The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the second Blue online Art Exhibition. Along with the selected artists, the jury selected award winners in the following art categories: painting, photography, and sculpture. The show displayed a variety of artistic styles and mediums: oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, resin, fiber, ink, photography, collage, digital art. Out of all submissions received 129 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Richard Johnson
Short Biography and Statement
illuminescentdesign@gmail.com
Born in Chicago to an artistic family, his earliest reminiscences are of pouring through Charles Dana Gibson, N.C. Wyeth and John Singer Sargent books on rainy afternoons. While still in grade school he won a scholarship to the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago. He later attended the American Academy of Art and upon graduation began a very successful career as an illustrator. His commercial clients have ranged from industry leaders such as Volvo, McDonalds, Eli Lilly and United Airlines to editorial work for “Golf Digest”, ABC Television”, and book covers for Nora Roberts, Dr. James Dobson and Readers Digest. Turning his attentions to fine art after winning a competition in International Artists Magazine, Rick was invited to Japan where his Solo Exhibition was so successful that he has been invited back numerous times and has developed an international base of collectors. His two Solo Exhibitions at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007 and 2008 were enormous successes that further drew the attention of national and international collectors to Rick’s works. He has also won many awards in competitions here in the United States including recently the Best in Show at the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Fall 2020 Online Show, as well as the John August Dietrich Memorial Figurative Award of Excellence in the Oil Painters of America - 2021 - 30th National Exhibition at the Escondito Museum in Californina. Past awards include the Award of Excellence, in the Oil Painters of America 2003 Midwest Regional Juried Competition, and The 2003 People’s Choice Award, Salon International 2003 International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art
Painting Prize
cher Pruys
Short Biography and Statement
Cher Pruys, ASAA SCA, IGOR, AAPL, CSAA, AMS, LMS, OSA, MAA, CFA, NOAPS, PSOA, AWA., AAOA. "To take my inner visions with my hands and create a work of art for you the viewer .... That is the ultimate in self expression." I am very drawn to shiny surfaces as well as transparent objects, especially when the lighting brings them to life. I look for beauty in everyday objects that most people take for granted or just don’t truly see them as they are. The seemingly boring and mundane subjects can truly be like magnets if portrayed in the right light. Shiny metal is one of those materials that can host endless visions….the light hits it and the reflections are captured on the smooth, sleek surface…an artists dream!
Sculpture Prize
Josué Morales Urbina
Short Biography and Statement
Josué Morales Urbina, an award-winning installation artist based in the New York Metropolitan area, whose work primarily explores transcultural displacement through his thought-provoking artworks. Originating from Guatemala City and navigating life across the United States as a "third culture kid," Urbina's creations reflect his enduring quest for a sense of belonging amidst perpetual foreignness. His poignant installations, predominantly exploring themes of foreignness, fleeting memories, and the quest for home, materialize as abstract contemplations composed of diverse everyday materials such as drinking straws, coffee beans, toasted white bread, and rubber bands. Urbina's artistic journey not only engages viewers in these explorations but serves as a personal voyage, where art becomes his sanctuary—a place to construct his own sense of belonging. His extensive artistic achievements include solo and group exhibitions across multiple states, along with notable accolades like the 2023 New Jersey State Council on the Arts - Sculpture Finalist Award. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio, complemented by a minor in Art History and Criticism. Driven by transcultural displacement, Morales Urbina's installations poignantly reflect his multifaceted experiences of not quite fitting into any specific cultural mold. His choice of materials is deeply intertwined with his memories. Working with ephemeral mediums, he crafts installations that echo the transient nature of existence—each piece existing for a finite period, mirroring the impermanence of life itself. Through his art, Urbina aims to evoke experiences, inviting audiences to engage and perceive the world through a different lens. His installations provoke contemplation on the notion of belonging, urging viewers to ponder upon their own sense of place in the world. Ultimately, Josué Morales Urbina's artistic odyssey acts as a bridge, connecting diverse perspectives and inviting introspection on the fundamental human longing to belong.
HOME FOR ALL TCK - eco coffee stirrers
Photography Prize
Jean-Claude Bise
Short Biography and Statement
Winners