PEOPLE
MAY 2025
BEST IN SHOW
FERNANDO ROBLES
* THE QUIET MONK *
Oil
“In the quiet of my heart, I listen. Though I am young, the stillness teaches me more than words ever could. Wrapped in the sacred red of my robes, I learn to surrender my restless thoughts to something greater. The world beyond these walls is vast, yet I find my universe within — in patience, in wonder, in prayer. In this simple moment of reflection, I begin to understand the timeless path of peace, compassion and awakening.” — FERNANDO ROBLES
GOLDEN TRIO AWARD
ANNITA APOSTOLIDOU PLATIS
* THE ELEMENTAL FORGER *
* CLOCKWORK COUTURIERE * * THE QUANTUM ALCHEMIST *
Mixed media digital collage
“Through my series The Era Clockmakers, I explore the timeless interplay between mythology, innovation and human purpose. Each portrait is a symbolic tribute to visionary figures — guardians, inventors and seekers — who navigate fractured realities and re-engineer time as a force for transformation. These characters exist between eras, where ancient knowledge converges with imagined futures. In Clockwork Couturiere, time itself becomes fashion, stitched into elegance and memory. The Elemental Forger channels ancestral strength and future vision, forging harmony between cultural heritage and technological power. The Quantum Alchemist stands at the threshold of magic and science, embodying the quest for truth across dimensions. My intention is to honor those who walk alone yet move history forward — visionaries shaping tomorrow not with certainty but with courage. This collection is a call to re-imagine time as both myth and mechanism, driven by the deep belief that every moment can be remade.” — ANNITA APOSTOLIDOU PLATIS
DIAMOND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
JOHN DIEPHOUSE
**RUBY ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2024**
**CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023**
* ALL THAT JAZZ *
Photography
“I am a self-taught photographer and digital collage artist and am attracted to a wide variety of subjects ranging from natural landscapes, botanicals and wildlife to images that provide either abstract expression or social commentary. I am interested in sharing images that evoke a story of some kind. Images may be simply documentary, reflect a sense of time and place or resonate on a more abstract level of color, shape or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection.” — JOHN DIEPHOUSE
DIAMOND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
JAY JOHANSEN
**SAPPHIRE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2024**
* THE SOFTEST FLAME, THE FIERCEST STORM *
Acrylic
“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.” — JAY JOHANSEN
EMERALD AWARD
VICTOR TOROK
* IRON WORKERS *
Photography
SAPPHIRE AWARD
TOMAS CASTANO
RUBY AWARD
GERHARD KROYER
* SITTING TOGETHER *
Digital painting
CRYSTAL AWARD
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AWARD OF MERIT
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**WINNERS VIDEO**