It was a great honor and privilege to be asked to judge the Oil Painters of America Wet Paint Competition last week. The annual event, part of OPA’s National Juried Exhibition, is always a popular event. Over a two day period, during the national event, artists are invited to create paintings outdoors, on location, before their subject, and submit one of their creations for judging.
Originally this important event was to take place in May at the RS Hanna Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas, but due to the ridiculous circumstances of this year the event was cancelled. Eventually, OPA and Hanna Gallery decided to proceed with a September event. The physical show and convention are now in the books, and the Salon and Wet Paint Competition award ceremonies became virtual events. What a total shame. I would have loved to make these presentations in person.
Because of the current situation, the Wet Paint Competition was expanded this year to include a Plein Air, Studio, and an Open Division. Plein Air, as stated above, was for those works done entirely outside before the subject. Studio works were created from life in the studio. The Open Division was open to all international artists and non-OPA members. All paintings had to be completed totally from life without use of photography.
I had just over 200 entries to consider. The following are all the award winners. ENJOY. (Click images to enlarge)
Plein Air Division
(First Place) – Stephanie Amato – “Windswept Morning” – 12″ x 9″
(Second Place) – Leonard J. Mizerek – “Breaking Light Over Boothbay Harbor” – 12″ x 16″ – Oil
(Third Place) – Elizabeth Pollie – “They Call Her Mackinaw” – 18″ x 18″ – Oil
Studio Division
(First Place) – MaryBeth Karaus – “Roses are Pink” – 12.5″ x 20″ – Oil
(Second Place) – Suzie Baker – “That’s the One” – 20″ x 16″ – Oil
(Third Place) – Jeremy Goodding – “Diamond Echo” – 18″ x 16″ – Oil
Open Division
(First Place) – Haidee-Jo Summers – “The Crab Hut, Wells-next-the-Sea” – 16″ x 20″ – Oil
(Second Place) – Vicki Norman – “Let There Be Light” – 14″ x 11″ – Oil
(Third Place) – Luis Gustavo Sanches dos Santos – “Good Energies” – 15.75″ x 11.75″ – Oil
(Award of Excellence) – Kathleen Gray Farthing – “Hint of Fall” – 14″ x 18″ – Oil
(Award of Excellence) – Karl Terry – “Last of Summer, Rye” – 24″ x 24″ – Oil
Awards of Excellence (Plein Air/Studio Divisions)
Blair Atherholt – “The Turning” – 8.5″ x 14″ – Oil
Yun Wei – “Silent Night” – 24″ x 20″ – Oil
Daud Akhriev – “Walls of San Sebastian, Salamanca” – 19.5″ x 24″ – Oil
Mostafa Keyhani – “St. Catharines, Ontario” – 12″ x 9″ – Oil
Charles Young Walls – “Statuette with Roses” – 24″ x 18″ – Oil
Rusty Jones – “Pond Reflections” – 11″ x 14″ – Oil
G. Gregory Summers – “Guard N Gate”- 16″ x 20″ – Oil
Marc Hanson – “Up Flow” – 18″ x 36″ – Oil
Mary Hoffman – “Kristin in a T-Shirt” – 14″ x 11″ – Oil
Lori Putnam – “Morning Courthouse” – 14″ x 18″ – Oil
Johne Richardson – “Arrangement in Orange and Green” – 12″ x 16″ – Oil
Kathie Odom – “Mountain Grocery” – 12″ x 20″ – Oil
Stacy Barter – “In Full Bloom” – 10″ x 20″ – Oil
Jing Zhao – “Chapel Creek” – 9″ x 12″ – Oil
Krystal Brown – “While You Wait (Mel’s Country Cafe, Spring, TX) – 12″ x 16” – Oil
Mary Qian – “Resting” – 24″ x 18″ – Oil
Ming Qin – “Life Study” – 14″ x 18″ – Oil
Amanda Lovett – “Under Cover” – 12″ x 24″ – Oil
Poppy Balser – “Vine Ripened” – 15″ x 12″ – Oil
Christine Lashley – “Butler Pond, Silver Light” – 11″ x 14″ – Oil
Lynn Boyer – “The Bird Watcher” – 9″ x 12″ – Oil
My sincerest congratulations to all the winners. If you would like to view the awards presentation and my comments on all the winning pieces, please click HERE.
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