JUDGES 2023

Judges selected by the festival committee are chosen for their varied backgrounds and experience in diverse art disciplines. This guarantees that the work of our exhibitors is always in good hands. The winners of this year’s awards will be posted on the front door of show headquarters in the First National Bank of South Miami late on Saturday afternoon, February 25 at 4 PM. Profiled below are the judges for 2023.

Carlos Enrique Gallostra is a representational artist and instructor based in Miami, Florida. Gallostra holds a B.F.A. from the New World School of the Arts, a conservatory in the heart of Downtown Miami which is affiliated with the University of Florida, as well as a M.F.A. and a M.S. from the Pratt Institute of New York. In addition, Gallostra furthered his studies in classical as well as contemporary approaches to figurative art at various ateliers, academies, and museums throughout the U.S. and abroad. As an instructor, Gallostra teaches private clientele as well as several workshops and university courses, which establish a rigorous focus on figurative art and portraiture. His work can be found in several private and public collections.

Sanjeev Chatterjee is a professor in the departments of cinematic arts and of journalism at the School of Communication, University of Miami. He is a documentary filmmaker with particular focus on global issues. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his films that have been seen around the world. Sanjeev is a two-time Fulbright Scholar and sits on the Fulbright National Selection Committee. He is a fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar. Sanjeev lives in Miami with his wife Sumita and their two dogs. Their two adult children Abhi and Uma are in the process of building creative lives.

Mariela Corte has been a working artist for more than 12 years. A past president of the South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild, she is a Board member and chairs the Education Committee. She also belongs to the Florida Society of Goldsmiths. Her primary work is in metal work and wire weaving, but she has worked in Polymer Clay, Enamels and mixed media. Mariela has taken workshops with many prestigious national and international artists such as Mary Hettmansperger, Pauline Warg, Sam Patania, and more. She went to Paris and the south of France for a 2 weeks workshop on “Found objects”with Susan Lenat-Kazmer and Linda Larsen. and she enjoys teaching workshops herself at national shows and art societies.