La Quinta Arts Festival is proud to announce our 2011 Award Winners. Twenty-four judges independently evaluate one art media category in their respective expertise on the opening morning of Festival. The qualifications brought by this panel of judges adds tremendous credibility to our event. We encourage the judges to interact with each artist and ask relevant questions about their process. Booth display is also a component of the judging criteria. We commend the judges and congratulate all of the Artist Award Winners!
Adam Neeley, Jewelry
Adam Neeley
At twelve years of age, Adam started teaching himself the rudiments of gemstone cutting and silver-smithing with an emerging style of Southwestern motifs and patterns. At fifteen, Adam participated in his first major art show in Telluride, CO. It was a successful debut, and the artist sold all of his pieces. This experience heralded the start of an odyssey as Neeley began to explore a more contemporary and less regional expression stylistic.
Adam was awarded a Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) degree from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, CA, and continued his studies at one of Europe’s top gold-smithing institutions, Le Arti Orafe in Florence, Italy. Neeley had occasion to refine his ability in the realm of platinum-smithing and computer aided design (CAD) from Professor Dominic Ventura at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
Neeley has received nine Best in Show and 1st Place awards, two Tahitian Pearl Trophies and two MUSA awards. Adam has chosen Laguna Beach, CA to be his business center and establish his jewelry gallery in Laguna’s Gallery Row. Adam was selected Best of Show at La Quinta Arts Festival 2011 for a second time, having previously won the distinction in 2009.
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 CERAMICS:Fred Stodder fredstodder.com |  DRAWING & PRINTMAKING:David Bjurstrom bjurstromstudio.com |  FIBER: Mary Sly |  GLASS:Christopher Jeffries jeffriesglass.com |
 MIXED MEDIA:Michael Madzo |  PAINTING: Michael Situ michaelsitu.com |  PHOTOGRAPHY:Mark Stephenson markstephensonart.info |  SCULPTURE: Jim Martin jimmartinsculpture.com |
 WOOD:Tom Thornton tomthorntonwoodworking.com |
