Winners of the first #TGIBenchDayContest on @museumofthebench in 2023!

It’s our great pleasure to announce the very first winners of the #TGIBenchDayContest of 2023 AND the first winners to be announced on our new hub for all things #kcymaerxthaerebenches — @museumofthebench. We’ve had such an incredible journey with the contest the last three years, and we’re looking forward to an even brighter future. The January 2023 edition of the contest has proved that it’s going to be shining year for #tgibenchday!

And so, without further ado, here are our winning picks!

Taking home the Collecting Peace Prize (aka the Judge’s Choice Award) is an entry from first-time TGIB winner @stevehousewright. What a gorgeous bench diorama, filled with golden tones and glimmering with the sunset. With stunning palm silhouettes and a stepped fountain setting the stage, there are more benches than just the obvious pair in the foreground. Look a bit closer. The collection here goes on further — three, four, five benches can be spotted. A gorgeously composed image paired with this quintet shined on this bench collector’s favor. An easy favorite for the judge’s, and quite possibly of #ParkLeeTaf himself.

As for the Popular Vote, previous Collecting Peace Prize winner @hayley.j.west takes home the prize. A lush spread of ferns and monstera leaves crowd around this color-matching bench, creating a stunning monochrome diorama and composition. The bench and the leaves almost become one, the bench fading into the foliage like camouflage, and the ferns are even growing *into* the bench itself. One detail differentiates them however. The contrast of forms — the organic biomorphic shapes of the plants make the repeating parallel lines of the bench visually pop. Together, the bench and the surrounds create a delighting green diorama. We can see why the bench voting community would be intrigued by this one!

Don’t forget to check out our runners-up and honorable mentions!