Blossom II
Gallery 2
Award of Excellence
Parrot Party
Jane Jones
20” x 20” oil on canvas
Most of the inspiration for my paintings comes from flowers that I have planted in my gardens. Every spring and summer my gardens are a celebration of nature’s splendor and generosity. All of my paintings are about the beauty, power, and fragility of nature. I have seen these tulips survive snowstorms and the flowers are still beautiful. I have also seen them endure winds up to 50 miles per hour, and the petals stay attached to the stem not tearing at all. Here in Colorado the winters can be very cold and the snow can be feet deep, but when the soil gets warm, they fight their way up, push away the dirt and reach for the sun. If the soil is poor, or they experience drought; they will be smaller, misshapen, or even die. They are the perfect flowers to represent the beauty, power, and fragility of nature. Flaming parrot tulips are one of my very favorite tulips because each one is a celebration! Part of their beauty is that they are different from every point of view, and here each tulip is positioned differently to show how wonderful they are from different points of view, and every aspect of them is joyful.
Award of Excellence
The Fragility of Home
Anna Killian
11.5” x 7.25” oil
Outside of the old home place in North Alabama, Jonquils grow in abundance. The house is no longer there, but the flowers and their memories remain… A few are plucked from the ground and are placed in an old juice glass. The arrangement sits nestled in the corner of my Grandmother’s window. Warmth from the window wraps around you and locks you into this close place. The flowers glow in their radiance, but will soon fade, just as a dead fly sits idly by. My Grandmother is now gone, but her spirit remains. Home is fragile, but memories remain. They are reflections of yesterday and today.
Juror’s Choice Award
Casting Call
Brian O’Neil
16” x 20” pastel on paper
“Casting Call” is an example of classic Trompe L’Oeil, which is a French term meaning to fool the eye. The viewer is led to believe that even the masking tape, which holds the images of the Rose and Orchid, are real. The story of this piece is one that brings the viewer into the creative process and imagination of the artist who has assembled a still life set up and contemplates which of the beautiful flowers he will place into the vase to create his masterpiece. However, in “Casting Call” the process part of the completed piece and both of the delicate flowers are equally deserving in taking center stage.
Juror’s Choice Award
How You Die Out In Me
Dirk Hagner
15″ x 18″ etching in 3 colors & chine colle
The etching “How you die out in me” was inspired by the lines by poet Paul Celan: Down to the last worn-out knot of breath, you’re there with a splinter of life.” It shows lilies in a vase which are withering away, reminding us that all ideas of beauty are transient.
Juror’s Choice Award
Mason Jar Roses
Thia Malenchik
12” x 16” oil on board
My husband tends the roses in our garden. One day he came into my studio and presented the sweetest small bunch of roses. I put them into a mason jar and placed them by the window. The light coming through took my breath away. I immediately stopped working on the painting on my easel and took several photographs for reference. Then I did a quick study that evolved into this painting.