Community Corner

Bellevue ARTSfair Awards Ten Artists

The annual Bellevue ARTSfair awarded ten artists with the Carol Duke Artist Award of Excellence.

Judges awarded ten fortunate and talented artists the Carol Duke Artist Award of Excellence on the first day of the .

Carol Duke was an art activist and one of the fair’s original managers, according to the , which handed out the awards.

The Bellevue Arts Museum ARTSfair is one of three Bellevue arts events -- the ARTSfair, the Bellevue Downtown Association's 6th Street Fair and the Bellevue Festival of Arts -- that have converged in downtown Bellevue this weekend for blocks of art fun, arts, crafts and music.

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More than 300,000 people have attended during the arts weekend, according to the city of Bellevue. .

The award winners were Nicario Jimenez Luis Enrique Gutierrez, Jennifer McCurdy, Flora Zarate, Steve Lawler, Eric Leiberman, Sarah Fox, Isabelle Posillico, Tim Arnold and Louis Valentine.

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Judges were City Council Member Claudia Balducci, executive director at Chihuly Garden and Glass Michelle Bufano, and artistic director at the Stefano Catalani.

The winners received $1000 from the Bellevue Arts Museum and a glass bowl from Tiffany’s, the presenters of the award.

The winners were noticeably surprised to receive the award. Louise Valentine, creator of Silks, jumped in place after accepting her award. “I’m so surprised and honored,” she said. “Thank you for the recognition.”

Catalani led a walking tour to each of the winner’s booths and surprised the artists with their awards.

Tim Arnold, creator of Sawdust Company, jokingly asked “Am I in trouble?” when Catalani approached him. After receiving the award, Arnold was so moved by the gesture that he returned the money to the Bellevue Arts Museum.

Arts fair weekend will continue through through Sunday, July 29 on Bellevue Way at Northeast Eighth Street and the surrounding blocks. 

For more information, visit the Bellevue Arts Museum’s website.


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