2024 Naomi Rabb Winston 2-D Visual Art Scholarship Recipients

Age Group 19-22

1. $4000 Ava Elizabeth Liberace – Washington, DC

2. $2000 Kathryn Ann Blommel – Central Iowa

3. $1000 Jordan A. Smajstria – Kentucky

4. $1000 Inga Jewell Wilhelmy – Ohio River Valley

Age Group 16-18

1. $2500 Sophia Congyu Sun - Birmingham

2. $1500 Liana Minsuh Kim – Washington, DC

3. $1000 Cailyn Emily Choi - Arkansas

3. $1000 Jaimie Kim - Members at Large

4. $1000 Abbie Ahn - Birmingham

5. $1000 Phoenix S. Kooper – Kentucky

Judges

H. Gray Park: BFA Maryland Institute College of Art 

At a young age Gray was recognized as having an inherit creative talent. He was placed in

the Talented & Gifted programs throughout all of his schooling. In his 3rd year of college

Gray was formally introduced to Plein Air painting. The following year he spent several

months in Scotland, Plein Air painting the fishing villages, inspired by the shapes and colors

of the boats, capturing the essence of his subject matter. Upon his return to the States, Gray

found new inspiration in his local landscapes. 

He is a member of the new school of American Landscape Plein Air painters. Gray engages

in vivid conversation with the rich variety of light seen there throughout the seasons. His

work reflects an authentic connection to the land, and a life-long devotion to his craft.

Mari Murrer

Mari Murrer, is a multi-faced artist, specializing in painting, drawing and ceramicswho has

taught art at all instructional levels. Her teaching tenure highlights instructional jobs at

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA for three years in which classes were taught for

preschool childrenand adults. In addition, she taught at The Pittsburgh City Schools,

Pittsburgh, PA for 13 years teaching 2-D & 3-D art classes at the middle and high school

level. Mauri also taught art at the collegiate level. Her teaching took her to CCAC in West

Mifflin, PA where she taught art for five years and to Waynesburg College where she taught

art for another five years writing ten different courses between the two institutions.  

Mauri is a 1976 graduate of Edinboro State College, Edinboro, PA and earned a BS in Art

Education degree.  She earned her M.F.A. painting degree from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

in 1978.

Polly Seip

Ever since Polly Seip was a young child, Polly knew she was different, and was destined to

be an artist. Around the age of fourteen, her father introduced her to the work by renowned

maritime artist, John Stobart, and she immediately developed an affinity for maritime art.

In late 1994, Polly met John Stobart at his Pittsburgh gallery. It was then that Stobart

recommended she pursue a classical art education at the Lyme Academy College of Fine

Arts of Old Lyme, CT. 
Six years later, Polly graduated from the Lyme Academy in 2000

with a BFA in Painting.  Since 2000, Polly opted to stay in Connecticut to pursue her art

career.I have always had an affinity for light, water, nature and atmospheric perspective,

and the genre of plein-air painting has enabled me to combine this with an artistic direction

that is both challenging and satisfying.