57th Street Art Fair Artist Awards
2023 Winners
James Whitbeck
Painting
2023 Mary Louise Womer Award
Presented annually in memory of Mary Louise Womer, founder of the 57th Street Art Fair, this award is given annually to an outstanding artist in any category. As owner of the Little Gallery, Ms Womer provided a neighborhood gathering place for local artists. Her initial idea of staging an event where artists could meet, showcase their work, and sell art directly to the community grew into the 57th Street Art Fair. Her vision was well received: the fair has been operating continuously since 1948.
Javier Ngamije
Fiber
2023 57th Street Art Fair Committee Award
Chosen by members of the steering committee, this award recognizes one artist for dedication and excellence in their chosen medium. All exhibitors, returning and new, are eligible for this award. This prize is a significant honor, since it represents the collective opinion of the committee members who work year round to organize and ensure the continued quality and success of the fair.
Kathleen Johnson
Fiber
2023 Nettie Hart Award for Crafts
Presented in honor of Nettie Hart, a key supporter in the early days of the 57th Street Art Fair, Ms Hart, a designer with Raymond Loewy, had an artistic eye and brought many needed cosmetic touches to the fair. She served as chairperson of the steering committee in the early 1950’s. Unfortunately, she was killed in an automobile accident in Spain in 1962. Since 1963, to honor her memory and in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the early days of the fair, this award has been presented annually to one outstanding artist selected from the categories of jewelry making, fiber, glass, leather, mixed media and paper.
Malen Pierson
Sculpture
2023 Katrina Hadley Award for Painting,
Sculpture, or Photography
Since the 1960’s this award has been presented to one outstanding artist in the media of photography, sculpture of painting in memory of Katrina Hadley, a founding member of the 57th Street Art Fair Committee. Ms Hadley was a key committee member for many years in the early days of the fair, working tirelessly to provide needed support services.
Taylor Mazer
Drawing
2023 Vi Fogel Uretz Award
Presented for the first time in 2008, this award to one outstanding artist in the category of drawing or painting was created to honor the memory of Vi Fogel Uretz, an early supporter of the fair. In addition to exhibiting her artwork for decades at the annual fair, Vi served as the fair’s historian and coordinated the publication of the book honoring the fair’s 50th anniversary in 1997. An accomplished artist, Vi was selected as the designer of the poster, t-shirt, banner and other media to promote the 52nd annual fair in 1999. Her banners have graced Hyde Park every year since, and serve as a source of energy and inspiration for artists and visitors alike.
Amy Taylor
Jewelry
2023 Ruth Kaplan Award
The Ruth Kaplan Award was created to honor the the memory of Ruth Kaplan, a longtime committee member who loved the fair and had a flair for jewelry.
Michelle A. Friedman
Jewelry
2023 Honorable Mention
Chosen at the time of the fair to recognize an artist or artists who were not selected for any of the other awards and the judges and committee members would like to recognize for their work.
Faye Fisher-Ward
Leather
2023 Honorable Mention
Jeribai Andrew Ja-Ja
Drawing
2023 Newcomer
The Newcomer Award: Chosen when the judges convene to screen artists wishing to participate in the Fair, the award recognizes outstanding work by newly selected exhibitors. This year, over artists applied to exhibit; approximately were invited to attend. The judges screened works from more than applicants (new applicants as well as prior attendees in categories being screened again), inviting approximately 100 to exhibit for the first time. The winners of this award represent, in the opinion of the judges, the best new applicants for 2023.
Chosen at the time of the fair to recognize an artist or artists who were not selected for any of the other awards and the judges and committee members would like to recognize for their work.
