Hannah Carroll took first place in the GFWC Ruskin Woman's Club's inaugural teen coastal art contest, earning $300 and the chance to see her work scaled up into an 8-by-13-foot mural on the wall of The Beach House in Ruskin.
Carroll's win was confirmed in a community Facebook post following the public celebration at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, at The Beach House, 206 W. Shell Point Road. The mural painting was set to begin soon after, according to the club's June preview in the Observer News.
The contest was open to artists ages 14 to 20 from any South Shore community and asked for original coastal-themed artwork on paper or canvas no larger than 16 by 20 inches. Eligible subjects ranged from manatees and seabirds to sunsets, driftwood, and beach chairs. Any medium was accepted.
Judging was blind and weighted, with Beach House owner Lori Rowell serving as tiebreaker. Second place carried a $200 prize and third place $100, though those winners have not been publicly identified.
The mural comes next.
Club president Deb Bonebrake described the project as part of a broader effort when the contest was announced in June. "This is part of a new annual community initiative to help spruce up South Shore businesses," Bonebrake said. "We've partnered with The Beach House in Ruskin this year to kick it off."
The club plans to feature other South Shore businesses in future years, making this an annual tradition for the 114-year-old organization.
Entries that didn't place will be featured in a separate community showing that includes a People's Choice Award and a gift certificate for art supplies. Dates for that showing have not been announced. Residents can visit GFWCRuskinWomansClub.org or email [email protected] for updates.
Coming up in South Shore
- Community art showing — Non-winning contest entries on display at a future date; watch GFWCRuskinWomansClub.org for details.
- Juniorette group launch — The GFWC Ruskin Woman's Club plans to start a chapter for girls ages 12 to 18 this fall. Call 813-296-3900 for information.
- Camp Bayou back-to-school nature event — Free, Saturday, Aug. 1, in Ruskin.
