18th IMAS Winners  & Judge’s Statement

• 1st Place – Anita Cox’s oil on ivorine painting ‘Jackpot’. “Jackpot is a little gem. She has taken a personal, whimsical moment and transformed it into a wonderful understated composition. The lettering, textures and design reminded me of a George Braque painting. The artist’s initials are hidden and the very simple white frame focuses our attention on the painting.”
• 2nd Place - Rachelle Siegrist’s opaque watercolor, ‘Among the Peach Blossoms’. “The subject is something we have all probably seen in our own backyards and I liked this intimate feeling.   The subject is beautifully rendered with a wonderful color combination running from orange, pink, blue, green and sienna. Technique wise, it is beautifully rendered in wonderful detail and textures. The signature almost disappears and somehow the ornate gold frame works with the period feel of the painting. As a body of work, all three of this artist’s entries were very strong.”
• 3rd Place - John Rae of England for his pva painting (acrylic), ‘Horse’. “Although this was one of the smaller miniatures in the show, I felt it could have been enlarged and still retain its power. I especially liked the way the artist had composed the painting, so it became very abstract; not a typical ‘horse painting’. The rendering of the detail, texture and realism were phenomenal, the overall palette is quite neutral making the blues almost startling. The artist elected to sign the painting on the back and it was presented in a white mat and very simple gold frame, again focusing our attention on the painting.”

• Best Watercolor- Mary Jansen (IL) for transparent watercolor, ‘Quiet Repose’. “Despite its diminutive size, this little ‘tour de force’ retains all the best qualities of watercolor: use of the white paper and luminous transparent washes. Again the technique and realism despite its small size was to be commended. The signature of the artist almost disappears and the white mat enhances the rich colors of the painting.”

• Best Oil/Acrylic – Julian M. Ives (MD) oil painting, ‘Sunset’. “This was another little painting that could work equally as well on a much larger scale. I found the rich, beautiful color luminous and mesmerizing. Sometimes a symmetrical design can be quite powerful. The omission of an artist signature and the simple dark warm frame emphasize the glow of the painting. 

• Best Etching/Engraving/Graphic- Mary Lee Ruff (VA), dry point ‘Matriarch’. “I thought this lovely little etching best expressed the qualities of printmaking. The subtle, varied and undulating lines both express and define the forms of the subject. The off white mat and simple black frame compliment the print.”

• Best Drawing/Pencil – Eileen Bass (South Africa), pencil drawing ‘Baobab’. “Most of us don’t have a Baobab tree in our backyard, but Eileen might. We don’t have to travel to an exotic place to find the best subject for our art. Very beautifully and sensitively rendered with the forms defined by light and shadow. The smooth paper was a good choice for a miniature drawing. The signature almost disappears and the simple white mat and silver frame enhance the drawing rather than distract from it.”

• Best Sculpture/Metal - Joy Beckner (MO), cast bronze ‘Sweet Roll-B&T’. “All three of the artist’s beautiful works were masterfully executed in this traditional medium. A wonderful, dynamic composition with body, legs and tail expressively portrayed.”

• Best Sculpture/Other- Leah Corey (NY), beadwork ‘Peaches’. “This piece exhibited beautiful colors and textures.”

• Best Mixed Media/ Encaustic/Collage- Carol Staub (IN), mixed media collage ‘Asiatic’. “A very beautiful little collage with a lovely design with interesting layering and materials whose simplicity suggests the title. No signature distracts and the beautiful, neutral and understated mat and frame are perfect for the artwork.”

• Peoples Choice-  Chrys. R.- Belgium, watercolor painting “Bruges V”.