GREEN
FEBRUARY 2026
BEST IN SHOW
A. DEBRA REICH SCHWALM
* COOL GREEN TRIO *
Watercolour batik on mulberry paper
“I love the journey for the next inspiring image and how I can interpret, embellish and re-invent it for the batik process. Watercolor Batik Process: Hot wax is used as a resist on paper or (in my case) mulberry paper. Using watercolors, a light to dark paint technique is used to layer watercolor and wax. Capturing the light is everything. The final results of the textures and transparency is amazing. I like to incorporate a sense of magic, whimsy and GLOW to my art.” — A. DEBRA REICH SCHWALM
DIAMOND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
ANNITA APOSTOLIDOU PLATIS
**EMERALD ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2025**
* SYLVA *
Mixed media digital collage
“In When Color Knows The Script series, color assumes authorship. In Sylva, green does not describe nature — it directs it. The hue becomes a sovereign presence, shaping the emotional architecture of the portrait before form fully resolves. The figure emerges from an interior landscape where bonsai rises as a cultivated crown and chrysanthemums, lime roses, ivy and zinnias form a living mantle. Vintage brooches bearing the snake and beetle serve as emblems of renewal and transformation. The wings suggest vigilance and ascent, yet remain rooted in foliage. I am drawn to the space where identity dissolves into atmosphere — where the seen and the felt converge. Rather than illustrating a forest, I construct one psychologically: an inner grove where growth, myth and restraint coexist. Here, green leads the narrative. The figure does not wear the color; she is written by it.” — ANNITA APOSTOLIDOU PLATIS
GOLDEN TRIO AWARD
PAUL J. COLLINS
* ASPLENIUM *
* NEEDLES * * SANSEVIERIA TRIFASCIATA *
Photography
“As a botanical photographer my passion for capturing images of plants and flowers goes hand in hand with my interest in growing them. For me though, it is not simply about photographing plants, but capturing something of their innermost and intimate beauty, natural structure and symmetry to produce a composition that has a meaning and a purpose that will engage the viewer’s mind and please the eye. When I venture out with a camera I try to choose those times of the day when the light is most favourable, working with the natural light available. I will seek inspiration, observing everything around me, waiting with expectation for the ‘moment’ to create a successful image. Without intention I would be photographing the passing of time — a brief few seconds in the light and the life of the subject.” — PAUL J. COLLINS
GOLDEN TRIO AWARD
HENRIK BAKMANN
* SPRING GREEN ROLLING HILLS *
* GOLDEN VEINED CRACKED MARBLE CITYSCAPE * * SKY EXPLOSION OVER THE BIG CITY *
Digital collage
“My landscape artworks are meticulously crafted by processing and merging photographs of various surfaces and patterns, whether it's a banana peel, a rusty excavator or delicate insect wings. These seemingly ordinary elements are transformed into extraordinary visual narratives through my meticulous process of layering, digital manipulation and thoughtful composition. Similarly, my portraits of animals and people, as well as my depictions of urban life, are created on a computer, utilizing the unique technical capabilities available in the digital medium. Each of my artworks is printed as a one-of-a-kind piece on paper, plastic or canvas. After printing, I permanently delete the original file, ensuring that each buyer acquires a truly unique creation. Accompanying each piece is a certificate of authenticity, which further solidifies the originality of my remarkable works.” — HENRIK BAKMANN
EMERALD AWARD
CYNTHIA YATCHMAN
EMERALD AWARD
GABRIELE GRACINE
**EMERALD ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2021**
EMERALD AWARD
LINDA MCCORD
**SAPPHIRE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2022**
EMERALD AWARD
ERIN ZATRINE
FINALISTS
**WINNERS VIDEO**