Costa Mesa Women's Club Holiday Art Festival Contest Winners Announced
The Californer/10056514

COSTA MESA, Calif. - Californer -- 1st Place Blue Ribbon awarded to Matt Fitt for his photographic image, Beachcombing at the Holiday Art Festival this weekend.

Fitt has15 years of experience as a professional photographer and his work has appeared in numerous publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Bay Guardian, and East Bay Express. He has also worked with politically progressive candidates and politicians on multiple campaigns, and with organizations that promote social and ecological justice, such as the Smith Renaissance Society and the Seva Foundation. His company, Matt Fitt Photography is based in Costa Mesa. He specializes in events and session portraits. Learn more about his work at http://mattfitt.com.

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Fitt agreed to photographically document the event for the Chair of the Holiday Art Festival, Amelia Painter so that she could use it in her report to the Costa Mesa Cultural Arts Committee. The presentation is required when grant funding is awarded.  The Costa Mesa Women's Club received a grant from the Costa Mesa Cultural Arts Committee as well as the Costa Mesa Community Foundation to help cover expenses of the art show.

Taking home "The Mayor's Award" from the Holiday Art Festival this weekend was Costa Mesa artist Mike Harder.  Harder also received the 1^st Place Blue Ribbon in the Painting category.  Another 1^st Place Blue Ribbon  Ian Scoley for his ceramic work in the Diverse Art category.

The Mayor's Award was the only winner not selected by the attendees of the Holiday Art Festival. Attendees voted by ballot for their 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd choices.  Ballots were tallied by members of the Costa Mesa Women's Club. Pro Tem Mayor John Stephens announced all winners and chair of the event, Amelia Painter, awarded all winners while photographer Matt Fitt photographically documented the award ceremonies, except, of course, the one in which he received his award.

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The Costa Mesa Women's Club received a grant from the Costa Mesa Cultural Arts Committee as well as the Costa Mesa Community Foundation to help cover expenses of this, the very first, fine art show for this 109-year-old organization.

The Cultural Arts Committee works with City Council to support cultural arts programs and to bring art awareness to the residents of Costa Mesa, the City of the Arts.

Costa Mesa Community Foundation raises money to support
and promote community projects.

The goals of the Holiday Art Festival were to celebrate and introduce fine art to the community and to recruit new members to the Costa Mesa Women's Club.