers; and Dr. David Nelson, professor of biology at the University of South Alabama and representing Alabama Coastal Foundation.

Sheffield, winner of the $500, Best of Show award, is a graduate of USA and a retired Mobile fireman and paramedic. He began painting in 1986 when he took watercolor classes from local instructors.

He is now a full-time watercolorist with a home studio. A winner of numerous awards in the Baldwin County area, including this year’s poster for Foley’s Art in the Park. More of his work can be seen at The Pelican in Orange Beach, and other arts and crafts shows in the area throughout the year.

This summer, he will be teaching from his home gallery. For more information, call Sheffield Watercolorist at 625-8611 or e-mail him at artmanjoe@mchsi.com.

Pond, winner of the $300, second place award is new at painting. This is her first-ever completed painting, and she takes classes at BRAG. She is an operating room nurse and volunteers her time in the community to projects such as the Daphne Library Project.

Dekle, winner of the $100 Libby Lindsay Memorial Award (third place), studied under Patsy Pennington of Pensacola, and has been painting for 20 years. She teaches watercolor at Bay Rivers Art Guild to beginners and intermediate students.

She exhibits her work in public locations such as the Thomas Medical Center in Daphne and the Sunflower Café in Fairhope through BRAG’s outreach program.

BRAG classes and workshops are held in fall, winter and spring sessions, Monday-Thursday for non-members and members. Friday is open studio for members only.

During Summer Art Camp (June 18-July 20, except the week of July 4), classes for ages 3-13 years are held.

Coming soon to BRAG: Frank Federico is a Master Pastelist whose paintings have been exhibited internationally. On June 3, he will demonstrate his techniques for watercolor and pastels to the public, from 2-4 p.m. He will then hold a two-day watercolor workshop June 4-5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and a three-day pastel workshop June 6-8, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

For more information, call BRAG at 621-0659.