Trees & Fields

Our third Art competition “Trees & Fields” started in November 2023 and concluded on December 14, 2023. Art Room Gallery received entries from many countries around the world: USA, Finland, China, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Italy. The Trees & Fields theme in this competition included a diversity in types, styles and mediums (oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, gouache, digital painting, photography). 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 74 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:

Misure Nien's personal journey in fine art began in 1980, with the Impressionist painters influencing his artistic development. He is primarily an oil painter, but also enjoys landscapes and figurative works. Since 1990, he has been working with water as a medium and it has become his main endeavor and passion. He created a fresh brush technique to paint the water based medium that captures the fullness of life. He travels around in search of new ideas and inspiration. He has traveled in Japan, South Asia and Europe. He uses carefully observed and directly executed brushes to paint subjects ranging from flowers and still life to landscapes and images. Each visual field is a new challenge, mentally and emotionally. He finds himself contemplating that "the simplest is the truth". The images he paints sometimes reflect nature, music, people, a fascination with patterns of light, but often are simply an exciting design. He describes that as a painter, "my goal is to continue to grow spiritually and technically so that I can interpret and illuminate what I see." All of these factors contribute to the emotional feeling in a painting. There is a unique relationship between the artist and nature, namely his intuition. He sees freedom and expression as much as any form of creative expression, the creation of a painting as an expression that conveys thoughts and feelings in a personal way.Gradually, his choice of medium is no longer obsessed with preference, and experimentation with various media has become another kind of pleasure in creation. He believes that the various experiences in life, even if he feels that there are no perfect things in the real world, will be presented through his paintings with true beauty and love.

Statement:

Bernardus Muller or Bernard is a generative AI artist whose work is a compelling blend of human emotion and machine-learned patterns. Diagnosed with ALS in 2010, he's wheelchair-bound and relies on a ventilator. Yet, Bernard communicates and creates art solely through eye-tracking technology, challenging conventional definitions of artist and medium. Before his artistic journey, Bernard was a maritime entrepreneur. The strategic mindset he cultivated then serves him now as he navigates the complex landscape of AI and art. His creations—abstract generations to personalized AI portraits—prompt viewers to reconsider art, creativity, and the capabilities of both humans and machines. He uses self-trained Machine Learning models to make his art. Married to Antoinette and father to two sons, Joost and Emiel, Bernard's art serves as a powerful testament to human resilience. His work doesn't just capture imaginations; it changes perceptions about disability, technology, and the indomitable human spirit.

Statement:

Born in the province of Quebec in Canada, Chantal Bourque was amazed from childhood by the emotional power of images. After studying art, she started painting trees, and they are now the center of her creations. She draws her inspiration from the authenticity of the forest. Combining a realistic style with her artistic vision, it is with humility that Chantal expresses in her paintings the emotional balance that the forest provides. In constant search of evolution of her artistic technique, Chantal now integrates real pieces of bark to her creations. These small pieces of bark are now the common thread in all her works. Through her wooded universe, Chantal hopes to encourage people to live in connection with nature, and especially to respect it. An awareness that we are all interrelated to this grandiose nature, which can bring us so many benefits.