2019 Annie Award Winners

Arts Patron – Mary P. Johnson

Mary Johnson has been a fixture in the Anne Arundel County arts scene for decades; both personally and professionally as the local Baltimore Sun Arts Correspondent.

Performing Arts – Ronald J. Gretz

Maestro Gretz has served as the Artistic Director for the Annapolis Opera for the past thirty- six years and will be celebrating his retirement at the conclusion of the 2020 Season.

Literary Arts – Grace Cavalieri

Maryland Poet Laureate and Author Grace Cavalieri has celebrated forty-two years as the Founder of “The Poet and the Poem”, which is the longest running Poetry series in the history of broadcasting.

Visual Arts – David Lawton

David Lawton is a gifted Portrait and Plein Air artist and teacher who has shared his expertise with the local senior community for decades; he now serves as the President of the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters.

Arts Educator – Matilda Jane Kraemer

Matilda Jane Kraemer is a pianist, organist, teacher, author, composer, watercolor artist, poet and choral director who has been an educator for over sixty years.

Historic Arts – Joan Cass Beck

Joan Cass Beck, a former Trustee and Preservationist with AACPL, was a driving force behind the Gold Star Collection of rare historic materials soon to be dedicated at the Annapolis Regional Library.

Arts Excellence in Leadership – Lee Anderson and Patti White

Lee Anderson & Patti White, Founding Directors of both the Annapolis Film Festival and Filmsters Academy, are a tour de force in attracting legendary talent to Annapolis & the mid-Atlantic region.

Maverick Award – Jeff Huntington

Jeff Huntington is a true avant-garde artist whose body of work and passion continue to ignite the heart and soul of the local arts community.

Lifetime Achievement – Josephine Barker

Josephine “Jo” Barker has served as a pillar of the Northern Arundel County Arts Community for decades; the Performing Arts Association of Linthicum, the Greater Women’s Club of Linthicum Heights, and Maryland Federation of Women’s Clubs have greatly benefited from her time and expertise.