BRIDGE Capital LLC announced the winners of its annual art contest during this year’s Flame Tree Arts Festival, which was held at the Garapan Fishing Base on April 25-27.
Bart Jackson, Bridge Capital LLC general manager, said submissions came in from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
He said Bridge Capital principals John Baldwin and Shawn Scott planned to give away $15,000 in prizes, but “this year, there were so many wonderful pieces that the founders of Bridge Capital increased the cash pot to $22,000. This is the most we’ve ever given away,” Jackson added.
This year’s winners are:
11 and Under category
1st place, $750 — Ai Nonogaki’s “Turtle”
2nd place, $500 — Sunyul Park’s “Saipan Memories in the Photo Booth”
Student category (ages 12-17)
1st place, $1,500 — Me Li’s “Children, the Future of Saipan, are Enjoying Themselves Under the Cool”
2nd place, $1,000 — Ian Alexander Chae’s “Saipan, the Treasure of the Turtle and Flame Tree”
Painting
1st place $1,500 — Victoria Sewell’s “Kanta”
2nd place (tied), $1,000 each — Denglian Stinson’s “Whisper of the Islands” and John Dax Moreno’s “Follow the Guardian”
Photography
1st place $1,500 — Vladislav Melnik’s “Pagan Sunset”
2nd place $1,000 — Jonathan Ibajan’s “Playful White Tern”
Open Category
1st place (tied), $1,500 each —Tiffany Gebhard’s “Secrets Beneath” and Bea Doyle’s “Life Down Under”
2nd place, $1,000 — Tyler Warwick’s “Ceremonial Adze”
Best of Show
Category winner, $2,000 — Zhong Yan Tang’s “Timeless Love”
1st runner-up, $1,000 — Albert Emanonipiy’s “Ceremonial Bowl”
2nd runner-up, $500 — Denglian Stindon’s “Where the Ocean Bigs”
Governor’s Choice $1,000 — Victoria Sewell’s “Kanta”
Founders’ Choice (Adult) $1,000 each
Tamara Borja’s “Marianas Pride”
Jessica Cabrera’s “Luminescent Depths”
Nhorleen Lilles’s “Unity of Opposites”
Founders’ Choice (Student), $750 each
Eunho Park’s “Saipan’s Journey”
Supti Mollick’s “Island Girl”
This is the 44th year of the Flame Tree Arts Festival. The event featured 15 food vendors and 44 artists, with 106 delegates from Hawaii, Palau, Guam, Rota, and Tinian.
Albert Emanonipiy, 1st runner up in the Best of Show category.
Zhong Yan Tang wins the Best of Show category for “Timeless Love.”
Supti Mollick, 3rd left, is the Founders’ Choice winner, along with Eunho Park, who is not pictured.
Tiffany Gebhard, 3rd left, and Bea Doyle, far right.
Ian Chae, not in photo, placed 2nd in the student division for “Saipan the Treasure of the Turtle and Flame Tree.”
John Moreno receives his award for “Follow the Guardian.” Not in photo is the other winner, Denglian Stinson.
Jonathan Ibajan Playful placed second for his “Playful White Tern.”
The Founders’ Choice winners: Jessica Cabrera, Tamara Borja and Nhorleen Lilles.
Mei Li topped the Student Category for her “Children, the Future of Saipan, are Enjoying Themselves Under the Cool.”
“Kanta” by Victoria Sewell finished first in the painting and Governor’s Choice categories.
Vlad Melnik’s photo “Pagan Sunset” won the top prize in the photography category. Melnik was not available for a photo at the ceremony.
Tyler Warwick placed second in the Open Category.
