Easter Decoy & Art Festival Award Winners
The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce Easter Decoy & Art Festival is celebrated as a rite of spring on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Fine art, carvings, jewelry, sculpture and other artisan crafts were showcased by exhibitors from Pennsylvania to Florida at the two day festival over Easter weekend. It is our honor to announce the 2023 winners with the Curtis Merritt Award of Excellence voted on by the exhibitors and Best Carver and Best Artist voted on by festival attendees. Best picture of Chincoteague or Assateague is voted on by a jury.
2025 Curtis Merritt Award Of Excellence Winner
Jimmy Bowden
The Curtis Merritt Award of Excellence is awarded to an exhibitor who demonstrates exemplary qualities as an artist or carver as chosen by a jury of their peers. The 2025 recipient of the festival's highest award was Jimmy Bowden. At a young age, Jimmy mowed the grass for the now world-renowned decoy carver, Miles Hancock. He soon found himself using a hatchet to chop decoy blanks for Miles and at the age of 13, began carving under his guidance. Over sixty years later, Jimmy continues to carve Hancock style working decoys, shorebirds, and confidence stools. Learn more about Jimmy on Facebook at Jimmy Bowden Decoys.
2025 People’s Choice For Best Carver
Donnie Mason
People's Choice for Best Carver was awarded to Donnie Mason. Donnie was born and raised on the Eastern Shore and has developed an amazing talent of bringing decoys, shorebirds, songbirds, and Santa Clauses to life since he began carving in 1980. Donnie was awarded the Eastern Shore Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year in 1988 and has competed up and down the Shore over the years.
2025 People’s Choice For Best Artist
Mary Lou Troutman
People’s Choice for Best Artist was awarded to Mary Lou Troutman for her acrylic paintings of nautical and wildlife scenes which can be purchased as originals, prints, and on giftware. Mary Lou attended the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and while she prefers to paint in her woodland studio where she keeps close company with an abundance of nature, her husband, Jeff, exhibits her work throughout the region. Through years of recognition, numerous awards, and artistic achievements, her work has become a part of both private and corporate collections that span from coast to coast. You can learn more about Mary Lou and her work at www.maryloutroutman.com. Accepting the award on her behalf, her husband Jeff Troutman.
2025 Best Photograph Of Chincoteague Or Assateague
Darcy Cole, DSC Photography
Best Photograph of Chincoteague or Assateague was awarded to Darcy Cole for her picture of a group of Chincoteague Ponies running down a gravel road during a recent roundup. Together with her husband, Steve, Darcy spends over 300 days each year walking the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge photographing the Chincoteague Ponies and other wildlife. The photos are also used for their Pony Identification books and cards, calendars, t-shirts, baseball caps, magnets, and more. See more of Darcy and Steve's work at www.dscphotography.net.
