2026 OPA National Convention Wet Paint Awards
Plein Air Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | First Place - Plein Air Full-page ad from Western Art Collector Magazine | $4,100 | Aaron Schuerr | Spring Awakening |
 | Second Place - Plein Air The Alpine Goat Pochade from Urban Goat ($425) and merchandise certificate from Blick Art Materials ($50) | $475 | Julie Davis OPA | River Road |
 | Third Place - Plein Air Anywhere Pochade Box +Two Metal Side Trays ($260), u.go Plein Air Medium Wet Panel Carrier ($111) | $371 | Buddy Odom | Paint Brush Sagebrush |
Studio Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | First Place - Studio Full-page ad from Western Art Collector Magazine | $4,100 | Cortney C. Lunt | Courage |
 | Second Place - Studio Merchandise certificates from Legion Paper ($250) and Cobra Artist Water Mixable Oil Set ($225) | $475 | Sarah Sedwick OPA | Grapes and Cream |
 | Third Place - Studio Merchandise certificate from JFM Enterprises ($250), Blick Art Materials ($50) and Masterson Palette Seal & Posh Glass Palette from New Wave Fine Art Products ($46) | $346 | Katherine Tatum Grossfeld | Lots of Dots |
Combined Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Wet Paint Award of Distinction Silver Brush Ltd. Merchandise Certificate, New Wave Palette & Masterson Sta-Wet Handy Palette | $232 | Rainny Zhao OPA | Out of the Blue |
 | Wet Paint Award of Distinction Silver Brush Ltd. Merchandise Certificate, New Wave Palette & Masterson Sta-Wet Handy Palette | $232 | Jane Hunt OPA | Rain at Days End |
 | Wet Paint Award of Distinction Silver Brush Ltd. Merchandise Certificate, New Wave Palette & Masterson Sta-Wet Handy Palette | $232 | Eric Karl Johnson OPA | Hat Shadow |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Chris Reese | Chasing Violet |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Louisa Lorenz | Warm Peaches |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Russell Recchion OPA | The Wrangler |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Amy Catherine Adams | Sentimental Longing |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Stuart Fullerton OPA | Soft Greens |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Inga Poslitur | It's All Downhill from Here |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Chula Beauregard OPA | Seeing Paintings |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Kathleen Hudson | Fish Creek Falls |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Elo Wobig | Amethyst Falls |
 | Wet Paint Award of Excellence Blick Art Materials Merchandise Certificate | $100 | Aimee Erickson OPA | The Place I Belong |
2026 OPA Online Showcase Spring
Associate/ International Associate/ Student Associate Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | First Place Cash | $3,000 | Brent Cotton | Before the Thunder Speaks |
 | Second Place Cash | $1,500 | Allie Zeyer | Where the Earth Turned Gold |
 | Third Place Cash | $500 | Lisa David | Still Warm |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Christine Code | Atmospheric Impressions |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Anna R Wainright | Rise Up |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Ashwini Bharathula | Apache Honor |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Olena Burykina | Dreamer |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Jen Starling | After Every Fierce Storm, I am Wired to Rise |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Tad Retz | Lily Pads V |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Todd Casey | Black Bottles with Ribbon and Petal |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Keevan Donahue | Brass Pot, Brocade, a White Carp |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Maxwell G. Miller | Dawn on the Shores of Creation |
 | Honorable Mention | n/a | Andy Eccleshall | January Light |
2026 Sixth Annual Student Art Competition
Age 14-18 Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | First Place $500 cash funded by OPA & $500 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $1,000 | Lin-Qi Yang School: Stuyvesant High School Age: 16 | Distant Clouds |
 | Second Place $250 cash funded by OPA & $250 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $500 | Trevor Alexander Huo School: Mira Costa High School Age: 17 | When The Dream Went Quiet |
 | Third Place $100 cash funded by OPA & $100 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $200 | Phoenix shepherd palomino Kooper School: Da Vinci Studios Age: 18 | The Bind |
 | Honorable Mention $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $50 | Emma C. Zacherl School: Clarion-Limestone High School Age: 17 | Redhawk |
 | Honorable Mention $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $50 | Jadon Scott Gilmour School: Christian Educational Consortium Age: 19 | Blooming Citrus |
 | Honorable Mention $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $50 | Helen Currie School: Philadelphia Creative And Performing Arts High School (CAPA) Age: 17 | Nowhere, Italy |
Age 19-23 Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | First Place $500 cash funded by OPA & $500 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $1,000 | Eliza Hoffman School: The University of Texas at Austin Age: 20 | The Trio |
 | Second Place $250 cash funded by OPA & $250 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $500 | Elizabeth England School: Driftless Art Academy Age: 20 | A Light to my Path |
 | Third Place (tie) $100 cash funded by OPA & $100 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $200 | Nathaniel M. Garza School: Hindes Fine Art Gallery and Art School Age: 21 | Somewhere South of Charlotte |
 | Third Place (tie) $100 cash funded by OPA & $100 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $200 | Alyssa Klonaris School: Folsom Lake College Age: 20 | Misty Coastline |
 | Honorable Mention $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $50 | Marinn Cisna School: Fine Art Mentor Age: 23 | Bringing Her Home |
 | Honorable Mention $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $50 | Elizabeth Pollock School: Washington University in St. Louis Age: 22 | Crab Hunting |
 | Honorable Mention $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate | $50 | Fathima Farha School: collin college Age: 20 | Hidden Glass |
2026 National Exhibition & Convention
Associate & Signature Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gold Medal Award Cash award funded by Oil Painters of America
(Eligibility only once every two years for the same artist) | $25,000 | James Swanson OPA | Destiny of the Rising Sun |
 | Silver Medal Award Full-page advertisement sponsored by American Art Collector Magazine | $4,100 | Robin Cole | Mary's Roses |
 | Bronze Medal Award Full-page advertisement sponsored by Modern Impressionist Magazine | $2,500 | Jen Starling | Heal Thyself |
 | The Jane Van Meter Award of Distinction for Signature Members Cash award funded by the Van Meter/Barnhart Family Fund | $1,250 | James Coe OPA | Dramatic Winter Sky |
 | The Jane Van Meter Award of Distinction for Associate Members Cash award funded by the Van Meter/Barnhart Family Fund | $1,250 | Louisa Lorenz | Season of the Persimmons |
 | Workshops in France Award of Distinction $5000 workshop scholarship & $250 cash funded by OPA | $5,250 | Nicholas Palella | Jester's Privilege |
 | Workshops in Yorkshire Award of Distinction $4000 workshop scholarship & $250 cash funded by OPA | $4,250 | John D. Phillips | Canyon Wall |
 | Kathryn Beligratis Award of Distinction for First Time Exhibiting Artists Cash award funded by OPA ($500) and 1-year Master Demos Unlimited Monthly Membership ($500) | $1,000 | Emily A. Pastor | White Roses |
 | Past Presidents' Award of Distinction Cash award funded by OPA Past Presidents Betty Schmidt and Zhiwei Tu OPAM | $1,000 | Justin Worrell | Awakening Dawn |
 | Realism Award of Distinction Cash award funded by ShipandInsure ($500) and merchandise certificate sponsored by Michael Harding Art Formulas ($500) | $1,000 | Niki Gyles | Grandma’s Heirlooms |
 | Nancy S. Crookston OPAM Memorial Impressionist Award of Distinction Cash award funded by the Crookston Family and Crookston Memorial Fund | $1,000 | Jim T. McVicker OPA | Studio Table |
 | Animal Award of Distinction Cash award funded by The DaVinci Studios ($250) and merchandise certificates sponsored by Michael Harding Art Formulas ($500) & SourceTek ($250) | $1,000 | Naomi Shachar OPA | Hitching Post |
 | John August Dietrich Memorial Figurative Award of Distinction Cash award funded by RayMar Art | $1,000 | Tina Figarelli School: East Oaks Studio Age: 23 | Watchers |
 | Alden Bryan Memorial Landscape Award of Distinction Cash award funded by the Alden and Mary Bryan Arts Fund and the Vermont Community Foundation | $1,000 | Susiehyer Lynn Hyer OPA | Moonflower Dawn |
 | Portraiture Award of Distinction Merchandise award package sponsored by Gamblin Artists Color ($500) and merchandise certificate sponsored by Rosemary & Co. Artists Brushes ($500) | $1,000 | Russell Recchion OPA | The Painter's Palette |
 | Seascape Award of Distinction Merchandise certificates sponsored by Blick Art Materials ($500) and Blue Ridge Oil Colors ($500) | $1,000 | Rebecca Arguello | Sun's Echo |
 | Still Life Award of Distinction Merchandise certificates sponsored by Michael Harding Art Formulas ($500) and Rosemary & Co. Artists Brushes ($500) | $1,000 | Ashwini Bharathula | A Symphony in Bloom |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise award package sponsored by Jack Richeson & Co. | $500 | Barbara Jaenicke OPA | Coastal Drama |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise certificates sponsored by Artefex | $500 | Brian Slawson OPA | Goose Lake-Yellowstone |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise certificate sponsored by Blick Art Materials | $500 | Zach Monette | The Red Barn |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise certificates sponsored by SourceTek ($250) and Masterpak ($250) | $500 | Laurie Kersey OPA | Cypress Grove Sunset |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise certificates sponsored by Winsor & Newton ($250) and Dixon Ticonderoga ($250) | $500 | Eric Karl Johnson OPA | Doc in Sombrero |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise certificate sponsored by Blue Ridge Oil Colors | $500 | Elizabeth Pollie OPA | Paper Moon |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise award package sponsored by Jack Richeson & Co. | $500 | Devin Roberts OPA | At Eventide |
 | Award of Excellence Merchandise certificate sponsored by Artefex | $500 | Tina Garrett | Ever After |
Master Signature Division
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gold Medal Cash award funded by OPA and Friends of OPA
(Eligibility only once every two years for the same artist) | $7,500 | Calvin Liang OPAM | Hometown Boats |
 | Silver Medal Full-page advertisement sponsored by American Art Collector Magazine | $4,100 | Deborah L. Tilby OPAM | Resonance |
 | Bronze Medal Full-page advertisement sponsored by Southwest Art Magazine | $3,350 | MaryBeth Karaus OPAM | Tangerine Roses |
 | Landscape Award of Distinction Rembrandt oil paint set sponsored by Royal Talens ($690) | $690 | Craig Tennant OPAM | Autumn Passage |
 | Realism Award of Distinction Merchandise award set sponsored by Holbein Artist Oils ($350) and merchandise certificate sponsored by Silver Brush Ltd. ($200) | $550 | Elizabeth Robbins OPAM | Harmony in Bloom |
 | Impressionist Award of Distinction Merchandise award set sponsored by M. Graham ($530) | $530 | Bill Farnsworth OPAM | Light Shift |
 | Shirl Smithson Founders' Award Cash award funded by the Shirl Smithson Family | $500 | Mary Qian OPAM | Mac |
| AWARDS AND DONORS | VALUE | WINNER | PAINTING TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Members' Choice Award for Master Signature Members Half-page Advertisement sponsored by Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine ($2,400) and Merchandise certificate sponsored by Ampersand Art ($250) | $2,650 | James Crandall OPAM | Men in Via Roma, No. 3 |
 | Members' Choice Award for Signature Members Half-page Advertisement sponsored by Art of the West Magazine ($1,780) and Merchandise certificate sponsored by smart Coach ($500) | $2,280 | Dave Santillanes OPA | Winter Light |
 | Members' Choice Award for Associate Members Artwork Archive Master Account Lifetime Subscription ($2,016) and merchandise certificate sponsored by JFM ($250) | $2,266 | Lauren Ashley Carlo | Plaster Workers |
| American Society of Marine Artists Award of Excellence Qualifying works for this award include any marine-themed painting, drawing inspiration from a relationship with the water. Contemporary Marine Art encompasses the sea, shorelines, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, and includes marine flora and fauna | $2,000 | Calvin Liang OPAM | Hometown Boats |
 | ASMA Merit Award | $0 | Mitch Baird OPA | Mediterranean Blues |
 | ASMA Art Merit Award | $0 | Christine Lashley OPA | Ocean's Edge |
 | OPA President's Award of Distinction u.go Plein Air Medium Plein Air Bundle & Medium u.go Wet Panel Carrier sponsored by New Wave Fine Art Products ($680) and $320 cash funded by OPA | $1,000 | Timothy Rees | Edge of the Wood |
Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship
 | The Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship for Midwestern Artists The fellowship is provided through a generous contribution by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation for an OPA artist residing in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio or Wisconsin | $20,000 | Marianne Kay Rice | Ollie and Lilly - Friendly, Not Quite Tame |