The A. E. Backus Museum Announces the Winners of the

Twelfth Annual Juried Photography Competition

The A.E. "Bean" Backus Museum and Gallery presents Through the Eye of the Camera, the twelfth annual photography competition featuring one hundred and thirty-four of the year's best photographs. On view April 25 through May 26, 2007, the show includes work from talented photographers from across Florida. Two hundred and thirty-four entries (twenty-five percent more than last year) were submitted in five categories: Black & White Film - All Subjects, Color Film - All Subjects, Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature, Digital - Still Life/Portrait, and Manipulated Imagery - Digital and Film. Cash and merchandise prizes will be awarded by Jiffy Photo and Canon, sponsors of the competition and exhibit.

Each year new judges are selected to provide a fresh perspective on the exhibit. This year's judges include Bob Dobens, Mitch Kloorfain and Carl Miller.

Bob Dobens owns and operates Photo Fantasies in Stuart, FL. Originally, from New Hampshire, he is an award-winning photographer and one of the Treasure Coast's premiere event photographers. Dobens is very versatile, and enjoys photographing a wide variety of subjects and events.

Mitch Kloorfain is the chief photographer for the Hometown News. In his current position, he oversees a staff of eight photojournalists from north Palm Beach to Volusia County. Kloorfain has been with the Hometown News for over three years.

Carl Miller is president and one of the original founders of DHI Advertising Agency in Vero Beach. His experience providing visual communications and design services for the agency's clients gives him excellent experience to be a judge for this year's photography contest. In addition to judging this year's juried show, Miller selected the images for a new edition to the competition, Seacoast National Bank's Community Calendar.

Seacoast National Bank, now a sponsor of the show along with Jiffy Photo and Canon, has selected fifteen images and will produce a beautiful pictorial community calendar of iconic images of the Treasure Coast. The names of winners of the calendar contest will be released by Seacoast before the opening reception on Friday, April 27. The calendar will be printed and released for 2008.

Kathleen Fredrick, executive director of the Backus Museum, said, "We are delighted that Seacoast Bank will be creating a calendar from images featured in the museum's annual photography show. The exhibition gains in popularity every year in both the number of entries we receive and the number of works we select to be on view. This achievement - being able to show so many artists' work - will be expanded by the creation of the calendar. People all over the Treasure Coast will be able to see and appreciate the talent that the Backus Museum's photo show presents."

2007 Backus Museum Through the Eye of the Camera Winners The following photographers took prizes in their respective categories.
Name			Title	Medium	Award
Jamie		Noelke	Cracker	Digital - Still Life/Portrait	Best in Show
Lenore		Petty	Fishing on the North Fork	Black & White Film	First Place
Kevin		Boldenow	Alone	Black & White Film	Second Place
Richard		Schopp	Looking at Quebec	Black & White Film	Third Place
Kathy		Andrews	Purity	Black & White Film	Honorable Mention
Joyce	V.	de Vries	Garden Steps	Black & White Film	Honorable Mention
Misty		Lundeen	Daddy's Little Girl	Black & White Film	Honorable Mention
Robert		McCall	Hourglass	Black & White Film	Honorable Mention
Al		Polizzi	Light On High	Color Film	First Place
J.D.		Salmon	"Down" Time	Color Film	Second Place
Richard	J.	Thomas	Rocky Mountain Wildflowers	Color Film	Third Place
Sandra		Hines	Swimming in the Rain	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Diane		Jettinghoff	Thread Lights	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Tom		Knowles	Visionary	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Doug		Macon	Hidden	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Erin		Miller	Deco Drive	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Rose		Pazos	Graveyard Shift	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Richard		Schopp	House of Refuge	Color Film	Honorable Mention
Bob		Strupat	Who's Watching Who?	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	First Place
Barbara	J.	du Pont	Perfect Landing	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Second Place
Roy		Cuellar	Lovely Bride - Snowy Egret	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Third Place
Paul		Careccia	The Florida Sandbar	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Maria		Heffernan	Waiting for Diner	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Leslie		Lafferandre	Nassau Light	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Odom		Louise	I Am Listening	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Tammy		Matthes	Pandanus in Bloom	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Robert		Schneider	Marsh Lilt	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Arlene		Spagna	Courting Great Blue Herons	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Bob		Strupat	First Light on Little Whitefish Lake	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Thomas		Winter	Fort Jefferson	Digital - Great Outdoors/Nature	Honorable Mention
Carol Stewart-Langnes			Balboa Light	Digital - Still Life/Portrait	First Place
Mike		Ricciardi	Nemo At Home	Digital - Still Life/Portrait	Second Place
Donna	R.	Green	Savory Delights	Digital - Still Life/Portrait	Third Place
Kristina		Hinkle	Shoji Silhouette	Digital - Still Life/Portrait	Honorable Mention
Steven		Horst	Hot Seat	Digital - Still Life/Portrait	Honorable Mention
Curtis		Jensen	Unruffled	Manipulated Imagery	First Place
Bob		Mitchell	McKee Pond	Manipulated Imagery	Second Place
Garry		Seidel	London Spires	Manipulated Imagery	Third Place
Robert		Carey	The Tuck	Manipulated Imagery	Honorable Mention
Dana		France	Liberated	Manipulated Imagery	Honorable Mention
Jerome		Judge	Kisses	Manipulated Imagery	Honorable Mention
Jamie		Quick	Bamboo Egg	Manipulated Imagery	Honorable Mention
Barbara Dodge Zarrella			Frangipani	Manipulated Imagery	Honorable Mention

The A.E. "Bean" Backus Museum and Gallery is a non-profit organization. It is located at 500 North Indian River Drive in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce and includes a 5000 sq. ft. public visual arts facility. The museum was established in 1960 by A.E. Backus, the preeminent Florida landscape painter, and a group of local art enthusiasts. Open six days a week from early September through mid-July (summer hours by appointment) the museum features the Nation's largest display of original paintings by Backus. The museum handles consignment sales of Backus paintings as well as other Treasure Coast artists of merit. Four additional exhibition wings feature changing exhibits of artwork by contemporary Florida artists.

Located a mere 2 blocks from Backus' longtime home and studio and adjacent to the location of his original studio, the museum is a worthwhile stop on any visitors itinerary. The museum's ample free parking provides convenient access to other area attractions, casual waterside dining and boutique shopping. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10-4, Sunday 12-4, Closed Monday. Admission is free of charge. Visit www.backusmuseum or call 772/465-0630 for more information.