AZ Art Weekly

The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) and the Town of Sahuarita are proud to announce the winners of the second annual Sahuarita Photography Contest. The mission of this creative placemaking project is to encourage creativity and exploration while illuminating the Town of Sahuarita through a diverse array of perspectives. Wildlife researcher, essayist, and illustrator Beth Surdut earned First Place in the Plants and Wildlife category for her photo, “The Eye of the Heron.” Reflecting on her winning photo, Beth shares, “We had walked full circle around Sahuarita Lake, and were about to leave, when I saw a Black-Crowned Night Heron standing on land, watching a fisherman, who occasionally tossed a fresh-caught treat to the bird. The fisherman’s young son was moving around with kid energy, going from his dad to his mother, who was sitting in a low chair and offering juice. The bird waited, just far enough away from the activity, but close enough for good fortune. The scene was reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting of an idyllic day in the park. I left thinking that it is so lovely that this community place exists.” The contest awarded more than $2,000 in cash prizes to the First, Second, and Third Place winners in all categories, with winning photographs published locally and online in a series of media outreach and social media promotions. The photos are installed at Town Hall, and the winning photos are available to view now on the Sahuarita Photography Contest website along with several honorable mentions per category: https://www.sahuaritaphotos.com/2024-winners.html