Abigail McBride, Director of McBride Gallery, has revealed her selections for the September 2025 PleinAir Salon art competition.
“Put your work out there,” Abigail says. “Entering your work into competitions and shows is a great way to participate in the wider artistic community and get your work seen. Even when you don’t win, your work was seen in the process. And the process of preparing your work, getting a good image, and being organized to meet deadlines is the same labor you would do for an in-person show in a gallery or museum.”
PleinAir Salon Art Competition Winners Preview:
1st Place Overall: “Nature’s Rhythm”
Judge’s Response to “Nature’s Rhythm”:
“This piece gave me an immediate and visceral sense of place. It pulled me to specific memories of being on a beach with cold water swirling around my ankles, looking out at the view. It has a beautiful outdoor light effect. But what sealed it for me is how the composition leads you back to the distance in an entertaining ride of swirls until you reach the ladder of lines: wave and land. Then a little red rocket of a light house launches you up into the sky and drops you right back down on the shore.”
2nd Place Overall: “February Thaw”
On “February Thaw”:
“Some paintings read well up close and others from a distance. This one caught me from every way of looking at it, including every level of squinting. And wow, what dynamic light quality; the artist elevated what might have been an ordinary scene to a level of scintillating beauty. It’s warm light on a cold day painted with excellent shape design.”
3rd Place Overall: “A Hill Worth Climbing”
On “A Hill Worth Climbing”:
“This painting stood out to me as a symphony of texture and edge quality. The luminosity of the blue sky and movement in the clouds looks effortlessly effective. It feels like those clouds are getting pushed by a high wind.”
Plein Air Category Winners:
Art Competition Advice:
“In this digital age, the importance of a quality photograph of your work is critical,” Abigail advises. “No matter how cool or skillful your work is, a photo with glare or cropping issues will eliminate you in the first round. If you can’t get a good photo on your own, get help! Many commercial printing companies can take a quality photo or scan of your work and will even let you sit with them to do color correction.”
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.
And browse more free articles here at OutdoorPainter.com
