CONGRATULATIONS, FIRST QUARTER WINNERS!THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED. Congratulations to everyone that took a chance and entered their work into this online exhibition. It is a humbling task to be asked to set in judgement of another artist’s work. Our paintings are the visual language we utilize to connect with other human beings and thus become very personal. When approaching the selections, I evaluate each painting by the fundamentals of design: composition of shape, value, color, etc., and then look at how the artist has utilized the medium of pastel. Finally, subject matter is assessed. What I look for in conclusion is the individual voice of the artist. Both of these divisions had an abundance of very well-done works. When this occurs it then becomes one person’s opinion on a given day. Tomorrow, I may see the placements in a different order, but for today, this is what I saw. Richard McKinley: PSA-MP & HFH, PSWC-PL |
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ESTABLISHED ARTIST WINNERS |
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FIRST PLACE Carol Strockwasson Dissipating Winter Haze |
SECOND PLACE Corey Pitkin An Introduction |
THIRD PLACE Pirkko Mäkelä-Haapalinna Letting Go |
FOURTH PLACE Loriann Signori Sapphire through the Trees |
Honorable Mention Linda Mutti California Gold |
Honorable Mention Dawn Emerson Mistral Mirage |
Honorable Mention Pamela Hamilton Glistening Reflections |
Honorable Mention Anna Lapygina Agnia, Fox, and Tangerines |
Honorable Mention Elena Prudnikova Mirror |
Honorable Mention Nancy Ness Aldo |
Honorable Mention Maceo Mitchell Maceo Lemons |
Honorable Mention Yael Maimon There She Goes |
First Place: Carol Strockwasson Some paintings defy explanation; they are meant to be experienced and felt. This is such a piece. The profound mystery and portrayal of atmospheric space elevate this pastel painting to a level often strived for, but frequently missed in traditional landscape painting. This painting should hang in a museum next to Whistler, Inness, Carlsen, and Harrison as an example of Tonalism at its best. Second Place: Corey Pitkin A triumph of classical realism. From the masterful use of edges, to the exquisite use of color and tonality, this artist has complete control. The design is a tour de force. Everything is there, yet detail is lacking. This is the essence of human vision, the heartfelt experience, versus the encyclopedic minds eye. The photograph has robbed many of the ability to truly see; this artist sees. Third Place: Pirkko Mäkelä-Haapalinna Movement and mark making characterize this luminous pastel painting. A kaleidoscope of variation in color temperature, light and dark, and thin and thick application of pastel, add a musicality. When a pastelist is asked what it is they love about pastel, they most often reference its tactile nature; the push and pull of the stick of pigment across the surface and its ability to be spontaneously applied is seductive. This painting has all of that and so much more. Fourth Place: Loriann Signori As the poet employs a few words to express what could fill an entire bookshelf, so too can the artist. The soulful use of color and economy of application manifest in this simple pastel painting stops us in our tracks. Nothing is descriptive, it is felt. It’s a question we all should ask ourselves while painting, will more make it better? This artist has found their poetic voice and understands the secrets within the saying, Less is More. |
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL ENTRIES EMERGING ARTIST WINNERS
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FIRST PLACE Jennifer Blackburn Sunset on Lincoln Hill |
SECOND PLACE Fred Fielding Spring Light |
THIRD PLACE Chris Atkinson Self Portrait |
FOURTH PLACE Mary Jo Roys Drueke Winter into Spring |
Honorable Mention Barbara Gill A Little Mischief |
Honorable Mention Anne Milligan Fetching |
Honorable Mention Sharon Matisoff Marty and His Horn |
Honorable Mention Paul Kneece Tumalo Morning |
Honorable Mention Ivette Paz Old Man |
Honorable Mention Greg Stone Winter Slough |
Honorable Mention Steve Patton Vamp |
Honorable Mention Jill Glassman Mid-Day Marsh |
First Place: Jennifer Blackburn This painting ticked every box on what I love to see in a pastel landscape painting. Great composition of shape, line, value and color. They all work together to support the visual design and engage the viewer. The spontaneity of the pastel application is confident and free, allowing the painting to become so much more than just another picture of a beautiful landscape. Second Place: Fred Fielding When the simplest of subject matter is painted with sensitivity, we get to experience it from the artist’s insightful perspective. This is the gift every painter gives to their audience. The lost and found edges throughout this painting are masterful. Everything represented within the painting shares air and space. This elevates the painting well above a competent rendering, it becomes artwork. Third Place: Chris Atkinson As a fine art medium, pastel is unparalleled in its capacity for creative application. While it is capable of being applied in the fashion of paint, it also facilitates a multitude of gestural line drawing and mark-making techniques. This pastel painting demonstrates perfectly pastel’s versatility. The confidence of the artist’s hand is manifest in every mark. It is the embodiment of pastel expression. Fourth Place: Mary Jo Roys Drueke Capturing the spontaneous dance of light across the landscape is never easy. This artist has not only captured that dance but invoked considerable emotional feeling with their compositional choices. There is a sense of intimacy, a moment of pause and internal reflection, as we explore the bits and pieces of light and texture threaded throughout the painting.
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