The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the fifth Faces online Art Exhibition. Along with the selected artists, the jury selected award winners in the following art categories: painting, photography and mixed media prize. The show displayed a variety of artistic styles and mediums: acrylic, scratchboard, watercolor, oil, charcoal, digital art, photography, bronze, alcohol marker. Out of all submissions received 113 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Mark Kaufman
Short Biography and Statement
wagnerpost@online.de
Born in Heidelberg in 1953, I used every free minute for artistic studies during my studies of social work at the University of Mannheim, and then concentrated entirely on the fine arts after completing my degree. Since 1981 I live and work as a freelance painter, graphic artist and photo artist (self-taught) in Heidelberg. While at the beginning I worked in the representational field, depicting landscapes and people, I gradually developed an artistic conception that focuses on color and its many possibilities. On this way the world of the constructive concrete opened up to me. Geometry joined color, became an equal partner and provided stability and continuity. Thus color was not given an expressive quality, but a purely visual meaning. It does not "jump" into the space, but it has a high presence, a great impact potential. On this basis I design my works, trusting in the power of color and geometry. STATEMENT Works of art reflect the world. My works are also mirror images of today. However, it is not a reflection of the external appearance, not an abstraction of the mimetic world, but a reflection of the inner constitution. My works arise from sensations. They reflect the sense of time, so to speak, and represent ciphers for today. Thinking and feeling, geometry and color - between these poles I explore my artistic possibilities, although with all seriousness playful and poetic components are always involved. In this way I develop a visual world that has its roots in the strictness of the constructive and concrete, but at the same time is also based on individuality and spontaneous intuition.
Painting Prize
Eldon Ward
Short Biography and Statement
My paintings begin with careful observation. When I study a flower, I am drawn to its structure, color, and how it interacts with light. I also seek to feel the quiet sense of presence and grace that it carries. The inspiration for each painting grows from that first moment of encounter. I spend time looking and contemplating the flower, drawing it and creating a tonal study. This process feels deliberate and respectful, almost like a conversation between painter and plant. I work in a variety of mediums including oil on linen or canvas, watercolor, and colored pencil. Each medium offers a different way of exploring light and form. Oil allows me to build depth and luminosity through layers of color, while watercolor and pencil, through their precision, bring a sense of immediacy and intimacy to the process. My goal is not only to record what I see, but to convey what I feel, a sense of stillness, beauty, spiritual serenity, and vitality that invites the viewer to look closely and share in the experience of the flower that inspired me. Botanical art connects art and nature in a way that reminds us how interdependent we are with the fragile living world. Through my work, I hope to honor that relationship, encourage a deeper sense of responsibility toward nature, and continue the long tradition of artists who found meaning in the study of plants. Each piece becomes a reflection on presence, care, and the spirit within nature itself.
Sculpture Prize
Michele Bourdeau
Short Biography and Statement
mbourdeau8@yahoo.com
Michele Bourdeau has always been fascinated by sculpture and the three-dimensional form and the possibility to create limitless compositions out of raw material. She likes the texture of clay and enjoys feeling a form take shape under her fingers. She gets inspired from a variety of sources and tends to prefer stylized, abstracted figures and forms. Apart from representing the figure, the artist is much inspired by the wildness and un-tameness of nature in creating abstract forms. Her art pieces do not result from careful planning. She tries to experiment with something new each time. The artist lets the idea evolve as she works along and likes to leave the creation speak for itself. Her work has been recognized in a number of juried shows and has sold to private collections.
Drawing Prize
Lorna Hannett
Short Biography and Statement
lornaehannett@gmail.com
I have always had a fascination for the beauty of nature and its many moods and elements. I also love to study people, adults and children alike, and try to capture each individual’s expressive nature in the portraits I do. I feel privileged to be able to express my love of nature and people through my artwork and hope in some small measure that it will bring a certain amount of pleasure to those who view it.” A self-taught artist, Lorna is one of the Founders of and for 5 years served as President of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) and has the designated status of Master Scratchboard Artist. (MSA) She has also shown with and won several awards with ISSA, FCA (Federation of Canadian Artists), and the CIPA (Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists). She works in her home studio, in Blackfalds AB, Canada. Her work is in private and corporate collections around the world. You can see more of her artwork and follow her Facebook page “Scratchboard Art of Lorna Hannett”. ~ lornaehannett@gmail.com
Winners