BLUE
JUNE 2025
BEST IN SHOW
LINDA MCCORD
**SAPPHIRE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2022**
* FEELING BLUE *
Alcohol ink
“My abstract work in acrylic and alcohol ink is driven by instinct, experimentation and a deep fascination with color and composition. I begin with a strong structural foundation — often using classical forms like diagonals or S-curves — then allow the materials to guide the rest. Alcohol ink offers fluidity and surprise, while acrylic provides control and texture. Together, they create a balance between spontaneity and design. I’m constantly experimenting with paint formulas and tools, using palette knives, sticks and even toothpicks to manipulate the surface. Each piece is a visual journey — an emotional landscape built on value, rhythm and movement. I don’t start with a fixed outcome in mind; instead, I respond to the energy of the process, layer by layer. These abstracts are about freedom, balance and discovery. They invite the viewer to feel rather than interpret, to get lost in color and to find structure within the chaos.” — LINDA MCCORD
GOLDEN TRIO AWARD
KALIB BRYAN
* NIGHTSHADE *
* THE BLUE HOUR * * IN THE REALM OF THE BLUE HOUR *
Photography
“As a visual artist, my vision is to explore the emotion and beauty of our world. I combine mobile technology with natural elements, while experimenting with AI and other graphic effects to turn everyday settings into cinematic and serene dreamscapes. My goal is to capture compelling narratives about the solitude of life as I surprise people with enchanting places. The world is a mysterious place and I want to open up a whole new world that draws a line between the ordinary and the extraordinary.” — KALIB BRYAN
GOLDEN TRIO AWARD
ANNITA APOSTOLIDOU PLATIS
* KANSO (INNER VISION) *
* AIYUME (INDIGO DREAM) * * AOKAGE (BLUE SHADOW) *
Mixed media digital collage
“I am a visual artist drawn to the quiet tension between seen and felt, working at the intersection of emotion, identity and symbolic form. My work explores the emotional language of color and the silent presence of feminine identity. Through mixed media digital collage I create dreamlike portraits where women are defined not by facial expression but by aura, texture and hue. Blue, in this case, becomes more than a color — it is memory, stillness, introspection and truth. Each piece in this trio represents a facet of the inner world, shaped by the quiet power of being. I aim to evoke emotion without overt narrative, allowing the viewer to connect through mood and atmosphere. Aokage captures the quiet presence of solitude. Aiyume unfolds in a realm between waking and sleep. Kansō is a portrait of inward perception.”
— ANNITA APOSTOLIDOU PLATIS
SAPPHIRE AWARD
NORM ELLIS
SAPPHIRE AWARD
GABRIELE GRACINE
**EMERALD ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2021**
SAPPHIRE AWARD
LILLIANNE DAIGLE
* MARGUERITES AU BLEU *
Digital
SAPPHIRE AWARD
JOHN DIEPHOUSE
**RUBY ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2024**
**CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023**
SAPPHIRE AWARD
VOLHA NARUTA-JOHNSON
CRYSTAL AWARD
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AWARD OF MERIT
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HONOURABLE MENTION
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**WINNERS VIDEO**