NAPLES, FL.- From 300 artists representing 40 states entered in the 29th annual Naples National Art Festival, the judges have selected the award winners for this year's show, the Naples Art Association announced. The festival continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday in Cambier Park, downtown Naples.

Elaine Vreenegoor, a past president of the Naples Art Association and current president of the Arts Council of Southwest Florida, and Susan Bridges, an artist and lecturer, served as judges. They selected a total of 20 artists to receive the following awards:

Best in Show - Sue Archer of Palm Beach Gardens, FL (watercolor). "It was a marvelous use of watercolor," said Vreenegoor. "It was hard to realize it was a watercolor, because the colors were so vibrant you could mistake it for oil or acrylic. She had beautiful handling of technique, composition and color."

Best in Two Dimension - Marc Duke of Leesburg, FL (photography). "He understood photography, he understood the darkroom, but more than anything he adhered to the principle that less is more," said Vreenegoor.

Best in Three Dimension - James LaCasse of Denver, CO (sculpture). "His artwork pushes imagery, a high level of expertise and personal commitment, all to excellent levels," said Bridges. "From one artwork to another, his sculptures entertain, challenge and thrill the viewer."

Overall, Bridges noted that "it was great to see the variety and diversity of artists and artwork at the Naples National, and also wonderful to see how Southwest Florida has and continues to evolve in the arts."

The following 16 artists were recognized with an Award of Distinction: Ron and Sherry Blankenship of Westville, OK (glass); John Booth of Minneapolis, MN (oil/acrylic); Jim Budish of Highland Park, IL (sculpture); Jeffrey Cannon of Austin, TX (graphics/drawing); Laurel Gregory of Sedalia, CO (sculpture); Nathan Grubish of Ludington, MI (clay); Signe Grushovenko of LaGrange, GA (oil/acrylic); Scott Hartley of Ann Arbor, MI (watercolor); Ronna Katz of Albuquerque, NM (graphics/drawing); Ethan Lillemoe of Fairburn, GA (clay); John Mascoll of Safety Harbor, FL (wood); Pamela Neil of Palm Beach Gardens, FL (oil/acrylic); Yu Cha Pak of Houston, TX (watercolor); Ron Phillips of Lithonia, GA (mixed media); Steven Potts of Palmetto, GA (wood); Lauren Sundin of Concord, NH (jewelry).

The 2008 Naples National Art Festival was sponsored by Planning Development Inc., Anchor Health Centers, Naples Daily News, Clear Channel, Comcast, City of Naples, and Collier County Tourist Development Council.