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CONGRATULATIONS FOURTH QUARTER 2025 WINNERS!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

Judging Statement and Award Comments
Lyn Asselta, PSA-MP, IAPS-EP, SPS-MP

To be asked to select the paintings and awards for the online Dakota International Pastel Competition was truly an honor. My thanks to Craig, April, and all the team at Dakota who put their faith in my ability to sort through the 500+ entries for this incredible competition and to choose the final selection of first through fourth place and eight honorable mentions in the categories of Emerging and Established artists. When I say that the process of making choices for this show was daunting, I am not exaggerating in the least! The quality of the entries for both the emerging and the established categories was exceptional. The entries ran the gamut from abstraction to realism, from landscape to still life to portraits of both people and animals.

Narrowing down my choices was no easy task. In both categories, I looked for excellence, not only in technical ability and use of the pastel medium, but also in composition, color palette, and narrative. I chose pieces that I felt were able to tell their own story, or that had a unique voice. I was looking for pieces that offered me new ways of seeing familiar subjects. I wanted to choose pieces that could grab my attention from across a room and that would make me curious about the stories they were telling.

When I had to choose between two that were very close, I would review as many of the technical aspects of the paintings that I could, I would ask myself if the color palette was especially well-suited to the narrative of the piece, if the composition helped to clarify the way I interpreted the piece, and lastly, I asked myself if the piece was something I would still be enjoying and learning from if I could hang it on my wall for the next 10 years or more.

In the end, a juror or judge is still human, with preferential leanings of their own, but I always make an effort to be as impartial as possible, and to make solid choices based on the overall quality of the work. I am in awe of the variety of pieces that were submitted and the courage of the artists to enter their works. I admire you all and it was such a joy to see what you’ve created! Judging by the wide variety of artistic styles represented, I think it is safe to say that the pastel medium is in good hands with these skilled, innovative artists.

My sincere congratulations to the artists whose work has won awards; your vision and technical mastery of the pastel medium are exemplary. May your awards inspire you to keep creating and to keep offering your unique stories to the world.

Lyn Asselta, PSA-MP, IAPS-EP, SPS-MP
Dakota 4th Quarter 2025 Competition Judge
 

ESTABLISHED ARTIST WINNERS
 
FIRST PLACE
Natasha Isenhour
Left Behind to Reflect		 SECOND PLACE
John DeSpain
Fire and Ice		 THIRD PLACE
Christine Swann
Braid		 FOURTH PLACE
Jeff Condon
Rural Eclipse
 Honorable Mention
Marla Baggetta
From the Garden		 Honorable Mention
Blake Aaseby
Thermals
           
Honorable Mention
Eileen Casey
Pond Radiance		 Honorable Mention
Pirkko Mäkelä-Haapalinna
Danced With Time		 Honorable Mention
Ugo Paradiso
Self Portrait		 Honorable Mention
Angela Parr
Resplendent		 Honorable Mention
Yael Maimon
Skyline Dreams		 Honorable Mention
Fabio Cuffari
St. Francis and the Wolf
           
 

ESTABLISHED WINNERS

1st PLACE
Left Behind to Reflect
Drama! I am always looking for paintings that feel as though they have a good story to tell and this one definitely gives off the sense that we should be walking up to that Airstream and knocking on the door. The bold use of such massive clouds and the composition that holds the trailer between land and sky is masterful. Every element works with the others to give us a true feel for this lonely place under those enormous clouds. The band of turquoise above the horizon and the reflections in the windows are enough to make me feel hopeful out there even if I might be alone. I love a good story and I wish I knew the one that wants to be told here!

2nd PLACE
Fire and Ice
Having spent time painting in the Southwest, I know how difficult it can be to capture not only the changing shadows on the rock formations there, but also the sheer vastness and size of the place. Not only does this painting give a sense of scale, but it also does an extraordinary job of allowing us to feel the chill in the air through that early sunlight. This painting exemplifies the best of all the landscape elements that it shows off so well…the light, the atmosphere, the space, even a sense of quiet and reverence.

3rd PLACE
Braid
I especially liked the handling of the implied structure of the form in this piece. It gives it a bit of mystery, as does her gaze. There is something intensely personal about this piece, inviting us in to a private moment. The use of reflected light, the careful study and placement of the hands, and a background that supports but doesn’t detract from the moment itself…all of these things add up to an exceptional portrait.

4th PLACE
Rural Eclipse
I couldn’t help but be drawn to this unique vision of the eclipse. Perfectly balanced and composed, whimsical in its own unique way, the more I zoomed in on this piece, the more intrigued I was. I’ve gone back several times to study this painting more, especially the shapes of those two big, somewhat off-kilter circles that work so well with the more structured pieces and parts of the narrative. I hope you’ll take a closer look, as well.


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EMERGING ARTIST WINNERS

 
           
FIRST PLACE
Teresa Mason
Good Boy!		 SECOND PLACE
Martha Morozovitch
Symphony in White		 THIRD PLACE
Alicia Brooke
Sketch Atlanta Study		 FOURTH PLACE
Cindy Wojdyla
The Stream		 Honorable Mention
Pamela Barcita
Stone Procession		 Honorable Mention
Alan Chaney
Winter Reflection
           
Honorable Mention
Trish Findlater
The Street Session		 Honorable Mention
Sharon Boisvert
Playing With Fire		 Honorable Mention
Larisa Sellen
Joy of Life		 Honorable Mention
Tuomas Korpi
Seongsan Ilchulbong		 Honorable Mention
Sheelagh McHaffie
Smooth Operator		 Honorable Mention
Christine Labrecque
The Fig at the Back
 

EMERGING WINNERS

1st PLACE
Good Boy!
I am forever suggesting to my students that they consider one word or a short phrase to describe the feeling or atmosphere of the story they want to tell with their paintings. The moment I saw this piece, I could only think of the word Joy. Everything about this painting serves that word…the composition with this charming dog charging forward at us, ears flying in the wind, the texture of the fur, the sheer happiness of this dog is depicted in every part of this portrait. Even the color palette has been controlled, note the blue tennis ball and blue background, so as not to take anything away from the overall feeling that is being portrayed. I think we could all use a bit of joy as we head into the new year!

2nd PLACE
Symphony in White
Classically beautiful and lush, these roses are exquisite on their own but made even more so by the contrast of deep shadows surrounding them. The composition holds perfectly in the center and the subtle, slight variations in the dark values of the leaves and spaces around these flowers is the perfect balance. The handling of all that white and the myriad folds of the petals is so well done. A gorgeous study in light, shadow, and texture!

3rd PLACE
Sketch Atlanta Study
There is an undeniable strength to this piece. Strategic use of darks against light, the surety of the marks, the position of the model as she commands the space she’s given…all of these things combine to offer a bold statement by this artist. And then, that red!

4th PLACE
The Stream
I felt drawn in to this mysterious piece. Everything about it is inviting in ways that make me want to feel the textures if the different components of this painting. The handling of those textures and the overall nuance of the piece combined with a stunningly fresh color palette that took me from shadow to light were all elements that compelled me to choose this painting.

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 Robert Frank - keep painting!


WINNER
Robert Frank
'Multi-Tasker'

          

 

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