Clouds Juried Online Art Exhibition

2nd Place Mixed Media – Hayward Allen – “Playing with the laws of nature and breaking the rules …

just to see what happens …

is such great fun.

Dali inspires my work.”

1st Place Acrylic – Melinda Campbell – “The ethereal colors in the sublime Maine landscape inspire me to paint on canvas en plein air in an effort to capture the beauty of the fleeting moment.”

“My ideal painting would have the courageous emotion, color, and qualities of a van Gogh; the boundless energy of a Neiman; the confidence of a Cassatt, O’Keeffe and Mitchell; the whimsy of a Chagall; the light and shadow of a Hopper; the wonder of a Dali; the innovative vividness of a Warhol; the subtlety of a Monet; the glorious skies of a Church and a Turner; held together with the universal appeal of a Wyeth.”

2nd Place Acrylic – Miwa Neishi – “My art aims to map out the “imaginative organism. It is inspired by searching for connections through interpersonal experiences.

The visual differences among cultures and the variations of the human body are my strongest interests and inspire me to look for the fundamental connections that lie within these differences.

In my work, such differences are presented metaphorically through textures, patterns and color. These lines and growths start to layer on top of each other to create a complex interaction of various ends.

I draw lines with acrylic paint intuitively and spontaneously, similarly to how one writes characters in “Shodo,” Japanese traditional calligraphy. This allows the connecting lines and empty spaces to feel intentional, natural and organic.

My personal experiences in Japan and the U.S. motivate me to show the joy and the unique interaction of different cultures.”

I hope these images encourage the viewer to enjoy the visual contrasts and deep connections.”

1st Place Oils – Roland Finis – “Kazimir Malevich’s White on White inspires my work.

I attempt to find the nuance in the cloudy overcast sky.

I contrast this with bold shapes and colors reaching upwards and into –

the infinite celestial universe.”

2nd Place Oils – Pel Maxly – “Howard Terpning inspires my work and treatment of clouds.

I seek to keep the spirit of the west alive …

maybe not the old west of the 1800’s … but …

at least the spirit of wide open spaces not clustered

with concrete monuments to small minded men.”

1st Place Watercolor – Sylvester Saldano “Charles Russell’s treatment of western skies inspire my work.

I find that bold color in the evening sky imparts feelings of…

serenity, anticipation and wonder.”

2nd Place Watercolor – Holland Shore – “Maynard Dixon inspires my work.

Billowy shapes adrift in the cosmos suggest…

never-ending possibilities of direction.”

1st Place Pastel – Sheryl Akin – “In many ways my inspiration comes from growing up poor.

I was used to working with a limited palette… out of necessity.

As I matured … the strength of such a palette became

my way of expressing my art.”

2nd Place Pastel – Judith Ray – “As my eyes lose their abilities

my paintings have become more vibrant

just so I can see them.

We work with what we have.”