Pat Richards Dodds congratulates the award recipient Dustin Sherron

“I’m thrilled and speechless,” Sherron said. He smiled for photos with his award.

Sherron blossomed as an artist this year in Gerald Swigger’s printmaking class at Moorpark College.

“Printmaking is really growing on me,” he said. “I’ll invest (the award) in more supplies to make more prints.”

Committee members Gerd Koch, Tom McMillin and Bob Privitt from Studio Channel Islands Art Center selected Sherron for the award.

“There’s marvelous sense of whimsy and playfulness,” said Koch of Sherron’s prints. “We were so impressed with the work, the skill and the imagination.”

Usually taking art off gallery walls is frowned upon, but not at Studio Channel Islands Art Center’s “100 for 100” fundraiser on March 18 in Old Town Camarillo. Artists-in-residence donated over 100 pieces to be raffled off at the annual event.

“I’ve been coming every year. The quality of the art here is so superior. It’s so generous of the artists to give up these priceless works,” said Peg Hicks-Moore.

Tickets were sold in advance for $100 each. Guests received a ticket with their name on it as they arrived at the art gallery. The first 25 guests were in group A; the next 25 were in group B, and so on.

“They put their cards into a bowl and we draw out names,” said artist-in-residence Arlene Mead as she welcomed people to the event. “Guests could buy tickets online, by phone and in person,” she said.