Ikki Matsumoto book wins Florida Book Awards medal
The Sandpiper Press recently announced that “Captivated, The Art of Ikki Matsumoto” has received the Richard E. Rice Gold Medal Prize for Visual Arts in the 2020 Florida Book Awards.
Written by Sanibel resident Steve Saari, “Captivated” is a heartfelt tribute to the legendary island artist, whose whimsical and iconic work was inspired by the abundant wildlife of Sanibel and Captiva. The 156-page work encompasses a broad range of Matsumoto’s artwork, along with candid family photos and mementos from the artist’s nearly 40 years working in the region.
“Ikki came to Sanibel just months after it was incorporated and essentially saved from overdevelopment,” Saari, a longtime Matsumoto fan, said. “And it was here that he found his muse, and Sanibel found its artistic champion.”
Established in 2006, the Florida Book Awards is the a comprehensive state book awards program. It recognizes and celebrates the year’s best books written by Sunshine State residents, except for submissions to the Florida Nonfiction and Visual Arts categories, whose authors may live elsewhere.
For more information or to purchase “Captivated,” visit http://www.ikkimatsumoto.com.