Expectant artists are gearing up for the 2016 PleinAir Salon $15,000 Grand Prize, with the first batch of eligible finalists named today by PleinAir magazine. Who’s in?
Suzie Baker took the top prize with her oil painting “News Worthy.” Ardith Starostka won Second Place with “Wallflower,” and Shanna Kunz was the Third Place winner with her piece “Sun Dance.”
“News Worthy,” by Suzie Greer Baker, oil, 12 x 16 in. First Place
“Wallflower,” by Ardith Starostka, oil, 48 x 34 in. Second Place
“Sun Dance,” by Shanna Kunz, oil, 24 x 24 in. Third Place
In the Media categories, W. Truman Hosner won Best Pastel with “The Silver Surf Slipped Her Heal,” Vickie McMillan won Best Acrylic for “Life, Love and Community,” Jim Wodark took Best Oil for “Desert Sentry,” and Stewart White won Best Watercolor with “Appleford Garden, Wayne, PA.”
“Life, Love and Community,” by Vickie McMillan, acrylic, 60 x 40 in. Best Acrylic
“Desert Sentry,” by Jim Wodark, oil, 20 x 30 in. Best Oil
“The Silver Surf Slipped Her Heal,” by W. Truman Hosner, pastel, 20 x 26 in. Best Pastel
“Appleford Garden, Wayne, PA,” by Stewart White, watercolor, 10 1/2 x 14 1/2 in. Best Watercolor
In the Subject categories, Jason Sacran won Best Plein Air with “Between.” Valerie Craig won Best Building with “Whitewashed.” Sandra Corpora was the winner of the Best Figure in a Landscape category with “Lauren Painting.” Susan Ploughe won Best Floral for “Potted Pansies,” Maren Phillips won Best Landscape with “Nearly Noon,” Best Nocturne went to James Kroner for “Past Midnight,” Ann Kraft Walker’s painting “Jiggy’s Birds” won her Best Outdoor Still Life, and Best Water went to Lori Putnam for “Eastpoint Blues.”
“Whitewashed,” by Valerie Craig, oil, 11 x 14 in. Best Building
“Lauren Painting,” by Sandra Corpora, oil, 8 x 10 in. Best Figure in a Landscape
“Potted Pansies,” by Susan Ploughe, oil, 11 x 14 in. Best Floral
“Nearly Noon,” by Maren Phillips, oil, 11 x 14 in. Best Landscape
“Past Midnight,” by James Kroner, oil, 15 x 15 in. Best Nocturne
“Jiggy’s Birds,” by Ann Kraft Walker, oil, 18 x 20 in. Best Outdoor Still Life
“Eastpoint Blues,” by Lori Putnam, oil, 12 x 16 in. Best Water
Kyle Ma won Best Artist Under 30 with “Winter in Panguitch Creek.” David Leadman, of Walls Gallery in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, served as judge.
“Winter in Panguitch Creek,” by Kyle Ma, oil, 11 x 14 in. Best Artist Under 30
In April, $21,000 in prizes will be awarded to the annual winners at the 2016 Plein Air Convention & Expo. The PleinAir Salon consists of six bi-monthly contests, with the First, Second, and Third Place winners of each contest, and the category winners, automatically entered into the annual competition. First prize in the annual competition is $15,000 cash and the publication of the winning image on the cover of PleinAir magazine, along with a feature story. Second Place earns an artist $3,000 and an article in the digital edition of PleinAir. Third Place yields $1,500 in cash, and three additional finalists win $500. Aside from First, Second, and Third Place overall, categories include Best Oil, Best Pastel, Best Watercolor, Best Acrylic, Best Plein Air, Best Building, Best Figure in the Landscape, Best Floral, Best Landscape, Best Outdoor Still Life, Best Nocturne, Best Water, and Best Artist Under 30.
The winner of each bi-monthly contest is featured in this e-newsletter and profiled on OutdoorPainter.com. The current contest has a deadline of July 31. This is the last chance for painters to become eligible to win the grand prize for 2016. Enter now at the Salon’s website.
