WELCOME
TO THE
BEST IN SHOW
EVENT
2022!!
This special event has been established to honour and showcase the "Best In Show" winners from 2021. Each artist was invited to enter two new artworks which were eligible to win one of three Diamond Awards of Excellence.
The "Best In Show" winning artworks are shown below in chronological order,
along with the respective artist's two new pictures, biography and statement.
Thank you to these eleven exceptional artists for sharing their talent and artistic vision!
Enjoy the show!
TO SEE THE WINNERS AND READ
THE JUROR'S REVIEWS CLICK HERE!!
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RON GREIG
FLOWER and STILL LIFE
JANUARY 2021
"THE IMPERFECT PERFECT BURGER"
Oil on canvas (12 x 12 inches)
$1150.00
"TASTING TIME"
Oil on canvas (30 x 15 inches)
$3150.00
BIOGRAPHY
As a Graphic Arts graduate, Ron Greig began his career as a sign designer and painter. His next job was with one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in Canada (Claude Neon, currently Outfront Media), where he reproduced small works of art into outdoor advertising spectacles that reached sizes of up to 1200 square feet. Working with seasoned masters at an early age, Ron soon became one of North America’s top artists in his field, with his renditions donning the streets of Canada, the United States and many other countries across the globe. Having the opportunity to paint celebrity faces and a vast variety of other complex subject matter in huge proportions helped contribute to the development of Ron’s exceptional eye for detail and colour. During Ron’s forty-year-plus career in advertising, he also managed the hand paint studio, print production, wall mural painting and special effects. Currently focused as an award-winning, realist painter Ron enjoys creating and teaching in his home studio. A longtime resident of Burlington Ontario, he is also a member of the International Guild of Realism, Colour and Form Society and a signature member of the Oil and Acrylic Painter’s Society. Ron is also an executive member of the Burlington Fine Arts Association.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Enchanted by the world we live in and it’s beauty, I continually explore, learn, observe, discover and engage my imagination. My artwork reflects this journey in that it allows me to share my experiences with others in a way that hopefully captivates them by stimulating thought, feelings and emotion. I primarily paint in oils with the objective of making my paintings realistic and believable. The selection of subject matter for my art is generally prompted by an inspiration that stimulates my creativity. This could be a memory, an experience, a face or a mesmerizing sky. Before I begin a painting or drawing, I visualize the finished piece on display and then I approach each step with the intent of making that vision a reality." -- RON GREIG
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KATIE MEUSER
ABSTRACT
FEBRUARY 2021
BEST IN SHOW
"THERESE"
Acrylic, ink, spray paint (36 x 48 inches)
info@katiemeuser.com
"WARM INSIGHTS"
Acrylic on canvas (36 x 48 inches)
"COOL INSIGHTS"
Acrylic on canvas (36 x 48 inches)
BIOGRAPHY
A native of Nebraska, Katie Meuser has experienced openness, breadth and a variety of landscapes that have shaped her pieces through her artistic journey into the modern spaces of her Chicago home. In the open country Katie has seen splendor in chaos and control living in harmony and has been able to focus these ideas into a contemporary style of non-objective and expressionist abstract art with an emphasis on figures, color fields and moving hues in her pieces. Her work has been seen in modern and contemporary galleries throughout the Chicagoland area as well as being a part of Activate Chicago, Chicago Ideas Week and Raw Chicago. Through her evolving process of color ratios and meticulously-expanding, water-like designs, Katie has found inspiration in the change and movement of the tones across large canvases and the opportunities her large-scale formats have to offer.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Currently I am working on an idea that explores the relationship between the subconscious and memories of the dream-like state. Since losing my mother I have experienced vivid dreams of her as a healthy younger version, a memory with a different backdrop. I wake up feeling a familiar comfort that I had as a child. While I am not good at expressing my feelings and emotions through words, I like to mimic these sensations through the use of bright and lurid colors. I believe this juxtaposition evokes both pain and comfort with these complementary yet rudimentary color combinations. The harsh lines showcase the feeling of certainty within the piece while guiding you through it. I eliminated any sort of familiarity and replaced it with giant color fields. This forces the viewer to feel uneasy and vulnerable while trying to find something recognizable. Abstract art elicits vulnerability making it accessible to everyone’s unique experiences. My hope is the viewer can relate to my journey through the composition’s make- up and be consumed by the shared experiences of what it means to be human." -- KATIE MEUSER
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SILVIA SETRAKIAN
ALIVE
MARCH 2021
BEST IN SHOW
"DANCE WITH ME"
Coloured pencil (20 x 26 inches)
$1400.00
silvia.setrakian@gmail.com
"BUTTERCUP"
Coloured pencil (26 x 30 inches)
SOLD
"SPICY MAMA"
Coloured pencil (15 x 11 inches)
$800.00
BIOGRAPHY
Silvia is an artist and floral designer based in New York City. Focusing on flowers as her subject, she is able to capture personality through colors and depth, essentially bringing her pieces to life. She describes the process as therapeutic, comparing life’s journeys to all the layers and twists of the petals, which represent trauma, loss, celebrations and moments of peace and joy. She has an eye for all things floral and enjoys manipulating the various colors within flowers to highlight and enhance the lesser known aspects. Ever since she was a child, Silvia had a passion for drawing - she could sit for hours with a pencil, which is her preferred medium and disappear into her own world. She likes using pencil as it gives her a sense of control - not only in how she maneuvers her artwork but also on the journey of life. Silvia was born and raised in Hollywood, California in 1964 to immigrant parents of Armenian descent. She grew up within the Armenian community of Los Angeles and feels very connected to her Armenian culture and heritage. She graduated from FIDM where she majored in Fashion Design. She is also the mother of 3 daughters, which she and her husband raised in NYC, where she has called home for the past 30 years.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“When I draw a flower, I try to find its soul. Every living thing has a personality and soul in my opinion. I seek to develop a relationship with my subjects and speak to their souls. I feel the heartaches and triumphs at every fold, every twist - each layer means something.” -- SILVIA SETRAKIAN
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ANDREW LINCOLN NELSON
ANYTHING
APRIL 2021
"OSTEOPLAYABORG1"
Graphite (18 x 24 inches)
Price on request
"ANTHOZOABORG2"
Graphite (18 x 24 inches)
Price on request
BIOGRAPHY
Andrew Lincoln Nelson is an artist working in Tucson. He produces detailed semi-realistic and surrealistic drawings of futuristic or exobiological landscapes. He has a background in academic research and fine art. His work has been shown at Biosphere 2, Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, National Arts Program and LPL Annual shows at the University of Arizona, Untitled Gallery in Tucson and The Center for the Arts in Chandler AZ. His art has also been included in juried publications and on-line venues, receiving best-in-show in several recent shows. He also does occasional commission work, recently including a book cover illustration (The Book of Stranger Vol 2) and several music score cover illustrations (The Butterfly and the Ocelot by composer A. M. Guzzo).
ARTIST STATEMENT
"My work includes graphite drawings of machine-creatures, plant-animal hybrids and other conglomerations which might be found in the distant future or on other worlds. These creatures are situated in landscapes, some of which are drawn from southwestern deserts and others which reflect a less Earthly aspect. The works explore post-technology ecosystems containing feral technology. The drawings are also intended to capture an emotional aspect, something like the experience of regarding the unknown, or viewing a vast landscape devoid of familiar objects–not alienation per se but a feeling of otherness. The drawings visualize potential commonalities among all possible forms of life and complexity, rather than those that might be particular to humanity. What inexplicable wonders might really be out there? Perhaps there is something we share at a visceral level with life or machinery on other worlds?"
-- ANDREW LINCOLN NELSON
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LORRI DIXON
COLOUR
MAY 2021
BEST IN SHOW
"ELEGANT PEPPERS"
Coloured pencil (15 x 15 inches)
"SQUIRREL!"
Coloured pencil (11 x 17 inches)
"PEEKING"
Coloured pencil (11 x 14 inches)
BIOGRAPHY
Lorri is a 60-year old American artist living in the suburbs of Seattle, Washington. Her medium of choice is colored pencil. In 2018, she decided to begin learning how to create art without any background in anything artistic. Since then, she has already had her work juried into numerous, prestigious national and international exhibitions and has had many pieces published in various periodicals.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"My favorite things to draw are any kind of details! I love the challenge of seeking out tiny bits to capture in my work, whether a small curl in a flower petal or the tiniest hair in a portrait. I also love contrast in my pieces and strive to include the darkest blacks and brightest whites." -- LORRI DIXON
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KEERTHI AKKINAPURAM
LAND WATER SKY
JUNE-JULY 2021
BEST IN SHOW
"EVENING WAVES"
Oil on canvas (30 x 40 inches)
Price on request
keerthi13a@gmail.com
"MOON OVER SEA"
Acrylic (16 x 20 inches)
$550.00
"HOUSE BY THE SEA"
Acrylic (16 x 20 inches)
$500.00
BIOGRAPHY
Keerthi is an emerging artist who was born in India and now lives in North Carolina, USA. Her art focuses on things which mean everything to human life but do not have a physical form in reality. She believes that abstract questions on the meaning of life can be answered through art because art alone has the power to present the response in a pure form. She is the recipient of many art awards.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"My work is a mixture of abstract, realistic and painterly styles. This makes my work unique as my paintings are textural but also true to life. I endeavour to express a depth of imagination, creativity and a view of the world through vivid colors, inviting the viewer to experience it in diverse ways." -- KEERTHI AKKINAPURAM
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TAMMY LIU-HALLER
ANIMAL
AUGUST 2021
BEST IN SHOW
"ELMO"
Graphite and charcoal (24 x 24 inches)
SOLD
info@tammyliuhaller.com
"NEXT OF KIN"
Graphite and charcoal (20 x 20 inches)
Price on request
"MORNING MEETING"
Graphite and charcoal (16 x 28 inches)
Price on request
BIOGRAPHY
Tammy was born in 1975 in Kingston, NY. She is a realism artist, working primarily in graphite and charcoal. After having spent 15 years away from the field, she began drawing again in 2011 and went full-time by 2015. She is an avid supporter of organizations that rescue, conserve and protect both domestic and wild animals and often donates artwork to these causes each year. She was featured as an artist in Hyperrealism Magazine. She is a Signature Artist of the American Artists Professional League and member of The International Guild of Realism. Her work includes both private and commercial commissions.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Nature has always brought me the most joy. As a child, I would be content to sit and observe the workings of an ant colony or search the ground for interesting rocks, feathers, bones and other "treasures". As an adult, I still feel the most at peace when I am outside, immersed in the natural world and observing the flora and fauna around me. When it comes to my drawings, I love to work in detail! I feel that if I can convey the most minute characteristics of an animal, it will capture the attention of the viewers. Perhaps they too will become invested in its well-being." -- TAMMY LIU-HALLER
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VIVIEN SABEL
OPEN
SEPTEMBER 2021
"DEEP"
Acrylic (20 x 24 inches)
Price on request
"TRIBAL"
Acrylic (20 x 24 inches)
Price on request
BIOGRAPHY
Vivien was born in Lancashire in the North of England and is a UK based artist. Her mother is profoundly deaf and she believes being raised around deafness influences the way in which she sees the world. Her work has been featured in numerous international shows where she has recently been awarded a Certificate of Merit for the prestigious Luxembourg Art Prize. Vivien is also an award-winning short filmmaker, senior lecturer and doctor of psychotherapy. She believes creativity is key to wellbeing.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Colours and texture bring sensation and emotion. Works are completed without caution and in support of liberating the embodied, relocating it externally and re-energising it to life through art. My approach to creativity is unashamed, forthright and free. Working with colours and texture brings me immense pleasure. These works are heart works. In terms of process, working fast and always without analysis feels most natural. It is the body and expressions of the somatic that breathe life into the language of creativity. Painting is a language of the somatic." -- VIVIEN SABEL
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CINDY FRIESEN-FORD ASHURST
ABSTRACT
OCTOBER 2021
"LOBSTER"
Acrylic (12 x 9 inches)
"WHALE SPOUT"
Acrylic (10 x 10 inches)
BIOGRAPHY
Originally from rural Saskatchewan, Cindy now resides on Vancouver Island where she creates art from the abstract to representational, with a current focus on fluid acrylics. Although she has formal university training in painting and post graduate work in art therapy, she considers herself mainly self-taught. She has been an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since 2020, has won many awards and her work can be found in multiple, local and international online art galleries.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"I work in many media including acrylic, oil, pastel, mixed media/collage, glass and mosaics. My favorite subjects come from nature, specifically wildlife and landscapes; however, I dabble in cityscapes and portraiture occasionally. I frequently experiment with different techniques which contributes to a diverse portfolio. I create art from the representational to the abstract and have a current focus on acrylic pour painting. Colorful and vibrant art characterize my work." -- CINDY FRIESEN-FORD ASHURST
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SIHUA LIU
PEOPLE
NOVEMBER 2021
"THE LEAF OF YUELU MOUNTAIN"
Oil (24 x 17 inches)
$5000.00
$5000.00
"CRYSTAL BALL AND FLOWER"
Oil (15 x 12 inches)
$4000.00
$4000.00
BIOGRAPHY
Sihua Liu lives in Hanshou County in the Hunan Province of China. He has been practicing art for more than 20 years and has earned an MFA from Hunan Normal University. He has participated in numerous shows including the American Art Awards and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society. Best In Show awards won at GOGA Gallery's Open competition and Gallery Ring's People Show are among his accolades. He also participates in various art activities and is a member of the Portrait Society of America. He hopes that his oil paintings can bring beauty and a new visual experience to the viewers.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"I remember when I was a child there was a poster of the crucifixion of Jesus hanging in my home. It had a profound impact on me. Christ bowed his head. On the left of the picture was a woman weeping and on the right was a man who pointed to Jesus. After studying art history in university, I learned that this was "Crucifixion" by the German painter Matthias Grunewald. It was engraved in my mind and I fell in love with art and fell in love with painting. When I continued to move forward with my art studies, I was diagnosed with a very serious disease and it caused me to rethink my life. I wanted to find a place for myself to live away from the suffering soul through art. Gradually, I fell in love with the art of the Pre-Raphaelites, especially the paintings of Rossetti. I aim to combine this style with modern aesthetics in my work and I hope to improve the quality of my work in the future." -- SIHUA LIU
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JAY JOHANSEN
COLOURFUL
DECEMBER 2021
BEST IN SHOW
"URBAN INNONCENCE V"
Acrylic (40 x 40 inches)
Price on request
JayJohansen@msn.com
"LENNON IV"
Acrylic (48 x 40 inches)
$8500.00
"URBAN INNOCENCE VII"
Acrylic (54 x 39 inches)
$8500.00
BIOGRAPHY
Raised by his father, who was an artist, in Oakland California, portrait artist Jay Johansen began his journey into the art world at a very young age. Painting ballerinas, matadors and Hawaiian dancers, Jay established an international collector base, ultimately leading to commissioned paintings of music icons, world dignitaries, as well as a long list of celebrity collectors. After a brief hiatus, Jay returned to painting full-time in his studio with an interest in creating nearly photo-realistic figurative paintings. Today, Jay enlivens monochromatic faces with vivid colors that bring life to the canvas. Using broad strokes, as distinct from his previous style, Jay enjoys a freedom he's never felt as a professional artist. Imbued with an energy of renewal, Jay is creating art with the verve he had as a child in his father's studio. He refers to his work as Pop Fusion Art.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Reflecting upon my childhood in Oakland, I recalled many urban scenes that were painted on buildings—artwork that conveyed social messages, as well as other works that simply displayed the imagination of tremendously talented artists whom most I will never meet. My creative juices were sparked, leading me to study urban artists of the past as well as up-and-coming artists of today. Desiring to pay homage to these brilliant painters gave birth to this “Pop Fusion Art” series, a new form of artistic interpretation that brought me back to my days in Berkeley." -- JAY JOHANSEN