WINNERS
First Place - "Enjoying the Journey" by Linda Southern Vanek
Judge: I don’t paint abstracts, but I know a good one and this is outstanding. It is very painterly, with the hard to achieve lost and found edges that are more difficult with acrylic paints. I adore the colors together and the tilted line makes it very dynamic.
Second Place - "The Girl from Avignon" by Alison Hendry
Judge: I love the composition. The simplicity of it and beautiful details only on the subject’s hair and dress keep her as the focal point. The palette of beautiful soft colors contributes to this excellent painting.
Third Place - "Fresh cut from the Garden" by Keiko Yasuoka
Judge: This formal still life has a wonderful composition, and the use of contrast of darks and lights gives a very dynamic feeling. I love the yellow and purple together.
Shirley Sterling Award - "Florence Twilight" by Carla Gauthier
Judge: This is a painting that you can look at and enjoy for a long time. It looks like it was done all at once, without fussing. The detail work is at the focal point, as are the harder edges. The use of lost and found edges is masterful. I love the colors used in this simple color palette.
President's Award - "Peruvian Penthouse " by Cheryl Evans
Judge: This showcases a classic watercolor- the beautiful lights against darks and the use of wet-in-wet with dry brush. The simple color palette results in cohesion. The artist planned great shape variation in a nice composition.
Merit Award - "One in Nine" by Fontaine Jacobs
Judge: It is bold to attempt a portrait on Yupo and the artist has done a superb job. The proportions are good, even with the looseness of the strokes. Painting on Yupo provides such beautiful textures that are harder to achieve on watercolor paper.
Honorable Mention - "A Seashell Enthusiast" by Hiep Nguyen
Judge: The composition and design show dynamic movement. The artists did a beautiful job of capturing what they originally saw. I love the shadow reflections and how it blends into the feet, legs, and arm. The bright warm sunset colors and the darks are supported by a subtle scattering of sparkles.
Honorable Mention - "Across the River" by Larry Spitzberg
Judge: This is such a colorful painting with confidently applied strokes. It reminds me of plein air work, done quickly without fiddling with edges or details.
Honorable Mention - "Harvest" by Tommie Wilson
Judge: I love the composition. The shapes flow down the page. There is great contrast of darks and whites, with limited details, shown in the roots and leaves.
MERCHANT AWARDS
"Eigma" by Ruby Allen
Judge: Love the colors! There are lots of colors, but they are just slightly muted, so the overall effect is not garish. The design keeps your mind imagining. A great abstract.
"Summers Bounty" by Barbara Hall
Judge: This has a pleasing composition and color palette. The watercolor technique is great, especially on the cucumbers on the left and simple details, such as asparagus tips. The many little shapes travel in many directions, providing interest.
"Froggy Evening" by Karen Hamilton
Judge: This painting made me chuckle. The artist did a good job on painting the details and the muted tones provide cohesiveness, make it easier to enjoy, and avoids a cartoon look.
"Isabella" by Theresa Fraga
Judge: The skin tones are lovely, and the hair softens and merges a bit into the background. You can see a touch of the background color in the hair- a nice connection. The drawing is very well done
"Oxalis Exuberance" by Susan Giannantonio
Judge: I love the looseness and energy in this painting. The confident large strokes that work down into smaller stokes and details. You can see the build, from the light background to the dark areas that move the viewer through the painting. It’s a wonderful design, with lots of action and several rest areas.
"Zentangle Walk Away" by Judi Coffey
Judge: This is a dramatic composition. The painting looks like it is bursting. Teal combined with copper and grey is so satisfying. The zentangle drawing over the paint adds interest. Well done.
"Can I Keep Him?" by Maureen Lewis
Judge: This painting shows nice drawing ability that is very natural. The color scheme is very nice and works well with the effective use of light. I like that is subject is off center, conveying a story instead of a portrait.
"Accessorized" by Katherine Rodgers
Judge: The composition of the girl facing away makes you think of her story rather than just the girl. There is a beautiful sense of light and amazing detail in the focal areas. The scarf is beautifully done.
"Effervescence" by Ellen Orseck
Judge: I was attracted to this because of the beautiful shapes and the almost abstract simplicity. The simple palette works beautifully, with touches of warmth in this underwater painting.
"Gabriella Coloring Dreams" by Kay Salem
Judge: Beautifully done! This is a very nice drawing, and the colors are gorgeous!
"Vino" by Maria Rodriguez-Alejo
Judge: I love the high contrast in this painting. There are sharp details in the wine bottle, but as you move away, the colors merge and there are lovely lost and found edges. The way the colors skip around is wonderful
"Echo of the David" by Jan Shrader
Judge: This is a strong drawing and painting. Very nice skin tones. The pen only lower section adds interest.
"Flowers, Plume, Pearl and Gold" by Daniela Werneck
Judge: This is beautifully painted. It is a tight composition, but the artist has great control of edges. The little birds, not immediately noticed, was a nice surprise. There are beautiful intricate details everywhere, but my favorite is the light and shadows on her arm.
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cathy Schuster
Judge: I like the great contrast and beautiful composition. The variety of hat shapes, styles, colors make it very interesting. The artist shows lot of confidence in their strokes. Nicely done.
"Galveston Man O' War" by Nan Wright
Judge: I really like the techniques in this painting. There is lots of texture, but it is subtle, suggested just enough. I love all those colors in the dark shape of the man-of-war.
"Dancing Shadows" by Regina West
