More than 190 pieces of artwork by regional artists have been accepted into the Michiana Annual Arts Competition (MAAC) and will be on exhibit in all four of the Box Factory for the Arts galleries, 1101 Broad St., St. Joseph, MI, beginning on May 19 and continuing through July 9th. The galleries are open on Wednesdays-Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays until 7 p.m.
Awards will be presented to artists during a reception on May 19 from 5:30-7 p.m. Music will be provided by Berrien Artist Guild member Jessica Fogle who will be conducting a kid’s summer music C.A.M.M.P. (Create a Mini Musical Play) at the Box. Light refreshments and a cash bar will be available. The event is free and open to the public.

Maggie Bandstra, who served as the MAAC judge, will offer comments about this year’s exhibit. Maggie graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with an MFA in painting in 2021. She has competed in all Art Prize competitions since the first one in 2009, and taught art for 27 years.

The Best of Show award of $1,500 is sponsored by the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council continuing a tradition of underwriting the MAAC. This year’s award goes to Lynne Kramer of Benton Harbor for her 3D entry entitled “Mist Over the Mountains.”

Providing the $500 category awards are: Honor Credit Union; John Devries Insurance Agency; Foster Swift Collins and Smith, PC Attorneys; Krasl Art Center; Cooper & Associates CPAs, PLLC; Gast Family Farms; AEP Foundation; and an Anonymous Donor.  Second Place awards of $100 will also be presented.

New this year is the “People’s Choice” Award offering the opportunity to vote for your favorite artwork. It’s easy to participate. View all the artwork in the galleries or online at gogophotocontest.com/MAAC and cast your vote. Each vote costs $1 and you can vote as many times as you’d like between May 19th and July 9th. The goal is to raise $1,000 for the Box Factory, and if we do, donors Robert and Joan Judd will match with another $1,000. The People’s Choice winner will receive $100.

The Category winners are:
Eliza Sarra, St. Joseph – Drawing – “Birds of Flight”
Julie Koch – Benton Harbor – Fiber Arts – “Flower Garden”
Matt Payovich – St. Joseph – Oil Painting – “Ellis”
Sara Sokol – Stevensville – 3D – “Intuition”
Sherry Saenz – South Haven – Black and White Photography – “Natural Abstract”
Mary Whalen – Richland, MI – Color Photography – “Summer Garden”
David Baker – St. Joseph – Water Media – “Between the Water and the Sky”
Mary Whalen – Richland, MI – Pop-Up/Zine/Poster/Illustration – “World of Wonders”

Second Place awards go to:
Laurie Rousseau – South Bend, IN – Drawing – “Vanate”
T.J. Schwartz – St. Joseph – Fiber Arts – “The Stories I Was Told”
Robert Williams – Stevensville – Oil Painting – “Bella in Green Shirt”
Michele Corazzo – Chesterton, IN – 3D – “Sextet”
Nolan Tackett – St. Joseph, – Black and White Photography – “Tetons”
Surekka Ninala – Berrien Springs – Color Photography -“Sandstone Palace”
Nathan Margoni – Benton Harbor – Water Media – “Golden Boy”
Betsy Gill – St. Joseph – Pop-Up/Zine/Poster/Illustration – “Nevertheless Blooming”

To view all of the winning artwork please go to: https://boxfactoryforthearts.org/maac-winners/.

For more on this and other Box Factory events, visit the Box online at https://boxfactoryforthearts.org or visit the Box on Facebook at https://facebook.com/boxfactoryarts.