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October 2018 Judges: Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional; Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional; October 2018 Judges and PaintingContest.Org, Novice and/or For the Love of Painting. See our Judges Profiles page for more information.
BEST IN SHOW AND FINALISTS
Finalist Winners: Each certificate is ready for printing at your desktop at full size (on letter size paper, 8.5 x 11 inches). First, scroll through to find your certificate. Next, click directly on the image to enlarge, then "right click" or "control - click" to save to your computer. Make sure you print in "landscape mode" and if you can, check "scale to fit page."
See professional artist judges' comments on all finalist paintings (shown in random order). Click directly on the painting image for additional information. Finalists receive a free special promoted painting entry credit, available to them when they next log in. Scroll down to see all:
Name of Artist:
Edita Wiederkehr
Judge's Comment:
"A mystical dream-like conception of space and time in this compelling abstract figurative work explores the artist’s contemplation of the origins of pain."
Judge and Category:
Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Leah Dockrill
Judge's Comment:
"I immediately responded to the bold colors and strong darks against the heavily textured background of this painting. A closer look reveals loose painterly strokes that suggest cursive or calligraphy writing. I have no personal experience with migraines and seldom have any type of headache. For some reason, this piece suggested a French Café to me (and probably only me). But that’s the beauty of abstract painting; we all bring our own ideas and feelings to the work."
Judge and Category:
Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Gerry Chodak
Judge's Comment:
"This painting is aptly titled as it evokes dappled sunlight and organic shapes thrusting towards the light and breaking through the forest canopy. The contrast of the cool dark green shapes against the warmer yellow and orange hued color passages creates the atmosphere without a lot of extraneous and unnecessary detail."
Judge and Category:
Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional
Award:
BEST IN SHOW - Cash award $50 and free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Jeannie Snider
Judge's Comment:
"A pleasing design really makes this painting stand out. Zebras are a fun subject with their distinctive stripes and horse faces, but here the subject matter is incidental to why this painting works so well. Eye-popping background hues, which easily could have overpowered the subject, actually serve to support and focus the black-to-gray foreground shapes. The animals' natural patterns are arranged in a way that creates an interesting abstraction with 3-dimensionality and depth."
Judge and Category:
PaintingContest.Org, Oct 2018 Judges - Novice/For the Love of Painting
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Valerie McMullen
Judge's Comment:
"The richly saturated yet diffused colors, reminded me of the worn and scuffed surfaces of well-loved painted objects, like a child’s wooden toys. Warm hues peeking through the cooler layers of blues and greens and purple transitional passages accent the softly cascading rectangular shapes."
Judge and Category:
Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Jason Sacran
Judge's Comment:
"The composition and distribution of light in this are compelling and well designed. My eye is drawn nicely around the scene. It has a familiar yet mysterious feeling, a very well done nocturne."
Judge and Category:
Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Marilyn D Garvey
Judge's Comment:
"This painting shows the power of a limited palette combined with visual action and texture. I was drawn to the stark contrast of the dark swirling mass against the light. The raw energy is evident throughout the painting."
Judge and Category:
Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Denise Antaya
Judge's Comment:
"The colors and color harmony in this are very satisfying, and the use of light and where it is reflecting is placed so well, like a reward for just being there!"
Judge and Category:
Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Jaq Grantford
Judge's Comment:
"This painting is so expressive, I feel we are invited to a personal moment of joy. The simplicity of color adds to the feeling of a family treasure. The figures and small details are beautifully painted."
Judge and Category:
Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional
Award:
BEST IN SHOW - Cash award $250 and free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Irena Roman
Judge's Comment:
"This is painted from such an interesting angle. We are looking up at her, which shows me her importance, her thoughtfulness. I feel the subtle colors and attention to detail are just right, so well painted."
Judge and Category:
Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Jo Gold
Judge's Comment:
"A stunning pastel painting, 'Fire' is a good example of controlling values, keeping them low and varied, in order to support the main area of focus: the setting sun. A careful melding of muted gray-blue hues surrounds a burst of golden 'light.' There is also the illusion of depth, a result of careful observation and keeping with principles of perspective; color sweeps over the sky in a movement that spans the far horizon to just above us."
Judge and Category:
PaintingContest.Org, Novice/For the Love of Painting
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Nancy Calder
Judge's Comment:
"This painting has a charming subject and interesting narrative. Objects are well placed and finely painted and keep you looking for surprises."
Judge and Category:
Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
William A. Schneider
Judge's Comment:
"The subject is well placed, well lit and fluid in the darkness, but the vase plays a very important role in bringing you up and around the space. Both paint quality, color, and lighting all very carefully done, make this painting a lovely experience."
Judge and Category:
Sara Linda Poly, Representational Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Taylor George
Judge's Comment:
"This creative, well balanced design completes its mission in an unconventional way with great effect. Horizontal and vertical bands of contrasting hues and tones form a sort of latticework that ultimately weaves all the elements of this painting together. The last rays of golden sunlight dramatically illuminate the chairs, as if to prepare a special, front-row viewing area to greatest show on earth. Who is this mystery audience? Perhaps it's us!"
Judge and Category:
PaintingContest.Org, Oct 2018 Judges - Novice/For the Love of Painting
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
MARY COUILLARD
Judge's Comment:
"This painting succeeds not only in creating the illusion of a thick rock wall, but also in hinting about what lies on the other side. It partially blocks our view into a strange land of mystery and aurora, intriguing us with its power. Well placed gradient tones and sprawling watercolor stains unexpectedly add to our sense of real 3-D wall that is compact and impenetrable. What lies beyond? And, are we kept in—or out?"
Judge and Category:
PaintingContest.Org, Oct 2018 Judges - Novice/For the Love of Painting
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Monique Chartier
Judge's Comment:
"This interesting, high contrast still life takes on a compositional challenge and solves it with uncanny success. The canvas appears strongly bisected on the diagonal, separating the image into two contrasting areas; it could have resulted in unrelated segments caught forever in conflict. Yet, the entire painting works, partly due to the bridging effect of central shapes and like colors, welding together each half into one. Additionally, long, similarly sized brushstrokes provide repeating, cross-canvas texture, tying it all together and creating a pleasing pathway for the eye."
Judge and Category:
PaintingContest.Org, Oct 2018 Judges - Novice/For the Love of Painting
Award:
BEST IN SHOW - Cash award $50 and free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Elizabeth Warren-Boulton
Judge's Comment:
"A kaleidoscope of color and the intricate patterns of organic forms, that suggest twisted roots, branches and foliage, lead the viewer on a truly magical journey. It is a feast for the eyes and seems to be full of hidden meanings and wondrous tales."
Judge and Category:
Tom Shropshire, Abstract Professional
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
Name of Artist:
Virginia Howell
Judge's Comment:
“This tiny (6”w x 8”h) oil painting is alive with texture, vibrant color, and the feeling of a forested mountain landscape. A loose, freewheeling style is apparent, but in reality it is well organized and seems carefully layered from foreground to background in order to achieve the overall effect, depth and atmosphere. The eye travels easily through the canvas, and one has the impression of a walk in the woods, enjoying the crisp autumn air and hues of the season.”
Judge and Category:
PaintingContest.Org, Oct 2018 Judges - Novice/For the Love of Painting
Award:
FINALIST - Free promoted entry
