An artist is someone who, by virtue of imagination, talent or skill, is a creator of work that carries distinct aesthetic value. An artisan, in contrast, embodies the core characteristics of an artist but channels his or her energy into the design and creation of a craft. Thus, a masterpiece constructed by an artisan tends to both engage the senses and fulfill a practical role in the daily life of its audience.
>> See More | View all the winners via our Gallery Spotlight
Each entry was accompanied by a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project, raising in excess of $1,300. A diverse, nonpartisan panel of judges carefully evaluated the submissions solely on the merits of workmanship, with no knowledge of the identities of specific products or contractors. Our industry already has its share of accolades, but we thought we’d level the playing field with this truly independent approach.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better response to the first year of our contest,” said Lora Lee Gelles, publisher of POND Trade magazine. “We look forward to making a tradition of recognizing the industry’s ‘stream of the crop’ for many years to come.”
These projects represent the collective hard work, extraordinary creativity and relentless passion of some of the elite artisans in our industry. It is projects like these from which others draw inspiration, setting the standards for the future of pond building and water gardening.
