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Artist is success story at annual festival

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

jmckenzie@tampatrib.com

Published: November 25, 2009

TEMPLE TERRACE - Each piece of art Linda Molto chose to show in this year's Temple Terrace Community Arts Festival was created to tell a story.

Such was the case with the serigraph she titled "Shrimper in the Kitchen." Molto painted it in the image of a boat she long admired along the docks of Sarasota Bay in her hometown of Cortez, one of the state's few remaining fishing villages.

The silkscreen print in which she used fine mesh to painstakingly transfer ink onto canvas was more than a month in the making.

Molto was awarded the festival's top prize of $2,500 for her piece in the annual show that was Nov. 14 and 15 at Riverhills Park. It included works of almost 70 fine artists and 50 crafters who traveled from cities and states throughout the Southeast.

"I was not only very surprised, I was thrilled," said Molto, who plans to donate her serigraph to the Cortez Art Museum.

Second-place award recipient A.B. Ward captured $1,500 in prize money; third-place winner Tom Krause won $1,000; Ken Laffal took home $800 for fourth place; and firth-place award recipient Roy Ray Reel pocketed $500.

The event, sponsored by the Temple Terrace Arts Council, also featured "Fresh Views," an exhibit of artwork created by children from the local elementary schools. Entertainment including music, and singing was provided by Florida College and the Hy-Notes, a family trio from Temple Terrace.

"It was a great event, and I was honored to be part of it," said Temple Terrace Councilwoman Mary Jane Neale, who also serves as president of the arts council.

"If our parking lots were indicators, we had more attend than usual," she said.

The art council's longtime tradition of buying several works at the festival continued this year. The pieces will be on display for about a year at the Lightfoot Recreation Center in Temple Terrace. Just as in past years, it will go up for bid during the council's 2011 art auction. The program is intended to interest residents in art and perpetuate the money to sustain the annual fall festival.

"We'll be back again next year at the same place, the second weekend in November," Neal said.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 731-8026.

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