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CONGRATULATIONS THIRD QUARTER 2023 WINNERS!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

Judging Statement and Award Comments
Nancie King Mertz: PSA-MP, CPP-MP, IAPS-EP

The pieces chosen for the 24 Dakota Awards all offered something unique: drama in the landscape, masterful drawing, strength in color/design/composition. Kudos to ALL who entered in both categories. It’s so important to get your work out there among your peers. Some win, and some are not recognized…yet, but with each competition entered, we learn from seeing what is being painted and how, helping to inform us to consistently improve our work. Interestingly, subject matter in this competition was weighted heavily on portrait, landscape and pets. My choices were based on the few that stood-out in each genre and deserved very special recognition.

Nancie King Mertz: PSA-MP, CPP-MP, IAPS-EP
Dakota 3rd Quarter 2023 Competition Judge
 

ESTABLISHED ARTIST WINNERS
 
FIRST PLACE
Glen Maxion
Summertime Surge		 SECOND PLACE
Susan Lyon
Desert Wanderer		 THIRD PLACE
Ned Mueller
Guatemala Woman		 FOURTH PLACE
Astrid Bruning
On His Throne		 Honorable Mention
Marla Baggetta
Summer Solitude		 Honorable Mention
Barbara Benstein
Campfire Glow
           
Honorable Mention
Terri Ford
Sunset Dune		 Honorable Mention
Suzann Beck
Mom's Visitor		 Honorable Mention
Tai Meng Lim
Duo Duo		 Honorable Mention
Aline Ordman
Santa Cruz		 Honorable Mention
Toby Reid
RECEDING		 Honorable Mention
Judy Wilder Dalton
Wild Ones
           
 

1st Place - Established:
Summertime Surge
Not only is the design very strong in this beach piece, but the action of the 3 central figures balance the static, suggested figures on the right. The fact that they are painted as shadow shapes strengthens the composition.

2nd Place - Established:
Desert Wanderer
The color choices of this unique painting make it stand out as a very contemporary portrait. Skill, composition and color provide a visual treat, and leads us to think about its interesting story.

3rd Place - Established:
Guatemala Woman
This tender portrait I found to be very appealing. The subtleties of color indicate the model is in bright sunlight without pushing the palette into intense hues. This portrait snuck up on me as I grew to love it each time I ran through the entries - there is much to be learned from this painting.

4th Place - Established:
On His Throne
Incredible draughtsman ship pushed this textural painting to the forefront. The viewer can practically feel the pattern in the aged wood which is beautifully contrasted with the soft fur of the cat.

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EMERGING ARTIST WINNERS

 
           
FIRST PLACE
Eric Pohl
Fading Light		 SECOND PLACE
Joan Dreicer
Welcome to My Pad		 THIRD PLACE
Masoud Habibyan
Lost in the World of Dreams		 FOURTH PLACE
Stephanie Brown
Then There Were Three		 Honorable Mention
Dorothy Dot Anson
Zebra Stripes		 Honorable Mention
Carol Nelson Pruchnofski
Purrfect Pair
           
Honorable Mention
Fang Sullivan
Summer Vibe		 Honorable Mention
Andrew Bartos
Nature Lovers		 Honorable Mention
Lily Hurlimann
Weaving into our Hearts		 Honorable Mention
Mike Ishikawa
Sierra Sunset		 Honorable Mention
Clint Howard
Creekside Ripples		 Honorable Mention
Jude Sheldon
Capitol Sunrise
 

1st Place - Emerging:
Fading Light
Another powerful painting that works so well because of the simplification of shapes. Even as a tiny thumbnail, it popped off the page, which indicates that it would read well across a room. Color choices, value range and interesting shapes make it a compelling landscape.

2nd Place - Emerging:
Welcome to My Pad
The loose approach to this lily pad painting caught my attention, as did the confident use of color and value. Color placement works well to lead the eye through the composition.

3rd Place - Emerging:
Lost in the World of Dreams
This dreamy portrait skillfully handles many textures and colors: chenille, satin, skin, foliage and an array of color of which none seems to dominate the figure. This had to be a very challenging painting to complete.

4th Place - Emerging:
Then There Were Three

 

DAKOTA STAFF PICK

Dakota has the unique privilege of supporting artists in their artistic journey every day. The Staff Pick is an Emerging artist who has made strong choices in design, color, and composition, and is taking great strides in their use of the pastel material. This quarter we congratulate Suzanne Miller - keep painting!

WINNER
Suzanne Miller
Fruit Bowl Pointillism		          

 

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