The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County (“ACA”) has selected landscape artist Johanna McKenzie as the recipient of the 2024 Dominique Award. The award has been given annually since 2010 to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the local cultural community.
“Johanna McKenzie has had a lifelong commitment to making art and helping others to make art,” said ACA board chair Susan Woythaler. “The ACA is pleased to recognize her great talent, her activism on behalf of the arts, and her generous spirit in bringing the arts to many others over the years.”
McKenzie helped to create a community gallery in Little Compton, where she resides, and co-founded the Art League of RI with Nancy Gaucher-Thomas. She was instrumental in securing the Grange Hall for the Little Compton Community Center and ran painting classes for the adult day care program at the Wellness Center. She currently sponsors an after-school dance program at the Wilbur McMahon School, with support from Newport Contemporary Ballet.
McKenzie created, in collaboration with Timberland, a Boot Project, bringing practicing artists from the Newport area to lead young artists in Central Falls to use a pair of Timberland boots as a canvas. The participating artists helped in raising money to cover costs of books and art supplies for college bound students majoring in the arts. During the Covid epidemic, she painted miniature scenes on shells as inspirational gifts for the frontline staff in local hospitals. McKenzie received a gold medal from the Catharine Lorillard Art Club in New York and has received awards from the Newport Art Museum and the Providence Art Club.
Since 2010, the ACA has given the Dominique Award annually to Newport
County individuals who champion the arts and the arts community. Past Dominique awardees have included Dominique Alfandre, What’sUpNewp’s Ryan Belmore, Alan Bernstein, Liz and Emlen Drayton, Ronald Lee Fleming, Bill Heydt, Tom Hockaday, Sue Lamond, Miki Ohlsen, Bonnie Strickman, Lynne Tungett, Alison Vareika and LeRoy White.
The Dominique Award will be presented at the ACA’s “Raise Up the Arts” event on June 26, 2024. The event will be held at Johnny’s at the Wyndham Newport in Middletown. The 2024 Artist Award, the 2024 LeRoy White Soul & Conscience Award, and the Tinney Family Arts Scholarship will also be presented at the event. Ticket information may be found at www.newportarts.org.
