The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the first Floral 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, watercolor, acrylic, digital art, photography, gouache, collage, cast bronze. Out of all submissions received 63 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Eldon Ward
Short Biography and Statement
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Colorado State University, 1975. Grew up in rural eastern Colorado; Studied Graphic Design, Interior Design, Civil Engineering, Urban Design, and Construction Management at CSU, in addition to Fine Arts; Owned and operated a successful Urban Design and Landscape Architecture consulting firm for over 25 years. Was named Fort Collins “Entrepreneur of the Year” in 1994; Also received various design and water conservation awards. Exhibitions and Recognition: Over 40 juried shows in Arizona and Colorado since 2008; Numerous awards including two for "First Place / Best of Show" and an "Excellence in Art". The primary goal of both artist and viewer should be to experience the joy of the creative process. My search to find that joy and refine my own visual voice produces art with an interplay between nature and structure: an intersection of curiosity and tranquility; moving more toward the non-objective end of the “representational – to - abstract” spectrum. I use strong colors of water-based media: typically, acrylics and wood stain. For environmental and practical reasons, I fabricate my panels from recycled/repurposed building materials. This has the added benefit of freeing me from being locked into rectilinear forms. I approach artwork as a problem-solving process (although I usually invent the aesthetic problems), and I believe in evaluation using the criteria of craftsmanship, composition, and creativity - following an initial emotional response. Every painting is a book; and each one is judged by its cover.
Painting Prize
Bert Liverance
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
Jason Shih
Short Biography and Statement
Jason Shih was born in 1972 in Taiwan. In 1991, he began to specialize in metal sculpture when he was a sophomore in the Fine Arts Dept. of Taipei National University of the Arts. In 2001, he graduated from School for American Crafts, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA, and majored in Metal Sculpture. And then, he served as the metal sculptor Albert Paley's assistant, involved in crafts and public art work practices. Furthermore, he earned his Art Ph. D. from China Academy of Art, China (2015). Now, he lives in Taiwan, and consistently engages in the both areas of sculpture and public art. Jason Shih’s artistic vision is shaped by a diverse array of influences, from contemporary dance to avant-garde fashion. He cites German choreographer Pina Bausch and British designer Alexander McQueen as significant inspirations. Bausch’s explorations of time and space resonate with Shih’s interest in sculpture’s capacity to embody kinetic energy and spatial imagination. McQueen’s innovative approach to contemporary imagery and themes provides Shih with a broad canvas for creative expression. Shih’s work is also influenced by the aesthetic principles of Futurism and Constructivism, movements that emphasize dynamic energy and continuous motion. These influences are evident in his pursuit of capturing the beauty of movement and the elegant restraint of natural forces. Shih’s sculptures often depict moments of defying gravity, capturing the fleeting beauty of motion in a static form.
Photography Prize
Jeff Einstein
Short Biography and Statement
Jeff Einstein, a fine art photographer based in Delray Beach, Florida, has woven a rich tapestry of life experiences into his creative journey, evolving from his days as a digital media pioneer in the early 1980s to his 21st-century emergence as a social critic and fervent advocate of digital minimalism. His art has matured over the decades as a celebration of day-to-day life, capturing beauty and profound meaning in seemingly mundane moments. Mr. Einstein’s work is characterized by a keen ear for life's subtle symphonies, a philosophy that art, much like life, thrives on rhythm and the oft-overlooked nuances of daily existence. Self-taught in all things, Mr. Einstein's journey began in the late 1950s with his father’s Argus 35mm camera. He went on in his high school years to capture the tumult of the 1960s antiwar movement in the SF Bay Area. This early exposure to the power of imagery honed his instinctive approach and nurtured a lifelong passion for photography. Despite his lack of formal training, his dedication to his craft is evident in his commitment to producing museum-quality prints, investing significant time and resources into ensuring the highest standards for his limited edition works. Mr. Einstein's artistic vision is deeply rooted in his belief that life is composed of countless small, often unnoticed moments that collectively define our lives. His photographs typically eschew grandiose spectacles in favor of what he calls, "the art of little things" — the quiet, commonplace interludes that form the tapestry of our lives. His work embraces spontaneity and movement, relying on intuition and the interplay of light and shadow to inform his work. The result is a body of art that invites viewers to discover the extraordinary within the ordinary, to find humor, beauty, and compassion in unexpected places.
Winners