FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (May 2, 2023) – The Springfield Art Museum is pleased to announce the Juried Prize Award Winners and the People’s Choice Award Winners from Art In Bloom. Art In Bloom was held Friday, April 28 through Sunday, April 30, 2023. This is the fourth Art In Bloom event that the Museum has hosted and the largest to date with over 2,100 visitors. The Museum awarded $5,000 in cash awards to participating designers who interpreted works of art on view in the Museum’s galleries through floral arrangements or custom made garments.
This year’s Juried Prize Award Winners for Floral Design were selected by three previous Art In Bloom Best in Show Award Winners for Floral Design: Audry McMannis Sowards - Schaffitzel's Flowers (2018), Pam Carroll, and Raleigh Jones - Wickman's Garden Village (2022). The Art In Bloom 2023 Juried Prize Award Winners for Floral Design are:
- $1,000 Best In Show Cash Award: Jennifer Herman, Countryside Gardens
- $500 Best Creative Arrangement Cash Award: Rcena Maness AIFD CFD, Flowerama
- $500 Best Traditional Technique Cash Award: Neletha Fuemmeler, Hickory Hills Country Club Floral
This year was the first year that fashion designs were incorporated into the weekend-long displays and were eligible for prize money. In previous years, the fashion designs were included in a live fashion show that could only be viewed at an opening night Preview Party. The Museum incorporated the fashion design element into the overall structure of the event this year based on its extreme popularity and to make the event more equitable for participating fashion designers.
Juried Prize Award Winners for Fashion Design were determined by: Sarah Buhr – Springfield Art Museum, Justin Gannaway – Drury University, and Ria Shaar – Bass Pro Shops. The Art In Bloom 2023 Juried Prize Award Winners for Fashion Design are:
- $1,000 Best in Show Cash Award: Katie Jankovitz, Fashion Designer – Norman’s Bridal
- $500 Best Creative Design Concept Cash Award: Nate Branscom, Moon City Tailoring & Alterations
- $500 Best Traditional Use of Materials Cash Award: Sara Gonzalez, Ensembles of the Past
Five Hundred and seventy-seven People’s Choice Award votes were cast for both floral and fashion design as well, giving the public the chance to weigh in on their favorite design interpretations. The Art In Bloom 2023 People’s Choice Award Winners are:
- $500 People’s Choice Cash Award for Floral Design: Cherrelle & Samuel Hitchcock, Flora & Forge Flower Farm & Blacksmith
- $500 People’s Choice Cash Award for Fashion Design: Kashena Star Northrip, Costume Designer - The Fools Gladly
The Springfield Art Museum is located at 1111 East Brookside Drive. Admission is always free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
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The Springfield Art Museum is Springfield, Missouri’s oldest cultural institution, founded in 1928. A department of the City of Springfield, the Museum invites you to connect with the world, your community, and yourself through active engagement with art objects. For more information, please visit www.sgfmuseum.org or contact Joshua Best, Museum Affairs Officer at (417) 874-2859 or jbest@springfieldmo.gov.