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CONGRATULATIONS THIRD QUARTER 2025 WINNERS!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

Judging Statement and Award Comments
Clarence A. Porter, PAC, MPAC, PSA, IAPS/MC

Being asked to be one of the jurors for the online 2025 Dakota International Pastel Competition was an honour. I had an opportunity to view incredible pastel works in both the Emerging and Established categories. I saw wonderfully executed representational and impressionistic works of art, vibrant mark-making and bold contrast pieces in both categories. 524 pieces were submitted, so you can imagine how difficult it was deciding which pieces would be juried into the show in each category. That, however, was the assignment. With such a wide array of artwork, decisions had to be made. I believe I was chosen to be a juror because of my work. However, one thing to remember, my work is my work, but as with all jurors, my opinions on others’ work are ONLY my opinions. For those who were not selected for this show, please continue to paint with joy and continue entering.

In the Emerging category, the pieces ran the gamut from beginner pastel artists to those with established artist skills. Seeing this range of skills reminded me of my own journey. Good composition, contrast and mark-making were the basic elements I looked for in the work, but the overarching standard was work that stopped me in my tracks and made me want to look at it more. Looking at the submitted works, if they represent where the pastel medium is going, the pastel medium is in good hands.

In the Established category, I expected to see quality, and I was not disappointed. Amazing work, ranging from moody landscapes and rainy city streets to still life and dynamic animal and figurative pieces, was submitted. Deciding was difficult, taking me several days to arrive at my final decisions.

I believe Ken Wilber said, “Great art is judged by the capacity to take your breath away, take yourself away, take time away, all at once.”  That is the overarching standard by which I judged all of the paintings.

Clarence A. Porter, PAC, MPAC, PSA, IAPS/MC
Dakota 3rd Quarter 2025 Competition Judge
 

ESTABLISHED ARTIST WINNERS
 
FIRST PLACE
Mark Cole
Listening		 SECOND PLACE
Christine Obers
Tudor		 THIRD PLACE
Andrew McDermott
Golden Lights in the Rain		 FOURTH PLACE
Sarah Blumenschein
Still Life with a Red Scarf
 Honorable Mention
Natasha Isenhour
DEFY!		 Honorable Mention
Tal Dvir
Nadia
           
Honorable Mention
Carolyn Robles
Tamale Girl		 Honorable Mention
Emma Sims
The Finisher		 Honorable Mention
Kim Eshelman
The Guardians		 Honorable Mention
Julia Lesnichy
Sunset in January		 Honorable Mention
Yael Maimon
Crimson Stillness		 Honorable Mention
Glen Maxion
Beach Walk
           
 

ESTABLISHED WINNERS

1st PLACE
Listening
Words like peaceful, aloneness, and quiet immediately came to mind when I looked at this painting. I can feel the soft, damp earth under my feet. I can smell the misty forest. Much like what I think the artist felt, this was a beautiful walk and a visual treat.

2nd PLACE
Tudor
The artist knew how to use the paper’s colour with the pastels. The rendering of the horse is beautiful. What I loved about this painting was how well the paper colour was allowed to play among the light and dark values. The contrasts are beautiful. A wonderful painting.

3rd PLACE
Golden Lights in the Rain
We've all been here. It’s a rainy night in the city with cars coming and going, streetlights and car lights blurred and reflecting. Yes, we’ve all been here. All of that and more came through strongly in this painting. Well done!

4th PLACE
Still Life with a Red Scarf
I loved the open composition in this still life, and I loved the colours: the use of an analogous colour palette with secondary complementary colours. Beautifully rendered. A wonderful painting.


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EMERGING ARTIST WINNERS

 
           
FIRST PLACE
Kim Fortin
Le Juge		 SECOND PLACE
Mary Rinderle
Frozen Stillness		 THIRD PLACE
Charles Daniels
Contemplation!		 FOURTH PLACE
Lindy Blosser
The Deep End		 Honorable Mention
Kevin Carroll
The Chair		 Honorable Mention
Zuzana Drobnik
Early Spring in the Cottonwoods
           
Honorable Mention
Priscilla Lewis
Shadow Shape		 Honorable Mention
Morag Burton
Stoney Burn		 Honorable Mention
Omma Moon
Portrait of Albertina		 Honorable Mention
Pat O'Connell
Maple Leaf in the Fall		 Honorable Mention
Margaret Moore
Journey Back to the Navajo Spirit		 Honorable Mention
Joyce Shelton
Winter Springs Waterway
 

EMERGING WINNERS

1st PLACE
Le Juge
Dark, haunting, and powerful. This painting stopped me in my tracks. Beautifully rendered.

2nd PLACE
Frozen Stillness
This is the kind of tree painting I wish I had done. The movement, the windswept feeling, and the light and dark contrasts are all wonderful. This was well executed.

3rd PLACE
Contemplation!
One of my favourite painters is Caravaggio. I love how he could pull light out of the dark - chiaroscuro. This painting honours that technique. I love how the model was positioned so that we are looking up at her. The strong light on her face and hands. The strong shadow coming off her arms. The use of a limited palette. This was wonderfully executed.

4th PLACE
The Deep End
I was so impressed with how this painting captures the young gaggle with parents in tow. How it captures the water’s motion as the young swim around.  How the lily pads and water droplets were rendered, and how the painting played with light and dark and depth of field so well. This is a beautiful 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 Chris - keep painting!

WINNER
Chris Potter Burch
Farm Stand Bounty		          

 

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