All Ages: 45th Dundalk Art Show Winners

Prudencio Torres is the former executive chef at University of Maryland Medical Center, but he’s also been an artist all his life. Starting to draw at 5 years old, he later attended the Baltimore School for the Arts with a concentration in visual arts.

Two years ago, the Dundalk father began working at home full-time as an artist, “as well as a full-time father,” he added at the 45th Dundalk Art Show at Heritage Park. His position at the University of Maryland Medical Center was “24/7,” he said, leaving little time for art.

Saturday afternoon, his huge portrait of Baltimore icons Ray Lewis, Cal Ripken and Edgar Allan Poe, in front of the Maryland flag and behind a bushel of crabs and a tin of Old Bay, took second place in the Professional Art category.

“Someone said I need to get a can of Natty Boh in there,” Torres said with a laugh. “I guess I could add it near the crabs.”

Watercolorist Jackie Miller won the Professional Art category, as she did last year.

The traditional open air Dundalk Art Show drew fewer overall entries than recent past years, but Jean Walker, one of the art show committee members, said the variety of work was particularly impressive this year.

One of the youngest winners was Kaleti Itter, who won first place in Elementary School photography with a picture of two of her dolls. The 8-year-old Sussex Elementary student from Essex also took second place in the overall Elementary School category with an underwater collage.

Her older sister, Xena Itter, 13, a middle schooler at Deep Creek, won first place in Middle School Photography with a portrait of her cat, Mr. Bagles.

“Just by looking at it, you can see his personality,” Xena said of the close-up black and white photo of Mr. Bagles, his bright eyes and sharp whiskers. “He’s a maniac cat. He likes to climb walls.”

“Xena first entered three years ago and that’s got Kaleti interested,” said the girls’ mother, Tammy Newell. “I used to like doing photography when I was young, too.”

Music for the show was provided by Dundalk Idol winner Gina Barilone and John Young on keyboard. Entertainment also included Punch & Judy puppet shows.

Jim Kuhlman, art department chairman at Dulaney High School, served as the show’s judge.

2011 Art Show Winners:

Professional Art:

1. Jackie Miller
2. Prudencio Torres
3. Leslie Bertram

Non-professional Art

1. Portia Lewis
2. Stewart Gray
3. Alan Skiles

Senior Art

1. Ateaze Senior Center

Senior Photography

1. Edgar L. Davis

Non-professional Photography

1. Dorothy Cristy
2. Pat McVey
3. Kenneth Ey

Professional Craft

1. Cheryl Fekete

Senior Craft

1. Ateaze
2. Georgene Evans
3. Sara Prevatt

Elementary School

1. Sarah Hunter
2. Kaleti Itter
3. Karly & Nora Massoni

Elementary School Photography

   1. Kaleti Itter

Middle School

   1.Chloe Cosention

   2. Ryan Bishop

   3. Madison Anders

 High School Students

1. Shaina Yourik

Middle School Photography

1. Xena Itter

Elementary School Art Entries

1. Battle Grove Elementary
2. Our Lady Hope/St. Luke

Middle School Art Enteries

1. Dundalk Middle

High School Art Enteries

1. Dundalk High
2. Sparrows Point High