Best Local Artist
Edi Matsumoto
539 Mission St., Carmel
(831) 596-5157, edimatsumoto.com
Edi Matsumoto works primarily in oil, but also enjoys experimenting with acrylic, watercolor, coffee painting and mixed media. She is especially proud of her Otter Therapy series, where she reimagines classic masterpieces and cultural icons as adorable sea otter characters. The paintings make people smile and feel a little happier. (Maybe one day an otter balancing a ball on its nose?) It’s hard to negotiate with untrained otters, so no wonder Matsumoto is chosen this year’s best local artist by the Weekly’s readers. In Matsumoto’s gallery, one can find hundreds of prints and a variety of art merchandise, including cards, coasters, cups, totes, T-shirts and wearable art.