J. Ben Whiteside, owner of The Red Piano Gallery, has revealed his selections for the April 2025 PleinAir Salon art competition. Scroll down to see the winning paintings and read Ben’s comments on his top picks.
PleinAir Salon Art Competition Winners Preview:
1st Place Overall: “Summertime”
“I have been a fan of Daniel Keys’s work since I first saw one of his paintings,” Ben said. “To me, the artist typically presents his florals within their natural environment; usually a detail of flowers in the field as opposed to a vista. I really enjoyed seeing his work in this collection and consider this artist to be one of the best of his generation.”
2nd Place Overall: “The Making of a Cowboy”
“Who does not love the nostalgic feel of this painting featuring Howdy Doody? A bit of western and cowboy thrown in brings me back to a simpler time. Nice composition and professionally executed. Well done.”
3rd Place Overall: “We Could Be Heroes”
“Third place is a tip of the hat to figurative. A super hero in the form of just being a kid. I really liked how this painting has the kid standing in front of a black board with a house, sunshine, and clouds. Show and tell from back in elementary school. Love it!”
Plein Air Category Winners:
Enter the PleinAir Salon Art Competition Today
All winners in the PleinAir® Salon will be entered into the judging for the annual cash prizes, including the Grand Prize of $15,000 and their painting on the cover of PleinAir® Magazine.
Could you be the next winner?
The next round of the PleinAir Salon has begun so hurry, as this competition ends on the last day of the month. See the rest of this month’s winners and enter your best art in the PleinAir Salon here.
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