The 4th Annual Union City Artist Awards

The 4th Annual Union City Artist Awards 

Classy Fun-filled Affair

The City of Union City’s Fourth Annual Union City Artist Awards held on Friday, June 19, 2015 at the William V. Musto Cultural Center in Union City, New Jersey was a classy fun-filled affair.  From the moment you approached the “museum” you knew you were in for a glorious night.  Outside the Center, attendees were greeted by several classic cars, a red carpet, and underneath a large white tent, theatrical lighting and killer dance music courtesy of a tall well-clad leading man type good looking DJ.  This is the most anticipated and most important art event held in the City every year... and probably the State.  Each year, the event brings together a who's who from the arts community.  If you're an artist, this is the place to be seen.

The awards honored some of the most talented and dedicated artists from all disciplines who have contributed to Union City's artistic fabric, and some honorees have succeeded at an international level.  

Inside, refreshments were served to the music of Bob DeBenedette.  Partygoers mingled and shared laughs.  The spirits were very high in anticipation of the awards ceremony themselves.  There were several politicians present and took turns in addressing the eager standing-room only crowd.  Also speaking were he City Historian, Gerard Karabin; City Poet Laureate, Jorge Luis Seco, and City Art Curator, Amado Mora.  Each spoke eloquently in explaining the importance of the arts in the community.

Commissioner of Public Affairs and also artist, Lucio Fernandez served as Master of Ceremony, and accompanying him as presenters were Taylor Schramm and Liliana Barrera.  However, the night belonged to the dozen honorees.  They varied from photographers to fashion designes to arts educators, but all were very accomplished individuals with an extensive list of credentials.  

(Commissioner Lucio Fernandez, Don Oriolo, and Donald Oriolo)

Highlights of the evening were posthumous presentations to Joseph “Joe” Oriolo and Michele Savoia of House of Savoia.  Joseph “Joe” Oriolo was an American cartoon animator, writer, director and producer, known as the co-creator of Casper the Friendly Ghost and the creator of the Felix the Cat TV series.  Joe’s son, Don Oriolo accompanied by grandson Donald, accepted on behalf of his father Joseph "Joe" Oriolo who passed away in 1985. After receiving the honor, Don pulled out a custom Felix the Cat guitar and sang the TV series’ theme song to an appreciative audience.  Later he presented to Commissioner Fernandez the guitar and a picture of his dad sitting at a drafting table surrounded by his two characters Casper and Felix the Cat.

(Michele Savoia)

Michele Savoia of House of Savoia was a renowned fashion designer who passed away in February 2014 in a tragic accident on The Hudson River in New York City. Savoia was a  MASTER TAILOR of MENSWEAR,  and a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. 

(Virginia Hildebrant & Steven Zivkovic)

Friends Virginia Hildebrant and Steven Zivkovic accepted the award on behalf on of Gabriella Savoia for her dad, Michele Savoia of House of Savoia.  The presentation was very moving due to the fact the City had wanted to honor him prior to his untimely death.

(Ray Machado & His Group)

Following the awards ceremony the packed  house danced the night away to the electrifying beats of Ray Machado & His Group. This was a most memorable evening, and having so many artist under one roof made it all even more special.

The honorees were:

Charles Bernard Murray

Ray Machado Gomez

Mouhsine Idrissi Janati

Alex Rask

Giovanni Calabrese

Orlando del Rio

Ray O. Machado Cruz

Joseph D. Fiorenza Conklin

Mrs. Eleanor Yaschak

Elizabeth Ann McLaughlin

Joseph "Joe" Oriolo Accepted by his son Don Oriolo 

&

Michele Savoia of House of Savoia

Virginia Hildebrant and Steven Zivkovic accepted the award on behalf on of Gabriella Savoia for her dad, Michele Savoia