OPA Online Showcase

2014 Summer Online Showcase Winners Spotlight

Oil Painters of America · Oct 21, 2014 · 1 Comment

We’re proud to highlight the winners of the OPA Summer 2014 Online Showcase. Enjoy some brief biographies below, detailing their painting history and journey to becoming award winning artists.

Anna Rose Bain

First Place Award for the painting titled “Sharing Secrets”

Anna Rose Bain Anna Rose Bain was born and raised in rural Wisconsin. She began drawing from the moment she could pick up a pencil. Inspired by her grandfather, who started painting at the age of 70, she spent her free time as a child sketching from nature and poring over art books. She was home schooled all through high school, giving her the opportunity to focus on art. Her primary medium was colored pencil until she began classes at Hillsdale College, majoring in Art. There, she fell in love with oils and decided to focus her studies on painting. Her strong background in drawing helped her to launch forward in advanced classes such as figure painting and sculpture. Under classical instruction and rigorous technical training, Anna excelled in the Hillsdale art department, sweeping juried art awards every semester. She received a full scholarship for her senior year, allowing her to attend summer painting classes at the Florence Academy of Art in 2006. She was the first student in Hillsdale College’s history to have a solo senior exhibit, and she graduated in 2007 with departmental honors.

Sharing Secrets by Anna Bain — “Sharing Secrets”
by Anna Bain
20″ x 16″ Oil

Anna now resides in Garland, TX with her husband, Steve and daughter, Cecelia. She works full-time as a fine art oil painter and commissioned portrait artist, teaches private painting lessons and workshops, and is actively involved in the local arts communities. Having had such inspiring teachers and role models in her own life, she firmly believes in sharing her passion and knowledge of classical art with other aspiring artists, as well as showing practical ways to stay up to date in today’s changing art market. Anna attends regular life drawing and painting sessions with the Society of Figurative Arts in Carrolton, TX, and is a member of the Oil Painters of America and American Women Artists. She also serves as Texas Ambassador for the Portrait Society of America. She is represented locally by Weiler House Fine Art in Fort Worth, TX.
Anna’s classical style both idealizes the subject and captures its true essence, while employing a direct painting method. She draws her inspiration from the joys and struggles in her life. Her paintings are an expression of gratitude and an exploration of the questions one faces at different stages of their life. For example, her “Self Portrait at 23 Weeks Pregnant” is a coming to terms with change and a joyous celebration of new life.
www.artworkbyannarose.com

Anne Blair Brown

Second Place Award for the painting titled “Wishing”

Award winning artist, Anne Blair Brown, was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island and currently resides in Nashville, TN. Her work centers on both rural and urban landscapes, figure, and interior spaces. While she enjoys the quiet solitude of her studio, she delights in painting on location. Brown says, “Painting from life creates an intimacy with the subject that I just can’t get from a photograph, and it heightens my sense of spontaneity. That energy is translated to the canvas in and out of the studio.”
Currently, Anne’s work can be seen at art galleries across America including Provincetown, MA, Carmel, CA, Naples, FL,Atlanta, GA, Delray Beach, FL, Richmond, VA, and Leipers Fork, TN.

Recent Accomplishments:

2nd Place, Oil Painters of America Online Summer Showcase
Still Life Award of Excellence, 23rd Annual Oil Painters of America 2014 National Exhibition
1st Place, Buildings Category, Plein Air Salon, Spring 2014
Plein Air Magazine Award of Excellence, American Impressionist Society 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition, 2013
Artists’ Choice Award, 2013 Los Gatos Plein Air Festival
Third Place, 2013 Wayne PA Plein Air Festival
Honorable Mention, OPA Online Showcase 2013
22nd Annual Oil Painters of America 2013 National Exhibition

Wishing by Anne Blair Brown — “Wishing”
by Anne Blair Brown
16″ x 16″ Oil

Anne Blair Brown is the President of the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast (PAP-SE). She is also an active member of The Cumberland Society of Oil Painters, The Oil Painters of America, The American Impressionist Society, and The Chestnut Group, a nonprofit group of artists dedicated to preserving endangered ecosystems, historic locales, and
aesthetically and environmentally significant places.
Brown received her training from the University of Georgia and Watkins College of Art&Design.
www.anneblairbrown.com

Charles Young Walls

Third Place Award for the painting titled “La Vespertina”

Charles Young Walls has been an artist all of his life and art has always been in the forefront of his pursuits. He completed a BFA from Arizona State University after which, following years of artistic struggle, he finally found the training he was looking for. He studied art at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League, both in New York City. Continuing to hone his painting skills, Charles then spent a decade pursuing a successful career in illustration before returning to the field of fine art.
He enjoys a growing reputation as an award winning painter and has exhibited in numerous exhibitions in the South and nationwide. At the 2013 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition he was awarded the John August Dietrich Memorial Figurative Award of Excellence. In the November 2009 issue of Southwest Art Magazine, he was featured as one of their “21 Over 31” Emerging Artists of 2009.

La Vespertina by Charles Young Walls — “La Vespertina”
by Charles Young Walls
20″ x 16″ Oil

He is a member of the Portrait Society of America, and the American Impressionist Society, and is an Associate Member of Oil Painters of America. Charles and his wife currently live in the Atlanta area.
www.charlesyoungwalls.com

2014 Summer Online Showcase Winners

Oil Painters of America · Sep 30, 2014 · Leave a Comment

The OPA Summer 2014 Online Showcase was held from June 1 – August 15, 2014, open to Associate members only and awarding $5,000 in cash awards. The Online Showcase runs three times each year and is completely digital competition held at www.opaonlineshowcase.com for only $14 per entry, with no limit to the number of entries allowed.

These award comments are thanks to our Summer Online Showcase judge, OPA Signature member Bryce Liston OPA.

The Winter 2014 Online Showcase runs from October 1 – December 15, 2014 and is open to OPA Associate and Signature members. Enter Today!

This was a particularly difficult show to judge because there were so many strong pieces. There were a lot more paintings that deserved awards among the entries, but as is always the case, I had to narrow it down to fewer pieces than I would have liked to. I like judging art shows. I really enjoy seeing all the different styles, approaches and subject matter. But when you have to start narrowing it down to the award winners it gets very difficult very quickly.

Bryce Liston OPA

Two ballerina girls Telling secrets — “Sharing Secrets”

by Anna Bain

20″ x 16″ Oil

First Place Anna Bain “Sharing Secrets”
I knew this was an award winner the first time I saw it. What a beautiful painting! It has a straightforward, simple and well balanced composition along with two impeccably well-drawn figures. I love those two faces, and the hands, structurally correct yet not at all distracting from the faces. The artist has employed great restraint and control over edges, subduing and letting them go where they’re not needed. This painting also has a strong use of value massing which really helps draw your eye to the center of interest. I love the subdued color palette and controlled color.

Cat Sitting on a chair — “Wishing”

by Anne Blair Brown

16″ x 16″ Oil

Second Place Anne Blair Brown “Wishing”
Again, this painting has a clear center of interest. My eye was completely controlled by the artist here. Every object was painted to a subordinate degree to support the composition. Also I love the paint application; I love the brushwork; loose but smartly applied. The artist is clearly seeing what’s going on under the loose brushwork without compromising the drawing and the perspective. The values are well massed and controlled and that, along with a great sense of warm sunlight, helps to tie the painting together.

Naked woman from behind — “La Vespertina”

by Charles Young Walls

20″ x 16″ Oil

Third Place Charles Young Walls “La Vespertina”
Beyond the wonderfully straightforward and strong composition and edge control, this painting has great color harmony. I love the way the artist kept all those flesh colors tied to the background and then brought in just a little warmth to really make the figure pop off the canvas. I judge figures on a higher level than most everything else. They have to be “In Drawing”. The draftsmanship has to be strong. This figure has such a superb sense of draftsmanship. The anatomy is solid and the figure has a great gesture. Even beyond that, the figure has a feeling of movement. It’s not stiff and posed and seems as if might move at any moment.

A hawk about to fly out of its nest — “Taking Flight”

by Jason Jackson

24″ x 30″ Oil

Honorable Mention Jason Jackson “Taking Flight”
This painting read very well when I viewed it as a thumbnail and it continued to hold up as I looked at it in a larger format. It has a strong sense of light and dark and they’re well grouped together. The feathers on the wings could have easily gotten out of control, but I love how the artist subdued detail in the shadow. It makes the feathers read perfectly.

Millitary Man — “Semper Fi”

by Patrick Meehan

16″ x 12″ Oil

Honorable Mention Patrick Meehan “Semper Fi”
I kept coming back to this painting. The artist has created a very interesting piece by subduing the color with a monochromatic approach. On top of that, I can easily break this piece down into three values. So the artist has reined in both color and value, making the overall shapes and brushwork stand out. A great example of controlling some of your elements to make others shine. Well done.

An old man looking out a window longingly — “Portrait of Nat Benjamin, boat builder & designer”

by Elizabeth Whelan

30″ x 24″ Oil

Honorable Mention Elizabeth Whelan “Portrait of Nat Benjamin, boat builder & designer”
There’s a lot going on here but it’s all kept in a good sense of order. It’s well designed and technically very well done. I believe it tells a lot about this individual and his life. The light coming in through the window really unites all of the elements in the painting. The harmonious colors and strong value massing makes this one a winner.

Dog Looking up — “Wanna go for a walk?”

by E Melinda Morrison

16″ x 9″ Oil

Honorable Mention E Melinda Morrison “Wanna go for a walk?”
This is a great example of thinking outside the box. It’s very original and I love that perspective. I also enjoy the use of that one streak of light balancing out all of the soft blue tones in the rest of the painting. Another example of a superb use of edges. See how the dog just blends right into the carpet? Fantastic! Oh and what a great dog face, don’t you just love those eyes?

Buckets stacked up — “Maryland Crab Shed”

by Mark Boedges

14″ x 20″ Oil

Honorable Mention Mark Boedges “Maryland Crab Shed”
Strong design and intriguing paint handling. I enjoy the open dry strokes allowing the underpainting to come through. That warm yellow light coming from behind really sets off the soft blues and violets that unite all of the foreground elements.

Girl in the shadows on a ladder — “Exploring the Basement”

by Stephanie Deshpande

30″ x 24″ Oil

Honorable Mention Stephanie Deshpande “Exploring the Basement”
Mood, mood and more mood. I love it! Such a great use of lighting. A wonderful sense of atmosphere and great value massing. I love the use of thick impasto on the dress. It contrasts great with all of the simple subdued shadow colors.

Tree in a field — “Hill Country Celebrity”

by Jimmy Longacre

11″ x 14″ Oil

Honorable Mention Jimmy Longacre “Hill Country Celebrity”
I love the warm and cool colors in this painting. I can feel the warmth on my face. I feel like I’m right there where it was painted. The beautiful cool violets in the shadows really make the warm light bathe and harmonize the entire painting. I also appreciate the way the artist used thick impasto to paint into the brush in the foreground. Very well done!

River running through trees — “Hidden in the Woods”

by Deborah Tilby

16″ x 20″ Oil

Honorable Mention Deborah Tilby “Hidden in the Woods”
This painting has great design and a strong sense of light. The color palette is very controlled and limited, giving the painting harmony. Rushing water can be so hard to paint and so easy to over paint, but this artist has done a superb job in keeping it simple and not over worked. I love all the subtle color in the water. I could look at this one all day long.

Portrait of a man with a beard with red behind him — “Valentino”

by Suzie Baker

20″ x 16″ Oil

Honorable Mention Suzie Baker “Valentino”
Again, another portrait that is solid and well-drawn. This painting has a lot of energy, it’s bold and strong along with fresh and energetic brushwork. Everything is set up to take you right into the center of interest, which is that wonderfully painted eye. Notice how subdued the hand is, it fits right into its value range without jumping out. Great job!

Dark skinned woman with hooped earrings — “Jessica”

by Ann Kraft Walker

13″ x 10″ Oil

Honorable Mention Ann Kraft Walker “Jessica”
This painting is so well drawn and sculptural, it has a solid 3-dimentional feeling. It’s a portrait, yet maybe not. I mean I feel like there is more here than just a portrait of someone. It made me want to look beyond the literal. I also love the way the artist has simplified and changed the hair as it moves away from the face. Wonderful use of opaque vs transparent, not to mention wonderful edges. Great paint handling.

2013 Summer Online Showcase Winners Spotlight

Oil Painters of America · Dec 9, 2013 · 1 Comment

Gia Elisa Stamps Holderman

Elisa Holdermen was awarded Second Place, a $1,500 cash award, made possible thanks to Dorothy Driehaus Mellin and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, for the oil painting entitled “Waiting”

Ever since I can remember I have liked to draw and paint, attempting to replicate images I liked. So naturally, I chose art as my major in college receiving a BFA from the local university, and then continuing on to receive a M.S. degree. Those yucky college art history classes exposed me to all kinds of art. My personal likings gravitated to style of the Dutch painters as well as impressionist painters.
Drawing is the foundation for my paintings. It is during this early period of a painting that the composition with the lights and dark shapes are explored and finalized. For many years I painted in a pointillism style, attempting to create my own style of a modern impressionism. This was created with tight singular points of color arranged in a manner which formed the lights, darks and shapes, somewhat like pixels on a television screen. The viewer’s eye will mix the individual points of color creating the expressed image. When I started working with oil several years ago, I found that it allowed some of the colors to bleed over into the neighboring color, giving the painting a different feel than if the same painting had been done in acrylic.
I worked for 20 years as a police officer in order to retire and fund my full time painting endeavor. I usually paint 4-10 hours per day, barring some interferences I can’t avoid. When I’m not painting, I spend my time vacuuming dog and cat hair and flipping a coin with my husband to see whose turn it is to prepare dinner. I usually lose and have to do dishes either way.

"Waiting" by Gia Elisa Holderman — “Waiting” by Gia Elisa Holderman

I consider myself an uninteresting person who likes to paint beautiful and/or interesting objects. I like to surround myself with beautiful objects which will become future subject matter of my paintings. I think that a detailed and intricate object creates a more interesting and exciting painting. I push myself to focus on the minute details that no one would notice, yet overall they complete the painting. The greatest complement I receive is when I am accused of submitting a photograph in lieu of a painting or Painting over a photograph. I know I’ve hit my mark at that point.

Frankie Johnson

Frankie Johnson received the third place award for “Abandoned” in the OPA Summer 2013 Online Showcase.

Frankie Johnson is an accomplished artist with over thirty years of teaching experience in oils and pastels. She has owned the Mainstreet Art Centre / School of Fine Art in Lake Zurich, IL for 19 years. She conducts workshops in all subject matter throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. Her paintings are represented by the Joan Champeau Pioneer Gallery in Sister Bay, WI.
Frankie was a finalist in Artists’s magazine competitions, had a painting featured in International Artists and won a Merit Award in an Oil Painters of America Exhibit. She also won Best of Show in the Landscape category at the Richeson 75 International Art Competitions and had several paintings featured in their Still Life, Floral, Figure, Landscape and Small Paintings Books.
Also juried into the Easton, Maryland, Plein Air competition where she won “Best Marine Painting” and invited twice to participate in Door County’s Plein Air Competition with 40 other artists from around the country. She won 2^nd place in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, Plein Air competition last year and received several Honorable Mentions. She has been a Finalist several times for the Ray Mar on-line painting competitions.

Abandond — “Abandoned” by Frankie Johnson

Frankie currently has a painting in the Oil Painters of America 2013 Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition in Annapolis, Maryland and in the American Impressionist Society National Exhibition in Charleston, SC. She was a selected artist to exhibited in the first Juried Salon Show of Traditional Oils for the Oil Painters of America this summer in Petosky, Michigan. www.frankiejohnsonartstudio.com

2013 Summer Online Showcase Winners Spotlight – Nikolo Balkanski

Oil Painters of America · Oct 21, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Nikolo Balkanski received the First Place Award of $3,000 cash for his painting of “Sophie” entered in the OPA Summer 2013 Online Showcase.

Nikolo Balkanski’s paintings bring his European origin and training ot his art, and his post-impressionist interpretations carry a distinctive quality that easily captivates the viewer with his portrayal of the subject using sophisticated color and remarkable draftsmanship.
Balkanski, and internationally recognized portrait and landscape artist from Sofia, Bulgaria, lives and works in Colorado. Since his move to the United States in 1984, from Helsinki, Finland, his work has undergone a natural metamorphosis.
“Unfettered by self-imposed limitations, Balkanski applies his well-developed skills to subjects as disparate as landscapes, nudes, portraits, still lives and more. His style, technique and especially his use of color result in images that are more painterly than the art that most collectors may be accustomed to seeing.” – U.S.ART
“Of the many exceptional features Mr. Balkanski’s work displays, none is more commendable than his command of atmosphere. This is an elusive quality that all too many otherwise quite competent painters lack the virtuosity to achieve. Balkanski demonstrates an extraordinary understanding of light and depicts it in an altogether convincing fashion. The viewer senses at once the kind of light falling on Balkanski’s subject and is aware of the atmosphere, the weightiness of the space surrounding them.

Sophie by Nikolo Balkanski — “Sophie” by Nikolo Balkanski, 20″ x 16″

This control of atmosphere gives each of his paintings a distinctive mood, an emotional quality independent of an narrative element and even the subject matter. The subtlety this kind of painting requires is mark of uncommon facility and itself would qualify Nikolo Balkanski as a Master.”
One sees at a glance that Mr. Balkanski is schooled in the techniques of the old masters and possesses the exceptional talent to employ their methods in creating thoroughly modern paintings. It is therefore of no surprise that he is so highly regarded by his peers, museum curators, and prominent art collectors.

Upcoming Events

Oil Painters of America · May 14, 2012 · Leave a Comment

The OPA Blog is taking a brief break from it’s normal schedule of thought provoking articles from our gifted Guest Bloggers to bring you an update on the exciting upcoming events and deadlines you won’t want to miss!

2012 National Juried Exhibition

We encourage you to join us during the opening weekend festivities of this year’s 21^st National Juried Exhibition in beautiful Evergreen, Colorado, June 20 – June 24, 2012, including an opportunity to paint and sell your work! OPA members who take part in one or both of the plein air painting events will be eligible to participate in a tent sale taking place June 23 & June 24, right outside Evergreen Fine Art Gallery. Click here for a complete list of all events and more information regarding this year’s tent sale.

2012 Spring OPA Online Showcase

Calling all Associate members! The first of 3 Associate On-line Showcase’s this year is in full swing. Your last opportunity to enter and be eligible for a total of $5,000 in prize money is Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Click here to register now!

2012 Eastern Regional Exhibition

This year’s Eastern Regional Exhibition will be held at the impressive Bennington Center for the Arts, in Bennington, Vermont. The Juror of Awards will be Kenn Backhaus OPAM. The deadline for entering on-line is July 6. Maximum canvas size: 1200 sq. inches.

2012 Western Regional Exhibition

This year’s Western Regional Exhibition will be held at the trendy Gallery 1261, owned by OPA Master Signature artist Quang Ho. The Juror of Awards will be Jeff Legg OPAM. The deadline for entering on-line is July 13. Maximum canvas size: 1200 sq. inches.

Deadlines

Signature Membership Deadline
October 15, 2012 – Application deadline to apply for Signature membership
Master Signature Membership Deadline
September 1, 2012 – Application deadline to apply for Master Signature membership.
Shirl Smithson Scholarship Deadline
December 1, 2012 – Application deadline to be selected to receive one of four Shirl Smithson Scholarships. No charge to apply and open to all Associate members.

Next Week on the OPA Blog

Patsy Ledbetter OPA will be sharing about her approach toward art. Here is a brief preview:

It has been said that art is subjective to the viewer. I certainly agree with that statement. I can look at a work of art and be astounded by the way it speaks to me. Someone else may just glance at the same piece of work and not be affected at all. I have decided to not worry about what others think of my work or the subject matter I choose to paint, but paint only to please myself…