Richard Hawk, Juror
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Juror Commendations
“Almost Seaworthy” by Chuck McPherson
I feel the legacy of watercolor painting in this piece, stylistically. There is something that rings bells from the past yet is very new-looking to me. Very imaginative. There is a dream-like quality that is really engaging. You could enter the dream and stay for awhile. Great work.
“Fire in Water” by Christine Dively
If you could swim in an aquarium, you would see these turquoise and green colors. The bright notes of the orange are in the perfect place as a focal point. It is a simple piece that is just intrinsically very appealing to me. I could live with it long-term.
“Cherry Poptart” by Nicole Barlow
There are nice flat shapes in this piece, and I mean “flat” in the best possible way. The geometry of the piece is wonderful. The glass jar is startlingly realistic, with the reflections in the glass. Combining that level of recognition of an object in the real world with the flat shapes and the abstract treatment in the rest of the painting makes it interesting and a lot of fun.
Honorable Mentions
“From the Heart of my Garden” by Maureen Kerr
I love it when a flower or plant painting shows me a fresh or unorthodox treatment of the subject. I’m enjoying the unusual, sinuous character of these plant forms, and the vibration of the dark reds and the pale greens. There is an organic and earthy quality to the piece. Wonderful.
“Posies” by Roberta Dyer
The treatment of the faces is so cavalier in this piece that it is a bit startling. I am captivated by that rawness. It is a piece that I can go back to, stay with and ponder. There are tales to be told here, you can definitely look at these characters and make up stories about them. A tightrope walk between representation and abstraction in this piece, well done.
“Ms. Sassy” by Joan Merrick
What a whimsical personality in this piece. The palette for me is unusual, with the pinks and ochres and green eyeglasses. Great patterns. I like the way that the colors are used to help the eye step around through this painting, with the color notes in the toes, in the bracelet and the face. Very effective structure to the painting. Overall appealing and amusing.
Honorable Mention, Miniatures
“After the Storm 2” by Tony Scriba
This painting has such a straight up beautiful classical watercolor technique. It has a quality of peace and sense of place. Confidently and beautifully executed with washes and drybrush, fresh and spontaneous. Lovely. I enjoy the limited palette.
Best of Miniatures
“Blue Cloud Across Red Sky II” by Peggy Hinaekian
The tension between the diagonal line and the horizontal/vertical geometry of the rest of the piece is gripping. Gorgeous palette. I appreciate the air of duality, being able to see it as pure abstract and also providing the viewer the opportunity for getting into ideas behind the piece. Delicious.
Best of Theme
“Adira” by Wanda Honeycutt
My interpretation of the theme “vibration” in this painting comes from a sense of the unseen. The labyrinthine pattern elements hint at layers of meaning, implied profundity in this compelling figure. The dominance of blue is of a higher vibrational frequency. Very engaging.
Third Place
“Let’s Do Lunch” by Edward Abrams
This seems like the Café Sabarsky at the Neue Gallery Museum in New York City to me. I know it’s not, but I love the vibe. Tremendous atmosphere, beautiful subtlety in values, and the surprise of that brightly lit burnt-out area at the lower left is delightful. Masterfully rendered. I want to look at this for a long time and sit down there, order some wiener schnitzel.
Second Place
“Jazz Hands” by Judy Janc
Great storytelling in this painting. I see two humans lost individually and together in a moment, a sense of what the two figures are feeling through body language. Relaxed, deft paint handling and musical notations subtly treated. The piece is intrinsically pleasing in its directness and strength. Bravo.
First Place
“Secret Cove” by Shelly Chess
I responded immediately to the shape collection in this piece. Arrangement of shapes is powerful with satisfying space division. The unapologetically knifed patches for me echo the painter, Richard Diebenkorn. Love the treatment of painterly sky and water contrasting with very direct application of paint on the rocks. Wonderful balance between abstraction and representation. The piece has depth and a certain bigness. Beautiful.
