The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the first Black & White Art Exhibition. Along with the selected artists, the jury selected award winners in the following art categories: painting, photography, and drawing. The show displayed a variety of artistic styles and mediums: oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, ink, graphite, photography, digital, scratchboard, bronze, fiber and thread. Out of all submissions received 77 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Scott Krohn
Short Biography and Statement
I love working in colored pencil, scratchboard, and charcoal for their potential to render realistic images. As an artist I have always been stylistically interested in realism, which enables me to strive to capture the beauty of the natural world. Growing up in Minnesota, my favorite subject to work with is rocks from the shores of Lake Superior. I’ve spent much time on the shore which has allowed me to appreciate the beauty and wonder of this magical place. Here is where my soul finds peace. For me, drawing rocks is a chance for me to share that beauty and peace with others. I am fascinated by the variety of shapes, colors, and textures in each rock. I often contemplate how each rock has formed over millions of years. Beyond appreciating and capturing their natural beauty, I often try to communicate something meaningful about the human experience through the use of metaphor. It is my hope that my viewer can not only appreciate the realistic image for its beauty, but also relate to it on a deeper, metaphorical level. I try to push my technical skills and experiment with various techniques and surfaces. My greatest hope is that my viewers appreciate the natural beauty in my work and connect with it in a meaningful way.
Painting Prize
Yuqian Sun
Short Biography and Statement
Yuqian Sun was born in Shenzhen, China in 1997. At the age of 14, her long journey of studying abroad began. After graduading from Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, she earned her BFA degree at the University of Michigan in 2019. Now she works as an art program leader at an international high school. At the same time, her career as a professional artist has never been derailed. She deeply believes that keep creating as an artist is the way to obtain fresh ideas for teaching. She saved all her free time to make artworks and brought what she learnt back to her classroom. At the age of 21, Yuqian published her original photography book, and held her first personal exhibition. Watercolor is the medium she studies the most in the past 9 years. The emotional intensity that emerges in the poetic flow of translucent color is the reason of her obsession with the medium. Artificial Fairies is an on-going series of portraits She creates for dolls in her collection. She aims for turning these externally lifeless models into internally living objects. She focuses on capturing their subtle expressions as if they could talk with their gem-like eyes. She also highlights the fact that they are only the imitation of human beings by making their joints noticeable. Her goal is to stimulate her audiences’ imagination, creating a narrative that questions: what if dolls are actually living souls encaged by a silent, immobile shell? Her work creates this poetic space that makes people re-consider where the borderline of life and lifelessness is.
Drawing Prize
Patsy Lindamood
Short Biography and Statement
For years, my subject matter was principally wildlife and human portraiture. I achieved signature status in the Society of Animal Artists, Artists for Conservation, and the International Guild of Realism with wildlife work. But about two years ago, on one of my birding expeditions, other elements of the local Texas environment overran my focus on the avian population of the area. Another transition I have made in recent years is away from working principally in strongly colorful soft pastel to other dry media: watercolor pencil and graphite. For my graphite body of work, I look for compositions that provide a range of values, an essential element for creating a compelling graphite painting. Never one previously drawn to painting landscapes, these days I am developing a series of Texas panoramas featuring grain silos, grain elevators and disintegrating homesteads. These vistas are comprised of a broad range of values, populated with subjects which are consummate examples of strong lines and shapes. And, when the visual language is reduced to just lines, shapes, and values, the underlying story becomes more poignant, more arresting. Absent the romance of color, working in shades of grey is like telling a short story rather than writing a novel. A late starter as an artist, I decided in 2004 to become a professional. While I may not currently “live” off my art, I am nevertheless a full-time practicing artist, despite my day job as a CFO/CTO for a credit union. I typically spend some 30 to 40 or more hours a week in my studio creating work, or at my computer vetting and composing my photographic reference, or engaged in the business of promoting and supporting my art. In addition to my original work, I accept commissions of all types for projects which I find personally engaging.
Photography Prize
Phanuphan Kitsawaeng
Short Biography and Statement
Mark Kitsawaeng is a photographer from Thailand, currently living in Los Angeles. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Film from RSU (Rangsit University in Thailand). With a strong background in commercial photography working for Thailand's largest entertainment company, GMM (Grammy), his images are technically skillful and evocative. After honing his craft in the entertainment world, Mark turned the gaze of his camera towards underrepresented communities to bring forth greater good. Mark used to be a part of the volunteer work with Thailand Healthcare organization: working South East Asia: including Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. He joined the community for teaching, helping and documenting the people who had not gotten a chance to meet what many would consider a decent standard of living. Mark is a recently graduated an MFA student in Photography at The Photo Arts Conservatory of NYFA (The New York Film Academy). He hopes to work with UNESCO, or UNICEF after he graduates, and continue to use his camera to bring forth global awareness and change for the better. “HUMAN WALL” - IMAGES THAT CAPTURE THE ONGOING PROTESTS OF THE MILITARY REGIME IN THAILAND. Since the Coup in 2014, Thai people have been forced to live under the control of military dictatorship for six years. The Military government has been an uncontested power to silence us. People who have come forward to speak their voice against the Military government have faced the consequences. Some were threatened, some were attacked, and some have disappeared. However, now it’s time for Thai people to say it out loud, and we won’t wait any longer. Speaking the truth may cost us our lives somehow, so I need your support from the global citizens to spread our voice and let it be heard.
Winners