caption:

 

Winner

Members of the  Putnam Business Association’s First Fridays committee present Clara Costabile with a $250 check for her winning poster entry. Pictured from left: PBA Marketing Committee Chair, Jennifer Beckett, PBA Vice President and First Fridays Chair, Ann Monteiro, First Fridays Vendor Chair, Rhonda Wishart, Mixed Media Artist, Clara Costabile, and PBA President, Earl Rosebrooks. Courtesy photo.

 

 

 

 

 

PUTNAM — Members of the First Fridays committee, along with Putnam Business Association President, Earl Rosebrooks, presented a $250 check to the winner of the 2015 First Fridays poster contest. This year’s winner is local mixed media artist, Clara Costabile. Inspired by the 2015 theme, A Century of Art, Costabile’s work will serve as the cover art for the First Fridays program, which will be printed and distributed throughout the state. 

Over the last few months, the First Fridays committee has been busily planning the upcoming season of events. Likewise, artists from around northeastern Connecticut have been drawing, painting, and creating work inspired by the 2015 First Fridays theme, A Century of Art. Building off a successful contest in 2014, this year’s poster contest encouraged local artists to use creative freedom to craft an original piece of art that explored the art of the 20th century. Several artists submitted work, and after a difficult deliberation, the First Fridays committee chose Costabile’s work to represent the 5th season.  PBA President Earl Rosebrooks said, “The First Fridays committee was very impressed by all of the posters submitted for this year’s contest. Although it was a tough decision, we all felt that Clara’s poster perfectly summed up the 2015 theme and we are excited to see her work grace the cover of the First Fridays program.” 

Clara Costabile is a self-taught mixed media artist. Her artwork is a harmonic fusion of abstract and narrative art. The brightly colored cartoonish nature of Costabile’s recent artwork is a slight departure from the dark style seen in the fantastical Paper mache Halloween props she has created in the past for the Great Pumpkin Festival. Her artwork is regularly shown at the Empty Spaces Gallery on Main Street in Putnam, as well as Tunk City Revival,  in Danielson. Costabile is thrilled that her poster was chosen, “I have a passion for telling stories with visuals; whether it’s with painting, sculpture or puppets. My entry into this year’s First Fridays poster contest comes from that love of visual storytelling.”

As with the 2014 contest, all poster entries will be included in a silent auction during the July 3rd First Fridays event. Art lovers will have a chance to purchase Costabile’s work as well as all of the 2015 posters, with proceeds of the auction to benefit the First Fridays committee. 

As the cover artwork for the First Fridays program, the winning poster will introduce a new look to the go-to-guide for the 2015 season. The program is the perfect companion to assist visitors to the monthly First Fridays events. For those unfamiliar with First Fridays, the program gives a brief history of the annual event, as well as an overview of what to expect for the upcoming season.  Each First Fridays has something new to do and see, and the program gives a fantastic sneak peek of monthly entertainment, community art projects, and vendors. As well, the program previews events hosted by such downtown galleries as: Arts & Framing and the Sochor Art Gallery, The Empty Spaces Project: Gallery on Main Street, Flying Carpet Studio, Sawmill Pottery, Silver Circle Gallery, and The Stomping Ground. Each season, the program has grown thanks to the generosity of local sponsors who recognize the positive impact First Fridays has on the community.