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Darien Man Wins Maritime Aquarium Lighthouse Contest

NORWALK, Conn. – A Darien man’s stormy lighthouse is the first-place winner in the 14th annual Festival of Lighthouses Contest at the Maritime Aquarium, in Norwalk.

Robert Keene of Darien stands with his winning entry in the Maritime Aquarium 14th annual "Festival of Lighthouses Contest."

Robert Keene of Darien stands with his winning entry in the Maritime Aquarium 14th annual "Festival of Lighthouses Contest."

Photo Credit: Maritime Aquarium
Robert Keene's winning lighthouse entry

Robert Keene's winning lighthouse entry

Photo Credit: Maritime Aquarium

Robert Keene takes home $1,500, after receiving the most votes from Aquarium visitors for his entry, "Surviving the Storm." This was Keene's second year entering the contest.

With help this year from friends Ashley Hoefer, Clayton Ludwig and John Freeman, Keene crafted his entry within a large black box. In the scene, a red-and-white lighthouse stands on a rocky cliff. Below, a fishing boat is tossed in a churning sea. From within the cotton storm clouds above, thunder booms while flashes of light illuminate everything.

The holiday lighthouse display ran from Nov. 21 to Jan. 18 and featured 22 large model lighthouses built by local artists, students and hobbyists. More than 11,500 votes were tallied in this most recent display, which – as always – attracted a collection of widely creative works.

At a Jan. 21 ceremony at the Maritime Aquarium, prizes also were awarded to five runners-up from the paper-ballot voting:

  • Second place, $750 -- "Tiki Island Lighthouse," by Brett Almstead of Ridgefield
  • Third place, $375 -- "Fairy Lighthouse," by Bob Hemond of Trumbull
  • Fourth place, $300 -- "Fieldstone Tower," by Pedro Davila of White Plains, New York
  • Fifth place, $225 -- "North Pole Lighthouse," by Jo Stecker of Norwalk
  • Sixth place, $150 -- "Droste Point: The Lighthouse Within," by Nancy Todd of West Haven

An additional $500 prize was awarded to Hemond, who won the "Facebook Favorite" vote, conducted online from Dec. 28 to Jan. 18.

"We congratulate the winners, and thank all 22 contestants whose creativity and efforts added a bright and festive cheer to the Maritime Aquarium through the holiday season," said Chris Loynd, the Aquarium’s marketing director.

“Because of them, the real winners were the Aquarium’s visitors.” 

Photos of all winning entries can be seen here. Entry forms for next year's contest will be available on the Aquarium’s website this summer.

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