Weekend Pics: Piedmont’s Got Talent and the Big Art Show

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Sudthida Cheunkarndee

All Participants: Front row, sitting (l to r): Giselle Bahri Tindall, Michael Peng, Benjamin Sachs, Jackson Lommen, Owen Blanford, Torsten Olsen, Gianluca Bini; Middle row, kneeling (l to r): Miles Antaya, Charlotte Lichens, Gabrielle Garcia, Natalie Lim, Sophie Eng, Maggie Sullivan, Caroline Collins, Sophia Hiestand, Klaire Cherryhomes; Back row, standing (l to r): Kevin Humphreys, Grady O'Gara, Samantha Cheunkarndee, Blaise Harrison, Audrey La Jeunesse, Alfonso Hollingsworth, Caitlin Boothby, Jackson Thornborrow, Caitlin Gong, Ella Vo, Evelina Mitchell (missing Katherine Graham, Vivian Hung, Erin Sturdivant).

Piedmont Arts Fund (the merged PAINTS and CHIME organization) hosted two events on Saturday, March 16: the inaugural Piedmont’s Got Talent!” show and the opening reception of the third annual “Big Art Show.”

Grand Prize Winner: PMS 8th grader Evelina Mitchell (voice and piano) with judges (l to r) Rosemary Orozco, Keri Elmquist, Emily Keyshian, and San Francisco Symphony second horn Jonathan Ring.

Fifth through twelfth grade students performed in front of a sold-out crowd with standing room only at Piedmont Veterans Hall.  The 14 acts were selected by audition among 28 entries.  Piedmont Arts Fund co-chair Becca Posamentier, a co-founder of Bay Area Children’s Theater, produced and directed the show.

1st Prize Winner: Classical Quartet (l to r) Kevin Humphreys (violin), Samantha Cheunkarndee (violin), and Grady O’Gara (cello); missing Katherine Graham (viola).
Runner Up: Ballet Dance Troupe high school students Caroline Collins, Maggie Sullivan, Klaire Cherryhomes, Sophie Eng, Sophia Hiestand.

After the performance, the crowd headed to the Big Art Show Opening Reception for a festive party at Piedmont Center for the Arts.  With over sixty works of art displayed by 27 artists, the juried Big Art Show is the main fundraising event for Piedmont Arts Fund.

The Big Art Show continues through March 30 at Piedmont Center for the Arts at 801 Magnolia Avenue, across the street from Piedmont High School.  Art can be purchased during gallery hours and online at piedmontartsfund.org.

  • Piedmont Art Fund Co-Chairs Jane Lin and Becca Posamentier enjoyed the fruits of their labor at the Opening Reception of the Big Art Show.  Behind them are 24″ x 18″ paper and mixed media pieces by Ta Mueller titled “Blur.”


  • Paint palette cookies created by a Piedmont Arts Fund volunteer
  • Piedmont Center for the Arts was at full capacity as artists and guests mingled and viewed art to benefit performing and visual arts in Piedmont schools.
  • Emily Shoop, Sara Ironside, and Linda Song Wendel enjoyed wine donated by Stacey Isaacs of Company Realty at the opening reception of the Big Art Show at Piedmont Center for the Arts.
  • Tanker Bear by Sally Fairfax.  Description: hollow bear trapped in oil tanker. 

Art Show photos by Linda Song Wendel.

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