Juror Linda Doll
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Juror Commendations
“Year of Dragon” by Fan Li
In this cityscape I love most of all the balloons in the sky, their soft edges and how they capture the ethereal effect of the whole piece on a rainy, cloudy day. It is an absolutely gorgeous painting.
“Carrie Grant” by Edward Abrams
Stunning portrait! I love the way that the bridge and the boat are softly painted in the background. It reminds me of a Renaissance painting but modernized.
“Standing Watch” by Betty Hock
This is a beautiful abstract painting that has just a touch of representation that gives the viewer something to rest their eyes on and enjoy. The beautiful sunset behind the tree, the wonderful warm earth, and the cool foreground all pull together into a beautiful image.
Honorable Mentions
“Intuitive Lady” by Chuck McPherson
An absolutely gorgeous portrait! I love the ghost image behind it; it would not be the same painting without that almost skeletal image, almost her high self behind her own face.
“Bloom Outside the Box: Greenhouse or Glass Ceiling” by Carol Mansfield
I’m fascinated by the way the flower shapes and the boxes work together. The color combination and shape combination as well as the broken and fractured shapes all pull tougher into a wonderful award painting.
“Chava’s Windows” by Richard Glassman
I love portraiture that has character and great lighting. The hard edges of the piece really work with the figures that they chose. The framing of the figure in the background really accentuates the figure who is sitting up front.
Best of Miniatures
“From Kate Sessions Park” by Thomas Franco
It’s fresh, its beautiful, it’s lush, I want to just touch it. It’s got everything that a good abstract painting would have, but also what a realistic painting must have. The scale is phenomenal, the way the city is small, and the trees are large, the people sitting on the grass are small. It is a painting that I would never tire of, there is always something new. It feels like a beautiful summer day.
Honorable Mention, Miniatures
“Girls’ Day Out” by Sarah Sullivan
This painting is fresh and clean, it is relaxing, and it just feels really good, just like a girls’ day out. I could look at this for hours. I love the colors used as well as the subtle reflections.
Best of Theme
“Planetary Vision” by Nick Torzeski
This is a definite “optional path,” and I loved it from the minute I saw it. The balls are all sitting still but I feel movement going through the piece. I love the scale: there are large, small, and tiny little pieces. The light going across the piece goes from warm to warm and cool to cool. I enjoy the way the circles incorporate the whole range of colors. Very creative piece.
Third Place
“Bologna Street Scene” by Robin Erickson
This piece is not only super photo realistic, but it also has a wonderful abstract design that pulls it all together. The beautiful color combination adds to the overall fabulous Italian feeling.
Second Place
“Free Fall” by Nell Bartlett
The negative and positive spaces are a visual treat. The scale of the shapes with the large, medium, and small sizes, the piece of blue hanging off the side, the blue lines coming from the right side – everything is in a very effective informal balance, and it works beautifully. Great painting!
First Place
“Yoga Girl” by Joan Merrick
This artist is not only is fabulous draftsman, but they also have great control of their color harmony and abstract shapes. They put it all together in a way that really speaks to me. It is extremely creative and is a fabulous first place piece.
