Art contests are usually reserved for accomplished artists but a recent photograph competition at the house of culture featured art by regular folks. Call it democratization of art or just regular pictures, but many of the participants caught a view of things with an unusual eye including the winner Russell Gonzalez who won $500 for his portrait of a teacher hugging his daughter.
Russell Gonzalez, First Place Winner
“That day when I took this picture I was in a small restaurant in town when I saw...well I usually have my camera out everytime because I like to take pictures of anything whatsoever that inspires me or captures my attention so there was a little girl playing around in the restaurant and then the child went and give the father a hug. I said to myself this just looks like a nice little shot to take because as far as I know there is always the mother that is with the children and you rarely see a father along with their child. So I said to myself this is a good picture.”
William Neal, Second Place Winner
“Sometimes pictures can tell stories you can never articulate and somethings are just by chance. You just see a moment and you either have the eye for it or you don’t and you capture it and it is really a hit or miss thing. Its like any other form of art and it has the ability to really speak to somebody in ways that you might not even have envisioned but it does that and that is the power of art.”
Jules Vasquez,
Will you share your winnings with the young man?
William Neal,
“Of course Jules, of course...without the model the picture would in vain. I met him in Seine Bight and just by sheer luck we found this tree that was overturned and I said that would make a good picture. He got in and everything just fell into place so definitely I will go down there and celebrate too and probably give him some money since school is opening.”
The contest was judged by Richard Holder, Norris Hall and Jeremy Spooner.