IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts expected to draw thousands to New Smyrna Beach today on a beautiful Sunday

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Photos by Henry Frederick / Former New Smyrna Beach Mayor Jim Vandergrifft and his wife, Pamela, and their miniature poodle, Cooper, stroll down Canal Street towards the Intracoastal Waterway after Saturday's IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts. The festival makes its second and final run today. The event is free to the public where countless works of art are showcased and offered for sale. For more information, please go to http://www.imagesartfestival.org/  

NEW SMYRNA BEACH --Former Mayor Jim Vandergrifft and his wife, Pamela, were impressed by the array of art exhibits and the large crowd during Saturday's opening of the 2011 IMAGES: A Festical of the Arts, on historic Canal Street and Riverside Drive near the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway.

"It was packed and weather was gorgeous," Pamela Vandergrifft said, her husband nodding in agreement.

Photos by Sandi Carroll / At left, Shiloh Marie Smith, 2, plays with a plastic flower as she waits with her mom for the Showdolls to start the IMAGES entertainment off Saturday morning. 

Below, people are nearly shoulder to shoulder as they make their way along Canal Street and Riverside Drive.

The festival, which expects thousands more today with continued picture-perfect weather, is the chief fundraising event for the Atlantic Center for the Arts.

The event is free to the public.

Sandi Carroll / New Smyrna Beach artist Linda Knight poses for a photo at her booth Saturday. She earned an Award of Merit.

More than $100,000 in patron awards and cash prizes were given out by judges Saturday.

One of the prize winners was mixed media artist Linda Knight of New Smyrna Beach who won $250 in the category of Award of Merit.

“To me, IMAGES is the leading show in the area and one of the best in the country by reputation,” Knights aid. “This is my first year and I just feel so honored to be chosen to show my work with other artists who I feel are of the highest caliber around.”

Knight earned an Award of Merit from judges Nancy Friedmann and Scott Habes.

“I was very impressed by the depth and breadth of work at IMAGES," Habes said. "Fellow judge Nancy Freidmann and myself deliberated for hours and carefully selected our winners."

Habes added, "The artist participation and enthusiasm is a testament to the strength of this tremendous event. I want to thank everyone, from the ACA staff to the artists to the volunteers, for making this event such an overwhelming success."

Here is the list of 2011 winners announced by the IMAGES judges Saturday:

TOP FESTIVAL AWARDS Award of Excellence ($1,500): Ummarid Eitharong, "Mean Tide," Mixed-Media · George and June Musson Award ($2,500): David David Figueroa, "Emergency Alter" Sculpture · Best of Show ($5,000): Magali Groves, "Butterflies are Forever," and "Wisdom" Fine Craft.

AWARDS OF DISTINCTION ($800): 1) Jason Hunt, drawing/graphics; 2) Matthew Hatala, wood; 3) Jonathan Poirier, glass; 4) Patricia Karnes, jewelry.

AWARD OF COMMENDATION ($500); 1) David Rowell, photography; 2) Maria Cano, jewelry; 3) Harry & BJ Mackie, jewelry; 4) Michael Myers, photography; 5) Nels Johnson, photography; 6) Stewart Jones, painting.

JUDGES CHOICE ($350) 1) Karen and Steven Boyd, painting; 2) Ed Brownlee, ceramics; 3) Charles Hazelaar, sculpture; 4) Scott Anderson, wood; 5) Serge Bojan, glass.

AWARD OF MERIT ($250 ) 1) Martha and Gaff Pearce, ceramics; 2) Kathleen Chenet, painting; 3) Paul M. Stevens, photography; 4) Jay Canterbury, photography; 5) Holly Hambrick, mixed-media; 6) James W. Parker, photography; 7) Linda Knight, mixed media; 8) Gary Curtis, painting; 9) Robert Wince, painting; 10) Don Patrick, wood; 11) Ray Cannata, wood; 12) Robert Kastrinos, ceramics.

AWARD OF HONOR ($200): 1) Marian Pacsuta, painting; 2) Tim Ludwig, ceramics; 3) Vadim Malkin, ceramics; 4) Jens Bisgaard, jewelry; 5) Mina Heusleim, ceramics; 6) Chuck Boux, glass.