The Art Renewal Center is very pleased to announce the winners of the 2004 Annual Scholarship Competition. Now in its fourth year, the ARC Scholarship program has been helping students from all over the world continue their studies at ARC Approved Ateliers and Schools. With a minimum of $10,000 awarded annually and over $50,000 awarded to date, ARC is helping ensure that our future generations of artists are receiving proper instruction in the traditional and classical methods of representational art.
With more schools participating than ever, the amount of qualified applicants have doubled, making for a very competitive event. The applicants were narrowed down to fourteen finalists and our esteemed Judges then set out on their very difficult task of selecting the final recipients. The Judges for this year's competition was comprised of Allan R. Banks, internationally known naturalist painter and president of the American Society of Classical Realism; Richard Whitney, well known for his portraits and landscapes and board member of the American Society of Portrait Artists; Fred Ross, current Chairman of the Art Renewal Center and well-known collector of 19th century European and Victorian paintings. Widely published, his advice and scholarship is currently sought after by museums, galleries, collectors, art historians and all the major auction houses.
Our First Place winner with an honorarium of $4,000 has been awarded to Damir May for his exquisitely refined figure drawings executed in charcoal. Damir will continue in his third year at the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. Second Place with $2,500 goes to Diana Lynn Kroll, as she enters her second year at the Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy. Third Place with $2,000 has been awarded to John Rizzotto to help continue his studies in the Atelier Program at the Seattle Academy of Fine Art with ARC Living Master(tm) and instructor Juliette Aristides. Our Fourth Place recipient is Andrew Ameral. Andrew has received $1,000 to help continue his studies at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. In a tie for Fifth Place with $250 each are Yumiko Dorsey and Jim Vickstrom. Yumiko will continue in her second year of studies with Juliette Aristides at the Seattle Academy of Fine Arts in Washington, USA. Jim Vickstrom will continue his studies at the Florence Academy of Art as he enters his fourth year.
The ARC's Chairman Fred Ross was so impressed with the professional quality of work from these gifted students, that he deemed fit the addition of several purchase awards. The first Purchase Award goes to Damir May from the Angel Academy in Florence for his charcoal drawing of Nadia. A total of 3 purchase awards go to Yumiko Dorsey from the Seattle Academy of Fine Art for her drawings of Rachel, Megan, and Sarah. The final Purchase Award goes to Andrew Ameral from the Florence Academy of Art for his drawing of Greta. Andrew has generously donated a third of his Purchase Award, with $250 going to ARC's Scholarship Fund and $250 to the Florence Academy of Art.
On behalf of our Chairman, Fred Ross and everyone here at the Art Renewal Center a well-deserved congratulations is extended to all of our scholarship recipients. We thank these young talented artists and the fine institutions in which they study for their dedication and upholding of artistic traditions and values sought by the ARC, and we wish them continued success on their artistic journey.
