The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the fourth Portrait online Art Exhibition. Along with the selected artists, the jury selected award winners in the following art categories: painting, drawing and photography. The show displayed a variety of artistic styles and mediums: acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, photography, pastel, ink, bronze, steel . Out of all submissions received 76 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Jay Johansen
Short Biography and Statement
My art explores identity, emotion, and legacy. Through portraits, I capture not just likeness but essence, using bold palettes and textures to evoke nostalgia, intrigue, and reflection inviting viewers to connect with deeper stories. Legacy, history & experience that’s what makes the story telling, by way of oil & acrylic mediums, by Jay Johnsen approachable, relevant & enduring.
Painting Prize
Georgina Macken
Short Biography and Statement
Dr. Georgina Macken is an internationally recognised, award-winning portrait painter. Her fascination with the soul behind ones eyes, led Georgina to pursue a Doctorate of Cognitive and Developmental Psychology in New York City. She now resides in her homeland, Australia, on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Georgina Macken states:"The eyes of a human trigger many concurrent senses and so my portraits enable me to enjoy the power of the eyes without needing to turn away and close mine." Unexplored dreams and visions radiate from their innocent faces, encompassing the layered experience of being human. Through a dazzling visual syntax, her sensorial portraits encapsulate divergent visions in a luminous renaissance style. Seizing upon the special dynamic facial expression or gesture, her watercolor-on-paper portraits organically weave a rich tapestry of her subjects, who are often babies or children. Illuminating the spontaneous joy of her subjects, she eternally encapsulates their sparkling personalities for future generations.
Drawing Prize
Lauren Nielsen
Short Biography and Statement
instagram.com/lauren.nielsen.art
Lauren Nielsen is an artist based in the suburbs of Chicago, IL, specializing in hyper-realistic portraiture. With a background in art education and portraiture, she captures the unique character and emotional presence of her subjects, whether human or animal. Her work has been commissioned by clients worldwide, reflecting her passion for detail, storytelling, and connection through art. My work is rooted in the belief that every portrait tells a story. Whether depicting a beloved pet or a human subject, I aim to capture more than just a likeness — I strive to reveal personality, emotion, and the subtle qualities that make each subject irreplaceable. Drawing inspiration from photography and close observation, my hyper-realistic style emphasizes fine details, such as the texture of fur, the glint in an eye, or the quiet gesture of expression. These details are not only technical challenges but also opportunities to honor individuality and presence. For me, portraiture is an act of connection. It bridges the ordinary and the extraordinary, allowing viewers to see the familiar with new reverence. In my animal portraits, especially, I explore the bonds we share with creatures who cannot speak but communicate deeply through expression and spirit. Ultimately, my art is about celebrating identity in all its forms, preserving memory, and giving voice to subjects both human and animal.
Photography Prize
Susanne Middelberg
Short Biography and Statement
Susanne Middelberg is a German photographer known for her powerful and emotionally rich portraits, which explore themes of vulnerability and human complexity. After initially studying modern dance at the Higher School for Arts in Arnhem, she transitioned into photography, graduating in 1998 from the Academy for Visual Arts. Middelberg has since established a career as a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait and theater-dance photography. Her work often captures the dualities within people—strength and fragility—and she believes that showing vulnerability in her subjects fosters connection and understanding. Middelberg's photographic style is described as "intense, honest, and picturesque," and she is particularly inspired by the human condition. Her approach focuses on revealing the layers of personality in her subjects, aiming to touch viewers through this emotional depth. She has received numerous awards for her work, including prizes from The Canon Master, the Monochrome Awards and the Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris. In addition to her portraits, Middelberg has been commissioned for various projects, including work for theater posters. She has exhibited her work in galleries across the Netherlands and internationally, including in New York and Boston. Her projects have earned her a solid reputation in the photography world, winning accolades like the MUSE Photography Awards for her "Daylight" series, where she emphasized natural light and raw emotion to portray her subjects. Middelberg cites Jan Saudek, Stephan Vanfleteren, and Richard Learoyd as major influences on her work. Her philosophy as a photographer is to remain authentic and continuously learn from others.
Winners