Skies

Our third Art competition “Skies” started in June 2021 and concluded on July 08, 2021. Art Room Gallery received entries from many countries around the world: USA, Taiwan, Pakistan, China, Finland, Japan, Russia, Hong Kong, France, Israel, Romania, South Korea, Austria, Canada and United Kingdom. The Skies theme in this competition included a diversity in types, styles and mediums (oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, ink, gouache, photography, digital). The following evaluation criteria has been used for judging the artwork: creativity, interpretation of the theme, originality and quality of art, overall design, demonstration of artistic ability, and usage of medium. Jury decided to select 90 artworks for inclusion in the exhibition. Aside from First, Second, and Third place Jury also presented Merit awards and Honorable Mention awards.

Thank you, and enjoy the exhibition!

Statement:

While shooting on location, I often find myself suddenly stopped up short, struck by something visually stunning, special, unique of form, lines, patterns, color. I originate my image with the camera and lens as I see it, then post process it into a piece of abstracted art that emerges in the limitless darkroom magic that is pixel editing. My goal for the final fine art print, is a complex, nuanced, personal narrative that goes beyond the literal, and creates a new reality - its purpose is to provoke reflection, emotion, feelings. Nothing else matters when I am caught up in this flow of creative expression, focusing on the original visual impact, concentrating on the capture and improvising throughout the image processing. Total involvement, total immersion, my becoming a part of it, propels me forward as if by magic. The most intriguing moments, especially those on location, produce extreme joy, ecstasy. Once I am absorbed into this universe, the creative process becomes my entire world. I lose myself in it but gain unmatched experience. Winding up enriched with new skills and fresh images is an end in itself. Based in Houston, Texas and Ennis, I am a travel and nature photographer, having shot worldwide for a number of years. Active member of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) since April 1, 1999, Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) in 2015, currently working on the Master Certificate. Active member of the Texas Professional Photographers of America since 2015 and a member of Professional Photographers Guild of Houston since 2015.

Statement:

I have considered myself an artist for as long as I can remember; I don’t recall not being an artist. I was raised in a rural area, and feel blessed to have had that life. It made me appreciate and understand nature and all of its wonders. I was lucky enough to attend art school. I am constantly inspired by the forms in nature. It doesn’t matter if I am drawing, painting, sculpting, or weaving; organic forms intrigue me. With each piece I complete, I cannot wait to begin a new one. I am lucky to be surrounded by my muse, and I have never gotten bored or tired of paying homage to it. I love sharing my work, and I can only hope that the viewer can feel the passion and reverence I feel for my subject matter. Whether it’s waves, trees, a landscape, a creature, or an abstracted form I am looking at, the excitement I feel never changes. It is a journey I chose and I hope I never complete. I have been fortunate in my career, and have been awarded, recognized, and published locally, nationally, and internationally. It has been a wonderful life.

Statement:

Inspired by the mountain ranges, botany, sunset skies and desert hues of the Sky Islands in which I reside, I combine elements from both my tangible world and dreamscapes. Despite having little formal art training, I strive to portray the influential surrounding desert landscape and its affect on my inner world. By purposefully pairing tangible imagery with the slightly surreal, I hope to portray a world that is both familiar and otherworldly. My recent work with oil on wood explores a peaceful yet dynamic dreamscape, one that inspires awe for our elemental world and inner calm. In this body of work I focus on the colors of the desert sky to create a sense of belonging and escape. My use of cut-out “pinholes” represents the presently intangible and highlights the limitations of our visual frame of reference and connect one to another time or space.