Medal winners announced in Senior Games/SilverArts competition
By Chuck Vestal
Despite the challenges Piedmont Plus Senior Games/SilverArts faced due to COVID-19, we were able to hold the SilverArts competition this year, except for the Performing Arts competition, which had to be canceled. Due to the nature of this virus and the risk potential, and after several conversations with our judges, we developed a plan to have the Visual and Heritage Arts judging online. Each artist forwarded photos of their entries and the judges viewed them online and scored each entry. We would like to thank Bob Campbell, Lisa Miller and Barbara Campbell for their willingness to adapt to this different approach to judging so that we could continue with this competition.
The Literary portion of SilverArts was handled the same way as in the past since there is no direct contact with the judges. Each judge received packets of each literary subcategory with the entries to judge. Each genre – poetry, short story, essay and life experience/memoir – was judged by three members of Winston-Salem Writers. We would like to thank Phil Cohen, John Hohn, Judith Dancy, Steve Lindahl, Howard Pearre, Vinita Singh, Anita Diggs Thomas, Christy Vance, Sue Williams and Deborah Wood, for taking time to read and score the entries.
We expected the number of Visual and Heritage Arts entries to be lower than usual and they were, but we were blessed to still receive many entries. Those who entered were enthusiastic and excited to have an outlet by which to share their talents, even during a pandemic! You can view photos of all the Heritage and Visual Arts entries on the Piedmont Plus Senior Games Facebook page.
The number of Literary entries was pretty much in line as in past years. We will have the literary compilation printed soon and it will be available for purchase for $5. Copies can be purchased at the drive-thru window at the Black Phillips Smith Government Center, 2301 N. Patterson Ave.
We congratulate the following medal winners:
Heritage Arts
Crocheting:
Gold medal, Brenda Smith
Silver medal, Rosemary Graham
Bronze medal, Annette Collins
Jewelry:
Gold medal, Rosemary Graham
Quilting (hand stitched):
Gold medal, Patricia Brantley, “Tractor”
Quilting (machine stitched):
Gold medal, Jeannie Romano, “Hearts”
Weaving:
Gold medal, Irma Jackson, “Circles and Rectangles”
Visual Arts
Acrylics:
Gold medal, Laura Reynolds, “Yellow Flower”
Silver medal, Jeannie Romano, “Cardinal”
Bronze medal, William Gramley, “Red Apples”
Drawing:
Gold medal, William Gramley, “Portrait of a New Yorker”
Silver medal, Jerry Sneed, “Boat”
Mixed Media:
Gold medal, William Gramley, “This House is Empty”
Silver medal, Brenda Smith, “Paper Roses”
Bronze medal, Margaret Miller, “Black Cat”
Oil:
Gold medal, Jeannie Romano, “Big Boy Tomato”
Silver medal, Bruce D. Ingle, “Bridge”
Bronze medal, Sarah Brooks, “Cabin Snow”
Pastels:
Gold medal, William Gramley, “Fall Scene”
Photography:
Gold medal, Charles Swanson, “Spanish Shadows”
Silver medal, Judie Holcomb-Pack, “Moon over Myrtle Beach”
Bronze medal, Sarah Brooks, “Sunset”
Photography (film):
Gold medal, Jerry Sneed, “Leaving San Francisco”
Watercolor:
Gold medal, Laura Reynolds, “White Pelican”
Silver medal, Myrna Mackin, “Flowers in Vase”
Bronze medal, Jerry Sneed
Literary Arts
Essay:
Gold medal, Helen Webb, “The Lifeboat”
Silver medal, William Gramley, “Here’s a Suggestion”
Bronze medal, Jessie L. Crockett, “Back in the Day”
Life Experiences/Memoir:
Gold medal, Annette Collins, “Pandemic”
Silver medal, Sondra Wainer, “Lucky”
Bronze medal, Helen Webb, “Memories of a Beloved Companion”
Poetry:
Gold medal, Peter Venable, “Crab Nebula”
Silver medal, William Gramley, “Little Bird, Who Made Thee?”
Bronze medal, Sondra Wainer, “Reflections on a Photo”
Short Story:
Gold medal, Leslie Lavender, “The Clock”
Silver medal, Peter Venable, “Black Ankle Road”
Bronze medal, William Gramley, “A Therapy Session”
We will award medals on Thursday, June 25, from 10 a.m. until noon, with winners picking up their medals at the drive-thru window at the Black Phillips Smith Government Center . We will be congratulating winners and taking photos as they leave the parking lot (weather permitting).
Piedmont Plus Senior Games/SilverArts 2021 will start accepting registrations in mid-January 2021. We pray that life will be back to normal by then and the 2021 games will be held as they have been in the past. In the meantime, we thank everyone who registered to participate this year, even if your event had to be canceled, and appreciate the flexibility of the SilverArts participants.
And please, remember to frequently wash your hands and wear a cloth mask while staying 6 feet away from another person!
Chuck Vestal is the adult recreation supervisor and Senior Games coordinator for the City of Winston-Salem Recreation and Parks Department. Reach Chuck at 336-727-2325 or email chuckv@cityofws.org. For more information about Piedmont Plus Senior Games/SilverArts, go to www.WePlay.ws.
