The Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra Beach made a splash at The Surf Club at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club when it hosted its inaugural Beaches: Celebration of the Arts awards ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 23.
Guests from around Jacksonville and the Beaches gathered to celebrate individuals and organizations who St. Johns County Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker had declared, “made a significant impact on art in our community.”
The evening began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and was followed by a silent auction with a variety of items that included artwork from Ocean Sole, a local enterprise that upcycles washed up flip-flops found along beaches and waterways in Kenya and turns them into vibrant works of art.
To add some live-action artistry, special guest and artist Eugene Quinn was commissioned to paint serene beach landscapes outside on the Surf Club patio.
“I’m painting this piece as a contribution to the auction,” Quinn said. “I’ve been visiting the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club since I was seven years old, so it’s a bit surreal to be painting here now. It’s pretty cool.”
The awards ceremony began with vocalist Sara Gartland serenading the audience, a capella-style, followed by a live auction with emcee Toni Chrabot.
“Tonight, we celebrate individuals and organizations that share their passion for the arts and their time, talent and treasures,” Chrabot declared.
Winners included Gentry Gudal, for emerging artist of the year; art advocate Rod Morris, for arts education and advocacy; the St. Augustine Art Association, for community impact; and philanthropist Teresa Radzinski, for the art of giving.
The top award, the Beaches Award, was given to Beaches Museum Director Christine Hoffman, for her dedication to ensuring that arts and culture are ingrained into everyday life in the community.
Winners were awarded with a custom glass-blown trophy crafted by Jacksonville’s Burnt Glassworks owners Jess and Andy Peters.
“We did a few prototypes to test the glass and ended up with some really nice bases, which are etched, and a nice blown glass award,” Andy Peters said.
Betsy Cosgrove, who represented nominee Kurtis Loftus’s “Deck the Chairs” exhibition, said that regardless who won, it is important that the community continues to support the arts.
“That’s all that matters,” she said. “Without any of these organizations or events, we wouldn’t be able to teach about art, which is so important for our youth and our community.”
