Prizes for the OPA Online Showcase are made available largely to a generous donation from Dorothy Driehaus Mellin and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. These awards typically boast $3,000 in cash for first place, $1,500 for second place and $500 for third place along with 10 honorable mentions.
Judges for the Online Showcase are selected from our Signature members, Master Signature members and other top oil painters in North America. Signature member Kathleen Dunphy was selected as judge for the Fall 2012 show, and has included some excellent comments for each of the paintings entered.
The Spring 2013 OPA Online Showcase will begin accepting entries on March 1, so be sure to enter to win excellent awards. Until then, enjoy the remarkable artwork of your fellow OPA Associate members from the Fall 2012 OPA Online Showcase.
First Place
Sunshine Breakfast by Stan Rogers
16 x 20 Oil
Judge’s Comments: This painting has it all: Great design, accurate drawing without being too tight, energetic brushstrokes, thick and thin paint, wonderful play of color accents amid the grays. Well done! – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Second Place
Cracker Jack by Craig Pursley
18 x 18 Oil
Judge’s Comments: To pull off lettering in perspective and make it look accurate and not too distracting..what a feat! The red leads you right to the center of interest, a beautifully painted portrait, but your eye keeps moving around the painting to the door handle and light in the background. An ambitious and well-executed undertaking. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Third Place
Autumn Marsh: Proverbs 2:2 by Thomas Kegler
30 x 40 Oil
Judge’s Comments: We’ve all stood somewhere similar to this spot and been awed by the hushed beauty at the cusp of the day. Thomas captured not only the look but the spirit of that moment – you can feel the emotion emanate from the canvas. Just enough detail on the grasses in the foreground and a lovely sense of mystery as detail and warmth diminishes into the background. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
32 x 36 Oil
Judge’s Comments: Another emotional painting- I love the sense of intrigue–What’s he reading? What’s tormenting him? The painting on the wall in the background is a nice touch to add to the story. Incredible draftsmanship and just enough soft edges to keep it from feeling too brittle. Lovely color harmonies. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
20 x 30 Oil
Judge’s Comments: Beautiful play of temperatures – you feel both the chill of the snow and warmth of the weak spring sun. Great drawing and depiction of “junk” – turning the mundane into art. I looked at this painting a long time before I noticed the fox next to the building – a great pay-off to the viewer without taking over the theme of the painting. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
20 x 24 Oil
Judge’s Comments: I must admit that any depiction of Sorolla’s studio would get my attention, but the execution of this piece elevates the scene from just a snapshot to a work of art. Lovely indication of Sorolla’s paintings in the background. Great design- the triangulation of the bright white color keeps the eye moving through the painting. That half-figure on the left looking into the painting is a bold and effective addition. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
24 x 30 Oil
Judge’s Comments: I love the implied areas in this painting – the darks on the left and the signs behind the figures on the right. Lovely paint quality and brushwork. The warm accents from the incandescent lights play beautifully against the cooler natural light. Wonderful indication of wetness on the pavement. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
10 x 8 Oil
Judge’s Comments: Above and beyond the subject matter, this painting engages with the viewer with strong brushwork and luscious paint. I stopped thinking about a ginger jar and an apple and instead followed the tracks of the artist through her strong brushwork. Fresh and energetic! – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
20 x 16 Oil
Judge’s Comments: I kept coming back to this painting again and again – the various textures and unique subject matter grabbed my attention. Beautiful rendering of the elephant and dynamic lighting. A head-turner. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
24 x 30 Oil
Judge’s Comments: You need sunglasses to look at this painting! Wonderful feeling of light. Beautiful sense of time and place and accurately-depicted figures. Just enough detail to tell us what’s going on without losing that sense of blinding morning light. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
30 x 20 Oil
Judge’s Comments: Great design and paint quality! I love the way the bear almost blends into the background, focusing our eye on the little girl. Sweet without being too sentimental. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
24 x 30 Oil
Judge’s Comments: Intriguing textures – those little glints of red/orange coming through make for a lively painting.Good solid drawing and I love the temperature shifts in the indication of the bricks on the wall. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Honorable Mention
22 x 28 Oil
Judge’s Comments: In addition to depicting a very moving subject matter, this piece is beautifully painted. The warm underpainting showing through provides unity throughout the work, and the thicker paint on the figure’s face creates a convincing sense of depth. Great textures and subtle color shifts in the background shadow. – Kathleen Dunphy, OPA
Upcoming OPA Events
- March 1 – May 15, 2013 — Spring 2013 Online Showcase
- May 17 – June 17, 2013 — 22nd National Juried Exhibition
- June 20 – August 31, 2013 — Salon Show, Petoskey, MI
- September 6 – October 8, 2013 — 2013 Western Regional Exhibition
- October 20 – November 17, 2013 — 2013 Eastern Regional Exhibition
Stay tuned for more updates on these premier oil painting exhibitions for 2013 at www.oilpaintersofamerica.com
Corinne Murphy says
i have just completed the most wondrous way to begin my day!! I’ve studied the winners of the Online Showcase and am absolutely overwhelmed by the incredible talent displayed by your winners. Each was better than the last. I would have been hard pressed to choose ‘places’. I’m still pretty new at painting and these wonderful artists give me more inspiration than I can tell you. Thank you so much for making this showcase available. Fabulous, just Fabulous.
Oil Painters of America says
Corinne,
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the Online Showcase. We put our best effort into our national, regional and online exhibitions so that budding artists like yourself can flourish. Keep up the great work and we hope to see you among the winners list one day!
Oil Painters of America