Peeps Diorama Contest winners announced

NEWPORT— The rain passed by, and the sun welcomed more than 300 people to the Library Arts Center’s gallery on Friday evening for the “Peeps Party” to showcase more than 100 entries from the Library Arts Center’s 7th Annual Peeps Diorama Contest. 

Visitors enjoyed viewing the clever dioramas featuring Peeps marshmallow bunnies and chicks, nibbling on Peeps-themed refreshments such as chocolate-dipped Peeps & a famous cake that appears annually named “Peep-zilla,” as well as roasting Peeps s’mores in the parking lot.

The contest encouraged community members to recreate pop-culture scenarios and historic moments out of Peeps, bringing scenes to life with the iconic Easter candies.  

The Library Arts Center is one among many other organizations and media outlets across the U.S. that also host their own creative diorama contests.  One of the first contests was from the Washington Post.  While other contests have sprung up across the state in the past decade, the Arts Center proudly boasts theirs was the first in New Hampshire.  Creative and “punny” dioramas from past Library Arts Center Peeps contests have garnered attention from regional news networks like WMUR and New Hampshire Public Radio, and even national cable news networks such as MSNBC & CNN.  

 

“People can’t get enough!” says Library Arts Center executive director, Kate Luppold.  “It feels like Christmas morning when we see the entries pour in and ‘ooooh and ‘ahhhh’ at the creative touches that grace each one.  It’s so rewarding to see people return multiple times to see the entries, with their friends and family in tow.  This event celebrates community and creativity, which are both at the core of our organization’s mission,” she said.  

In 2018, Library Arts Center contest participants found inspiration for their dioramas in many different places.  Some looked to film, television, or literature for their inspiration, while others took cues from internet memes, emojis, cartoon characters or local sports teams. Several used their dioramas to promote local groups or events, celebrate social causes or express political views. 

One participant even created a full-scale model of the Library Arts Center, with a double-sided view of the center that included a scene from the Peeps Contest and award presentations, complete with tiny trophies and refreshments inside.  As usual, one thing that was a common theme was a play on the word “Peep” in diorama titles.  

 

The 2018 competition drew 125 entries — the most in the center’s contest history — from all around the state from the following communities: Newport, Claremont, Sunapee, New London, Grantham, Charlestown, Wilmot, Barnstead, Springfield, Sutton, Croydon, Lempster, Newbury, Enfield, Unity, and Acworth, as well as Rowley, Massachusetts, Barre, Vermont and San Diego, California.

Dioramas are on display the week following Easter: April 3rd-7th, during gallery hours.  Throughout the week the dioramas are on display, visitors may vote for their favorite diorama to win the title of the show’s coveted viewer’s choice award: “The Peep-les Choice.”  While admission is free and open to all, the Center is selling tickets for an Easter Basket Raffle to raise support for exhibits and programs of the nonprofit community arts center.  

 

Prizes were awarded in the categories for children, families and groups, and adults, in addition to the most-coveted prize of the evening —“Best in Peeps.” The Peeps panel of judges deliberated long and hard about the dioramas to receive the top prizes, but finally narrowed it down to the following winners.

 

BEST IN PEEPS – “Library Arts Center Peeps Diorama Contest” – by Lee Carey of Grantham

 

Adult Category

1)     “Sargent Peepers Lonely Hearts Club Band”  – by Pam LaFountain of Newport

2)     “Sunday in the Park with Peeps”- by Mal McLaughlin of Sunapee

3)    “Peep-iotic Table” – by Kait Armstrong, Andover, New Hampshire

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

“Bunnies Peeping on the Goshen Knitwit Chicks,” by the Goshen Knit-Wits of Goshen: Dottie Bennett, Becky Luppold, Mona Labrie, Janet O’Brien, Pat Proctor, Joanne Chilson, Jan Parmalee, Karen Winterholer, Jane Galpin, Susan Carrick, Elaine Bevilacqua and Bea Jillette

Teen Category Winner: 

“Conspiracy Peeps: Did we, or did we not Peep on the Moon?” by Victoria Burroughs & Kaitlin Carrol of Newport

 Family/Group Category

1)    “Peep Pride Parade” – by the Claremont Middle School Rainbow Confetti Group of Claremont

2)    “The Dream Peeps: Your one stop to a sweet wedding”– by Hailey Chase and family of Newport

3)    “Drumming Peeps” — by Jackie Parker of Washington, New Hampshire and Caitlyn Gregory of Newport

Children’s Category

1)    “Fashion-ability” – by Griffin George of Newport

2)    “Finding Peep-Mo” – by Audrey Wenger of New London, Claire Jackson and Maia Dow of New London

3)    “Mr. Peep’s Disastrous Farm” – by Melody Heacock and Emry Hooper of Newport

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

“I Heart Rainbow “Peep” Emojis” – by Anne and Emily Killinger of Barnstead, New Hampshire

“Take a Peep at the Seal Exhibit” — Elsa Mauser Rowe of Sunapee

“Peep-ster Rabbit in Mr. McGregor’s Garden on an Easter Egg Hunt” by Gavin Emerson of Swanzey, New Hampshire

“Peep-corn” by Rachel Golubiewski of Sunapee

PEEPS PANEL OF JUDGES:

Hannah Barrett, Elaine Frank, Nancy Graham,Chris Scott, Sophie Schissel and Andy Decola