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Winner

Members of the Putnam Business Association present contest winner, Amanda Bennett with a $250 prize. Left to right: PBA Marketing Committee Chair Jennifer Beckett, PBA Treasurer Killian Frazier, First Fridays Committee Chair Sarah Mortensen, Artist Amanda Bennett, and PBA President Earl Rosebrooks. Courtesy photo.

 

 

Poster contest

winner

announced

PUTNAM — This year’s winner of the Putnam Business Association First Fridays poster contest is Amanda Bennett. PBA President Earl Rosebrooks, presented a $250 check to Bennett, an art student. 

Inspired by the 2016 theme, Art and the American City, Bennett’s work will serve as the cover art for the First Fridays program, which will see 5,000 copies printed and distributed throughout the state. 

For a third year in a row, the contest invited artists from around northeastern Connecticut to draw, paint, and digitally create an original piece of artwork, inspired by the 2016 First Fridays theme, Art and the American City: An Artistic Road Trip through the USA. This season’s poster contest challenged artists present work that embodied the art, music, cuisine, and architecture of six cities, including: New York, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Nashville, and New Orleans. Just under a dozen artists participated, and after a difficult deliberation, the First Fridays committee chose Bennett’s work to represent the 6th season of events. 

First Fridays Chairperson, Sarah Mortensen said, “Year after year, the work submitted for this contest continues to impress. For 2016, we had several bold, dynamic pieces that played with the theme and it made for a difficult decision. Miss Bennett’s work not only captured the iconic images of the six cities that this season will celebrate, but she also was able to capture the energy and color that embodies these urban areas.”

Bennett, a graduate of Tourtellotte Memorial High School in Thompson, is a junior at Lasell College in Newton, Mass. Bennett is currently studying communication with a focus on creative advertising, with minors in graphic design and studio art. In addition to her studies, Bennett is the illustrator for Lasell’s newspaper, “The 1851 Chronicle” and recently became a Global Ambassador. During the fall 2015 semester, Bennett studied abroad at the American College of Greece (DEREE) in Athens. 

Bennett said, “During my time in Greece, I realized that adventure is the best way to learn; studying abroad was an opportunity that allowed me to make friends for life, experience other cultures, and become much more independent.” 

The 2016 poster entries will be included in an online auction; art lovers will have a chance to purchase Bennett’s work as well as all of the 2016 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 2016 season. The program is the perfect companion to assist visitors to the monthly First Fridays events. 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 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, 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.

The kick-off to the sixth season of First Fridays is May 6. Visit www.discoverputnam.com for the latest information on First Fridays and the many other events happening in Putnam.