Plein Air Salon art competitions
1st Place Overall: $1,000 Prize John Buxton, "At the Gardens, The Melon Gang," oil, 23 x 34 in.

Helena Fox of Helena Fox Fine Art, has revealed her selections for the winners in the PleinAir Salon monthly art competition.

Congratulations to the winners of the September 2020 PleinAir Salon! The 1st Place Overall winner is shown above; keep scrolling to see more winners and learn how to enter your best paintings and drawings today!

First place will receive a cash prize, plus all winners will be entered into the judging for the annual cash prizes, including the $15,000 grand prize for the best painting of the year, and they’ll see their painting on the cover of PleinAir Magazine. The annual winners will be announced on stage at the next Plein Air Convention. Could you be the next winner?

1st Place Overall:

“At the Gardens, The Melon Gang,” (shown at top) by John Buxton (Pennsylvania)

“‘At the Gardens’ is beautifully handled, even down to the hands,” said Fox. “I always go to the hands because if the hands don’t work then the painting does not work. I must admit, I am drawn to Native American culture, yet the color harmony of the red and green sparkled with passages of blue make for a beautiful painting.”

2nd Place Overall:

“Noyo” by John Hewitt (California)

“The watercolor in ‘Noyo’ is lively, constructed with strong compositional elements in a simple color harmony of blue and orange with the excitement of blue and green,” said Fox. “It is reminiscent of my favorite era of painting, post-modernist 1950’s.”

Plein Air Salon art competitions
John Hewitt, “Noyo,” watercolor, 22 x 30 in.

3rd Place Overall:

“Threshing” by A. Shaw (Utah)

“‘Threshing’ has strong compositional elements, drawing skill, and sense of light that conveys a consistent artistic message,” Fox said.

Plein Air Salon art competitions
A. Shaw, “Threshing,” oil, 20 x 30 in.

Best Plein Air:

“Late Summer” by Joe Paquet (Minnesota)

Plein Air Salon art competitions
Joe Paquet, “Late Summer,” oil, 30 x 40 in.

“Passion, skill and devotion sometimes equal success,” said Fox. “The winners were chosen because they exhibited these traits. Strive for quality, make your best effort, and seek for expression of your personality and passion. Be original.”

View the rest of the PleinAir Salon winners at pleinairsalon.com/winners.
Note: Judges are not provided with contestant names.

The next round of the PleinAir Salon has begun so hurry, as this competition ends soon. Enter your best art in the PleinAir Salon here.

About the PleinAir Salon:

PleinAir magazine presents the annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition. In the spirit of the French Salon created by the Academie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, this annual competition, with monthly cycles leading to annual Salon Grand Prize winners, is designed to stimulate artistic growth through competition. The competition rewards artists with $27,000 in cash prizes and exposure of their work, with the winning painting featured on the cover of PleinAir magazine.

It is our belief that cash prizes provide further inspiration and an avenue for artists to thrive and create new work by helping alleviate financial pressure.

Winners in each monthly competition may receive recognition and exposure through PleinAir magazine’s print magazine, e-newsletter, and social media. Winners of each monthly competition will also be entered into the annual competition.


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