
UPDATE: A painting that pays homage to the folk art of Cuba won the Best of Show Award at this weekend’s Mayfaire by-the-Lake art festival. The award was presented to Jessie Dominguez Reyes of Gainesville, who represented the family trio behind the art.
Reyes, a Havana-born ballet dancer, said the paintings are a collaboration between her mother, visual artist Nancy Reyes, herself and her husband, Aaron Gomez.
The Facebook page for Nancy Reyes Art describes the oil and acrylic paintings as “unique folk art paintings on canvas inspired by love and nature with a message of peace, hope and respect.”
Jessie Reyes is a Havana native who was a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Cuba and now dances with the Dance Alive National Ballet of Gainesville.

This year’s Mayfaire award winners, listed below, were announced Saturday evening. The judge was Jayne Wilkinson, a Toronto writer, editor and art curator.
The 2022 Mayfaire by-the-Lake art festival winners:
Best of Show ($5,000)
- Jessie D. Reyes, Gainesville, Florida, Painting – Oil and Acrylics, Booth #20
Awards of Excellence ($2,000 each)
- Greg Mannheimer, Lakeland, Florida, Painting – Oil and Acrylics, Booth #62
- Magali Cereghino-Groves, Orlando, Florida, Wood, Booth #89
Awards of Distinction ($1,000 each)
- Michael Brown, Longwood, Florida, Sculpture, Booth #23
- Alex Lanier, Tallahassee, Florida, Digital Art, Booth #49
- Dan Bi, Markham, Ontario, Mixed Media, Booth #15
- Dennis Angel, Edgewood, Florida, Drawing and Graphics, Booth #95
Merit Awards ($500 each)
- William Kidd, St. Petersburg, Florida, Clay, Booth #84
- Marian Baker, Oneonta, Alabama, Mixed Media, Booth #9
- Ray McLendon, Vero Beach, Florida, Painting – Oil and Acrylics, Booth #70
- Jen Kish, Palm Coast, Florida, Jewelry, Booth #99
- Harlow Manning, Winter Haven, Florida, Mixed Media, Booth #114
- David Figueroa, Sanford, Florida, Sculpture, Booth #112
Honorable Mention Awards ($200 each)
- Lisa Davin, Delray Beach, Florida, Jewelry, Booth #52
- Chris Boone, Matthews, North Carolina, Wood, Booth #115
- Pamela Chevalier, Longboat Key, Florida, Sculpture, Booth #121
- John Cheer, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Clay, Booth #142
- Cynthia Walston, Lutz, Florida, Painting – Oil and Acrylics, Booth #171
