Belleville

Winners of top artist awards announced by Belleville’s Art on the Square

Belleville News-Democrat

Updated May 18, 2025 3:42 PM

William Kwamena-Poh hugs Art on the Square volunteer Jesse White after winning the award for Best of Show. Joshua Carter Belleville News-Democrat

This year’s Best of Show award at Art on the Square in Belleville went to a watercolor painter from Savannah.

Painter William Kwamena-Poh was born in Ghana and came to the United States in the early 1980s when his father traveled to teach history at Talladega College in Alabama as a Fulbright scholar, according to the artist’s website and a biography on the Telfair Museums website.

Kwamena-Poh now lives and works in Savannah, where his artwork was recently displayed in a solo exhibition at the Jepson Center for the Arts, part of the Telfair Museums system.

The Best of Show award comes with a $5,000 cash prize and an invitation to return to Art on the Square in 2026.

William Kwamena-Poh smiles as he accepts the Best in Show award during Saturday’s Art on the Square awards ceremony. Joshua Carter Belleville News-Democrat

William Kwamena-Poh proudly displays his Best of Show award from Saturday’s Art on the Square awards ceremony. “I cannot believe it,” he said. Joshua Carter Belleville News-Democrat

Here are the other winners from the 2025 art festival in downtown Belleville:

Best of Category, $1,500 prize:

Paul Miller - Wood

Kevin Whetstone - Sculpture

Jeffrey Raasch - Ceramics

Dante Germain - Glass

Evan Abrahamson - Mixed Media

Radim Schreiber - Photography

Sondra Wampler - Digital Graphic Design

Ludmila Gancova - Fine Craft

Carlos Montanaro - Jewelry

Robin Lauersdorf - Drawing-Printmaking

Andrew Rola - Painting

Jewelry maker Carlos Montenaro of Indio, California, smiles as he walks down the aisle to accept his Best of Category award during Saturday’s Art on the Square awards ceremony. Joshua Carter Belleville News-Democrat

Award of Excellence, $500 prize:

Darren Olson - Photography

Katherine Alexander - Fine Craft

Tony Cray - Glass

Tony Borchardt - Ceramics

Stephan Wheeler - Painting

Michael Bond - Drawing-Printmaking

Andrew Kosten - Drawing-Printmaking

Shawn Cornell - Painting

Barb King Jewelry Award, $500 prize:

Barbara Nelson - Jewelry

Purchase Award for St. Clare Catholic School, $6,500:

Award sponsored by Greensfelder

Jeff Easley - Wood

Memorial/BJC Purchase Award, $2,500:

Radim Schreiber - Photography

Purchase Award for Belleville East High School, $1,500:

Award sponsored by Lance LePair

Michael Rohner - Drawing - Printmaking

Michael Rohner smiles next to his painting “The Duality of Vulnerability” after winning a purchase award. Joshua Carter Belleville News-Democrat

Joan Voss Renner Purchase Award, $1,500:

Kendra Runnels - Mixed Media

AOTS Committee Purchase Award, $1,000: