Sunnyside Artists Holds Annual Art Exhibit at Copper Kettle on Skillman Avenue

From L-R: Amin Siad of Fresh and Save, 1st Prize Winner Casey Concelmo , Pat Tunney of Copper Kettle, Pat Dorfman of Sunnyside Artists, Councilmember Julie Won, Regina McCarthy of Copper Kettle, 2nd Prize Winner Beth-Anne Farmer, 3rd Prize Winner Arlene Leibson Fiorella and Manny Gomez of Sunnyside Artists.

May 2, 2022 By Czarinna Andres

A Sunnyside arts group announced the winners of its annual competition last week.

Sunnysideartists, a nonprofit organization formed in 2007, announced three winners of its “Self Portrait” competition, with the first-place finisher receiving $500, second $300 and third $200. The winners were determined by participating artists via a blind jury.

The prizes, formally known as the Luke Adams Art Prizes, are named after the late Luke Adams, who was a Sunnyside civic leader who died in 2014. The winners were announced at the Copper Kettle on Skillman Avenue Wednesday.

Council Member Julie Won awarded the prizes.

The top honor went to Sunnysider Casey Concelmo, for a small “Self-Portrait,” which is a depiction of himself surrounded by a gold leaf, wearing a cloth napkin over his head, with only his chin showing. The napkin has a “Crate & Barrel” label.

Concelmo has won the Luke Adams prize in the past, and he often works in egg tempera paint and gold leaf.

First: Luke Adams Art Prize to Casey Concelmo

Beth-Anne Farmer, a new-comer from Bayside, came in second for “Ultimate Determination,” for a portrait in pastels, which was representative of her inner feelings. She said she had been walking in Sunnyside and saw a flyer and decided to enter.

Farmer said she had rededicated herself to artwork during quarantine but had not felt confident of her work.

Second: Luke Adams Art Prize to Beth-Anne Farmer

Third place getter was Arlene Leibson Fiorella, who lives at the Big Six Towers in Woodside, for her oil painting titled: “I Hid My Face in Venice.” Fiorella has participated in many SunnysideArtists events over the years.

Third: Luke Adams Art Prize to Arlene Leibson Fiorella

Judging was done silently, in writing, with all artists’ names obscured from jurors.

The main sponsor of the event was Amin Siad, of Fresh ‘n’ Save on Skillman Avenue. This was the third year that Fresh ‘n’ Save sponsored the prizes.

The event Wednesday included a wine reception. All work that was part of the event is on display at the Copper Kettle and is on sale until May 31. The artwork is priced from $125 to $2,500.

SunnysideArtists President Manny Gomez said: “We are so pleased with the variation of interpretation of Self Portrait,” he said, noting that 68 artists participated.