It
was said
that when
Mulleian
arrived
to attend the
gala event
of the ASI
awards
ceremony at
the Palace
of Fine
Arts, the
artist was
unable to catch
a last glimpse
of his painting
because of
long
lines
of people waiting
to get a viewing
of the Orphan
painting.
The one thousand
seat Palace of Fine Arts
theatre
was filled
to capacity.
As the
houselights
began
dimming
and Mulleian
was just
about
to
be seated,
the curtains
began
to open and
the voice
of Charlotte
Mylard, San Francisco
City Events
coordinator,
announced
Mulleian
the winner
in the Oil
Painting
category.
As he approached
the stage
Mulleian's
physical
appearance
was eclipsed
by a towering
image
of The Orphan,
projected dramatically
for the
audience
on the billboard-sized
theatre screen.
This presentation
culminated
the year and
a half painstaking
process
of selecting,
exhibiting,
judging and
awarding
one of the most
prestigious honors
of any art
competition
in the United
States.
