Juror Janice Cipriani-Willis
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Juror Commendations
“Yay!” by Chris Walker
You can really feel the “yay!” in this. The composition is very unique. I paint figures and I would not think to do it like this. The young girl is just sitting there, but it feels like she’s coming out of the painting towards us. I also love the circular patterns in the background. Nice!
“An Energetic Spring” by Angela Westengard
This IS an energetic spring! The background swirls hold the flowers. There’s a great relationship between the background and the thrust of the flowers. The colors are soft, subdued, and effective. A really nice painting.
“2025” by Edward Abrams
This painting has a very strong composition with the dark background flowing into the man’s shirt. The shape of the bench behind him gives an arc that holds him in. The tiny details of the grass, the highlights on his hair, and on the shoes tickle the eye.
Honorable Mentions
“Into the Fog” by Lorri Lynch
This is an excellent use of watercolor. The unique combination of colors in the rocks is a delightful surprise. You can feel the rocks emerging out the fog. Beautifully done.
“Mission Valley” by Luis Juarez
The spontaneity in this painting says “watercolor” to me. The strokes of the trees, the telephone pole and wires, the soft edges of the speeding red train all add to the energy. The foreground people and tree frame the composition and complement the bold style. Well done!
“Desert Faces” by Risa Parberry
This composition creates the sensation of the desert being held in a bowl. The movement and textures within the shapes evoke the feeling of desert landscape. I can feel the sand, the rocks, and the thrust of the earth.
Honorable Mention Miniatures
“Always Late II” by Julie Anderson
I immediately noticed the strong negative spaces. With a figure painting, it’s difficult to work the background with the figure. This artist did it so well. The colors are subtle. The peach of the shirt and earring sing with the green and turquoise. It has a very strong composition.
Best of Theme
St. Mark’s Basilica” by Robin Erickson
Wonderful reflections! The small figures in the background anchor the composition. They’re just splendid. The detail of the reflected basilica is remarkable. The contrast of the warm against the cools lends to the liveliness of the painting. It really shines.
Best of Miniatures
“They’ve Arrived!” by Thomas Franco
In this painting the value pattern is strong. The colors work together with a purpose. The bright and muted purples, the grays and the little patch of yellow sky form a beautiful harmony. The distribution of color makes a beautiful composition.
Third Place
“Layers of the Past” by Carol Mansfield
The colors in this piece make an exciting combination. The shapes are so well used, with the largest circle coming forward, and other circles floating further back. And it is all held beautifully together with vertical and horizontals that structure this composition.
Second Place
“Pomegranate Harvest” by Irena Noreikaite Petraitiene
The colors really stand out. The red and the green complement each other, rather than fight as they often do. The pomegranates glow against the dark background. There’s a rich depth to this jewel of a painting.
First Place
“The Pink Era” by Thomas O’Brien
So well done! The flamingo in the front points us into the painting. The soft edges, as well as the subdued colors of the background flamingoes unify the full painting. I’ve rarely seen flamingos and water reflections painted so well. It’s beautiful.
