West Bend, WI – After months of waiting, and multiple rounds of voting, Horicon Bank is excited to announce the $2,000 Grand Prize winner of our TAKE FLIGHT Art Contest. Geraldine Buteyn, a local artists from Brandon, WI won the top prize with her painting of geese taking flight over a pond.
Starting in February, the bank asked for pieces of art that captured the feeling of flight. After receiving over 250 submissions, the Horicon Bank Art committee was tasked with the difficult job of choosing their top three contenders to compete for the Grand Prize. The top three pieces were then voted on by the public.
Horicon Bank announces a $2000 Grand Prize winner in their TAKE FLIGHT Art Contest.
The TAKE FLIGHT Art Contest launched in February and was open to artists of all ages. Artists were asked to capture “WINGS” – an ode to the bank’s logo and deep ties to the Horicon Marsh.
After multiple rounds of judging by the Bank’s Art Committee and voting by the community at-large, the TAKE FLIGHT Art Contest awarded Geraldine Buteyn a grand prize of $2,000.
Buteyn is a local artist from Brandon, Wis. A retired middle and high school art teacher, Buteyn now spends her time in the studio painting just for enjoyment. She creates commissioned murals and paintings, teaches classes and is an active member of the Waupun Fine Arts organization.
“When we started this contest back in February, we didn’t expect the volume of entries we received,” said Fred C. Schwertfeger, Senior VP of Marketing. “Our judges had a tough time narrowing down the 250 art submissions to just three top contenders for community vote. Geraldine’s piece truly evokes the feeling of flight and we are pleased to announce her as our Grand Prize winner.”
Why an art contest?
“As a community bank, we care about our quality of life in Wisconsin,” said Schwertfeger. “Art is one thing that brings us all together. By celebrating the creativity in our community, we hope to learn more about our shared heritage and future.”
Founded in 1896, Horicon Bank is a full-service community bank serving the banking needs of 14 communities in twenty locations across the state.