The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the first Monochrome 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: charcoal, acrylic, marble, graphite, collage, photography, colored pencil, stainless steel, pastel, alcohol ink, watercolor, scratchboard. Out of all submissions received 77 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Emily Copeland
Short Biography and Statement
Emily Copeland is a Canadian realism artist working primarily in charcoal. Her practice centers on reimagining vintage and retro objects on a larger-than-life scale, offering viewers a closer look at overlooked details. Beginning with her own photography, Copeland digitally composes each image before translating it into charcoal. Through this process of mimesis, she aims to replicate her source image with precision while elevating ordinary objects to subjects of contemplation. Inspired by Baroque artists such as Caravaggio, La Tour, and Velázquez, she draws on their mastery of chiaroscuro and realism. By isolating her subjects against clean, minimal backgrounds, Copeland brings historical objects into a modern context. She invites viewers to find their own meanings in her work, believing that interpretation should remain open and personal. BARBER CHAIR This drawing captures the quiet strength and timeless character of a vintage barber chair, rendered in rich charcoal tones. Worn leather, aged metal, and softened edges speak to the countless stories this chair has held — of conversations, transformations, and tradition. Through layered shading and delicate tonal shifts, the piece invites the viewer to pause and reflect on the beauty found in the everyday objects of the past. It's a tribute to craftsmanship, memory, and the tactile weight of history. MICROPHONE This drawing captures the timeless elegance of a vintage microphone — its chrome surface gleaming with reflected light and subtle distortion. Through layers of charcoal, the metallic finish seems to lift from the page, transforming tone and texture into the illusion of polished steel. Every highlight and shadow is carefully balanced to echo the microphone’s voice-like presence: bold, luminous, and full of history. Though silent now, it feels alive — as if ready to catch a breath and fill the air once more.
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." Cher Pruys was born in Regina. Over the years she lived in many places including Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Fort Frances, settling into her present home in Devlin, on the banks of the Rainy River with her husband Mark, and pets. By age three, Cher was seldom found without a drawing tool in hand. She worked in pencil, charcoal and ink over the years, picking up a paintbrush at the age of 35. Beginning with oil paints, she found her chosen mediums in acrylic, watercolor and gouache, and her passion for hyperrealism. Although self-taught, her dedication and talent has seen her work juried into 931 International exhibits. She has won 1422 awards for her work in the International Juried Exhibits. Her work has graced the covers of 3 books, 43 magazines, including The Best Of Acrylic Fall 2021, cover of the May 2022 Arabella Magazine, #20 Hyperrealism Magazine with “Girls Girls Girls”, & #21 with “The Young Cowboy”, Artists & Illustrators March 2024 Artistonish 2024 July edition, Observica Elite 2024,Art Closeup Magazine#26 Jan. 2025, The back cover of Novum Artis #007, 2025, & Hyperrealism Magazine Special Edition 2025, The Amazing World Of Cher Pruys. She has been featured in over 850 International publications. Cher's works have found a permanent home in private and public collections worldwide.
Sculpture Prize
Fred Hecht
Short Biography and Statement
I was born in Los Angeles, California, and spent my childhood in the city of Ontario. I attended Chaffey High School and went on to graduate from UCLA with degrees in History and Economics. I then went on to get my MBA from USC. My work experience included Retail, Wholesale Apparel and in the Promotional Products Industry. I spent much of my younger days Sculpting in Wood but always longed to work in Stone. At the tender age of 70, I had the good fortune to study stone sculpture with Michael Tine, Myles Schachter and Al Brown. Which set me on my path. I have found that every stone has its own special character or personality. Even though you might start out with a specific design in mind, the stone often will take you in its own unique direction. The collaboration between sculptor and stone can be an intimate, and even a meditative process. Every piece has its own unique story to tell, if you open yourself up to hearing it.
Photography Prize
Aleksandra Cherniaeva
Short Biography and Statement
sashe.desun@gmail.com
Aleksandra Cherniaeva is a digital fine art creator based in Porto, Portugal. Her work bridges photography, digital generation, and conceptual minimalism — exploring silence, emotion, and the unseen layers of everyday life. Her monochrome series translate inner states into visual metaphors of stillness and tension. Artist Statement Through a minimalist monochrome lens, my work explores the tension between silence and noise within the human mind. “Unread” captures the quiet moments after emotional collapse when presence and absence merge. In each image, light acts as memory, and shadow becomes a language of resistance. This series invites viewers to confront the stillness that remains after the world goes silent.
Winners