Artist

GOLD: LIESE CHAVEZ
741 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, 685-0225
There was a lot of competition for this award, and Chavez, general manager of Mountain Living Studios, won with considerable praise for skill in multiple mediums as well as the downright beauty of her work. “Everyone who meets her or sees her work,” one voter said, “knows she’s something special!”
SILVER: BRANDON MIERA
BRONZE: STEVE WEED

EXPERT PICK

SEAN O’MEALLIE
seanomeallie.com
O’Meallie’s work defies easy categorization. It’s handmade sculpture, sure, that with candy colors, plastic surfaces and preschool shapes often looks like manufactured toys. The whimsy, though, can camouflage something more profound, something haunting and, on occasion, disturbing. His work, featured in this Best of the Springs, stays with you. Whether you want it to or not.