MIAMI (February 22, 2010) ““ St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church recently celebrated its 22nd annual “Art is in the Heart“ art show this past President’s Day weekend, as well as its Centennial milestone as a 100 year resident in Coconut Grove. For only a $1 entry fee, more than 50,000 visitors enjoyed artwork from local and nationally renowned artists, an international food court, children’s area, an authentic English tea room and interactive art installations, all on the shady campus of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and School (2750 McFarlane Road). The show’s coveted “2010 Show Poster,“ entitled “Bejeweled“ was designed by painter, Robin Lee Makowski.

This year’s show featured over 160 renowned artists, including one of Florida’s original “Highwaymen“ painters and a nationally renowned artist, James Gibson. Most recently, Gibson received the “Distinguished Service to Arts“ Award, presented to him by Governor Charlie Crist, on behalf of the National Governors Association made up of all the Governors in the US. Additionally, an interactive piece designed by Erika Bell, entitled “Tags of Love,“ brought something unique and special to this year’s show. A four foot water fountain designed and donated to the church by Bell, offered patrons the chance to engrave their love notes on the fountain with a dentist tool ““ a romantic gesture to take part in on Valentine’s Day.

This year’s award winners received a total of $5,000 in prize money and came from all over the country. First place in the 2010 show was Joe De Camillis (Alabama) for his mixed media work; Mark Mackinnon (New York) took 2nd place for photography and 3rd place was Nolan Prohaska (Wisconsin) for his work in glass.

“The St. Stephen’s Art Show is run by over 100 volunteers and raises money for Coconut Grove outreach programs while maintaining an internationally recognized status for fine art.,“ says Show Director, Daisy Lewis. “The pride and joy this show has brought me personally and to the people and artists who participate is immeasurable,“ adds Lewis.

The St. Stephen’s Art Show started out as a simple hot dog and soda stand during the Coconut Grove Arts Festival and has grown into a nationally important industry event that stands alone. Ranked top in the country by Artist Magazine and Sunshine Artist Magazine, the show’s proceeds allow St. Stephens to offer a range of cultural, spiritual and entertainment activities to the community, as part of its vision to be “The Heart of the Grove, and Reaching Beyond“. For additional information, visit www.artshowss.org.

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