The top three vote-getters had their artwork turned into real-life cakes by decorator Jennifer Coby and Vera Slamka, who has owned the pastry shop with her husband, John, for 41 years.
Orick’s water color and acrylic painting featured a pink, white and red two-layer cake decorated with two red cherries on top, giving the impression it was cherry-flavored.
Instead, it was strawberry.
Don’t judge a cake by its appearance.
“I like cherries, but I wasn’t thinking what flavor I would have my cake,” Orick said Wednesday when the three winners received their cakes. “I picked strawberry, so it doesn’t make sense, but that’s okay.”
It took her three weeks to complete the painting because she “just kept messing up,” she said.
Middle school art teacher Sharon Theard, who started the cake painting contest in 2014, said the 26 finalists received 2,632 votes during the six-week contest.
She said the “right people won.”
Central Pastry employees said customers enjoyed the contest and joked they had to vote before purchasing any pastries.
For Theard, this was more than a painting contest among four classes of art students.
“Pride,” she said. “Personal pride. You are up there for the public to see and it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel some important.’ Whenever I can put artwork up, I send letters to the parents and let them know. The kids just glow.”
It also gives the kids an opportunity to take pride in their city, said Theard.
“Middletown is a special, special place,” she said. “I want the city to love them. It’s about letting people see that we are full of wonderful things.”
Elizabeth Slamka, Middletown mayor and one of three Slamka daughters, said her parents, who have owned Central Pastry for 41 years, make a “dynamic duo in business.”
She called her mother, a native of Columbia, South America, “the most wonderful human being I know.”
Slamka remembers when her mother was approached by the school district about participating in the cake painting contest. Her mother fully supported the idea, Slamka said.
“This opportunity to ignite the imaginations of our children in this concrete way was the perfect partnership,“ Slamka said. “Teaching children how to access and ignite their imagination in a positive way to create a positive light in the community is of the upmost importance.”
After photos were taken with the winners and the posters were removed off the wall, the cakes were boxed up, and carefully carried to the car.
Whoever cut into Orick’s cake may have been surprised.
Columnist Rick McCrabb writes about local people and events every Sunday. If you have an idea for a story, contact him at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.
About the Author
