This year the American Art Awards (www.AmericanArtAwards.com), juried by the 25 best galleries in America, had winning artists from 40 countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UK, USA, and Wales.
American Art Awards explains who won the three cash prizes: “We had some big surprises this year. Year after year, a different painter takes the prize for MOST WINS, but this is the first time that a photographer won that prize. Robert Meyers-Lussier had a phenomenal 12 wins in assorted photography categories.
“Debi Pickler won the MASTERPIECE for the one image scoring highest in multiple categories. Her stunning pencil figure, "Character," won in three categories; a 1st Place in Charcoal/Ink/Pencil Figure, another 1st Place in Portrait Of Someone Not Famous, and a 2nd Place in Realism - Human.
“Many artists enter many pieces, so it came as a surprise that Max Ferguson only entered one piece and that won him BEST OF SHOW, scoring the most gallery points for any image in the contest in one category. His small oil, LULU IN NEW YORK, tributes the 1920's flapper Louise Brooks.”
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MAX FERGUSON, "BEST OF SHOW' WINNER:
Max Ferguson started as a filmmaker, making award-winning animated films as a teenager. As a visiting student at an art school in Amsterdam, his interest shifted to painting. “While my fellow art students were painting nudes of young women, I was painting octogenarians with canes.” Always a bit of a contrarian, Ferguson says, “It would seem that the louder and larger the work of my contemporaries grow, the quieter and smaller my paintings become.”
"My work is essentially autobiographical," says Ferguson, with his two most frequent models being his father and himself. "The more personal you get, the more universal you become. My paintings are generally populated by a solitary figure. In one sense it is a soliloquy. But there is someone else involved; the viewer. So it is more like a dialogue. It is that silent, emotional pas de deux between the two in which I am most interested"
Ferguson’s paintings are in many prominent private and public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum, and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Ferguson is highlighted in this link for his tribute to flapper Louise Brooks:
http://louisebrookssociety.blogspot.co.il/2014/09/max-fergusons-louise-brooks-painting.html
SEE MORE OF FERGUSON'S WORK HERE: www.maxferguson.com
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ROBERT MEYERS-LUSSIER, “MOST WINS":
Through the culmination of world-wide travel and multitude of life experiences, Robert Meyers-Lussier views the world through a camera lens at a macro and micro eye.
A published author of a book of poetry, 'Psaiku', and a cookbook, 'This Is Delicious! What Is It?', as well as a writer and photojournalist for several magazines over the years, Meyers-Lussier looks to share his past and present photography, with a passion for all forms of beauty.
SEE MORE OF MEYERS-LUSSIER'S WORK HERE: http://bobmeyer2.wixsite.com/rmlphotos
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DEBI PICKLER, “MASTERPIECE”:
Debi Pickler is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators), BOMH (Best of Missouri Hands), St. Louis Artist Guild and IGOR (International Guild of Realism). Having studied at the University of Kansas obtaining a BFA in Illustration, she has won countless awards for her art, including:
2001- Won the SCBWI Mentorship for Illustrators Program and studied under illustrator Phyillis Harris for one year.
2002 - Second Place in the SCBWI Conference Illustrator Show with "Let it Snow" pen and ink stippling.
2003 - Second Place in the St. Peter's, Missouri Cultural Art Show with pen and ink stipplings.
2004 - Second Place in the SCBWI Conference Illustrator Show with "Linkee the Caterpillar from the Ifits®" -- as well as -- Won the SCBWI Mentorship for Illustrators Program and studied under illustrator Richard Bernal for one year.
2005 - First Place in the SCBWI Conference Illustrator Show with "Kokee® the Cheetah from the Ifits®"
2006 - Won the Portfolio competition at the SCBWI Fall Conference.
2008 - Won the SCBWI Mentorship for Illustrators Program and studied under illustrator Todd Smith for one year.
2009 - Honorable Mention for the Race Judicata t-shirt design contest, Thompson Coburn LLP.
2010 - Third Place in the Race Judicata t-shirt design contest, Thompson Coburn, LLP.
2011 - Honorable mention for the Race Judicata t-shirt design contest, Thompson Coburn LLP.
2012 - First Place in the Legal Marketing Association's (LMA) Your Honor Wards in the Practice Development category.
2013 - Finalist in the Black and White Art Expo, Infinity Online art show, Finalist in the Spring Online Competition, American Women Artists, Finalist in the You Be the Judge finalist online art competition, Finalist in the Portraits Online Art Exhibition, Linus Galleries, Finalist in the Art Kudos International Art show, and Finalist in the My Best Artwork, Collaboration of Artists.
2014 - Finalist in The Senses, Linus Art Gallery, Seventh Place Overall Category in the All Women Competition, Light, Space, Time Gallery, Honorable Mention in the 3 x 3, The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration, Finalist in the Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition, as well as Winning Artist in the North Light Books 2014 drawing competition Strokes of Genius 7: Depth, Dimension + Space, and also Third Place Overall in St. Peters Cultural Art Center Anything Goes Art show.
2015 - Winner in Master Volume 11 Juried Art Publication, Best Of Show in Colors of Humanity Art Gallery, Human Nature 2015 Show, Honorable Mention in Faces of Humanity, ArtCompetition.net, Second place in New Perspectives Online Artshow, Third place in TRAC 2015 Online Art Competition, as well as Honorable Mention in Light, Space, Time, Open Art Exhibition - 3 Dimensional Category.
SEE MORE OF PICKLER’S WORK HERE: www.debi-studios.com
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BELOW ARE THE 25 BEST GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS IN AMERICA, 2016, WHO VOTED ON ALL ONLINE ART SUBMISSIONS:
BEST IN CALIFORNIA -- EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIONS GALLERY.
"... professionalism, reputation, gallery space, red carpet events, trajectory, artist roster and clientele... Beverly Hills location... Laguna Beach location... two San Diego locations...”
BEST IN PENNSYLVANIA -- JAMES A. MICHENER ART MUSEUM.
"... 40,000 square feet... world-class group of paintings... 2,800 objects... annually more than 135,000 visitors..."
BEST IN ILLINOIS -- HILLIGOSS GALLERIES.
"20 years... Chicago’s Premier Art Gallery. The two-story 8,500 square foot gallery... original paintings by the world's finest living artists, as well as fine prints by historic and 20th century masters."
BEST IN UTAH -- UTAH MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART.
"...epitome of a contemporary museum... an award-winning aesthetic force and community leader since it was established 85 years ago... four-time recipient of funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation..."
BEST IN IOWA -- MOBERG GALLERY.
"... exceptional eye for contemporary masterpieces... procured work for museums, corporate collections, private collections... sets the standard for modern art in the Midwest."
BEST IN RHODE ISLAND -- RISD MUSEUM.
"140 years... 100,000 objects... Impressionist paintings, 20th- and 21st-century design, Gorham silver, 12th-century Buddha... Cézanne, Degas, Matisse, Manet, Picasso, Rothko, Sargent, Turner, van Gogh, Warhol..."
BEST IN COLORADO -- COLORADO SPRINGS FINE ART CENTER.
"132,000 sq. ft... one of the only multi-discipline arts institutions... For nearly 100 years, the top cultural attraction of the Pikes Peak region... world’s finest art... "
BEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA -- SOUTH DAKOTA ART MUSEUM.
"Since 1970... artistic legacy of South Dakota in all its diversity. Harvey Dunn, Native American art, Marghab Linens... 7,000 objects in its collection..."
BEST IN NEBRASKA -- KIECHEL FINE ART.
"...few have the roster and esteem as Keichel... discerning eye... three story four gallery showplace... many of the top Midwestern Contemporary artists... "
BEST IN LOUISIANA -- NEWCOMB ART MUSEUM.
"... founded in 1886... pays tribute to its heritage through shows that recognize the contributions of women to the fields of art and design...."
BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA -- MARY MARTIN GALLERY OF FINE ART.
"...museum quality art ... number one tourist destination in America... on par with Beverly Hill’s Rodeo Drive and NY’s Fifth Avenue..."
BEST IN KENTUCKY -- E&S GALLERY.
"... professionalism, reputation, gallery space, exhibitions, artist roster and clientele ... 11,000 square foot gallery... African American art with an unmatched selection of artists, medium, subject matter, and genres... "
BEST IN INDIANA -- GRUNWALD GALLERY OF ART.
"... thirty exhibits annually... collaborate with scientists and scholars to produce exhibits that interpret visual art in a broader scientific or humanities context... "
BEST IN HAWAII -- LIK LAHAINA, LIKE WAIKIKI.
"Peter Lik has 13 exceptional gallery locations throughout the word and is the most successful photographer in the world... sold upwards of $500 million... Lik’s works make up four of the top 20 most expensive photographs ever sold."
BEST IN NEVADA -- NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART.
"...four-story structure... 2,500 works of 19th through 21st-century art... inspiring dialogue about the impact of human activity on natural environments..."
BEST IN NEW JERSEY -- EVALYN DUNN GALLERY.
"It is very rare to find a gallery so successful that it is approaching it’s 60th year... also features the finest 20th Century American and European art..."
BEST IN FLORIDA -- ART FUSION GALLERIES.
"8,000 square foot... in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood Art District... preeminent gallery in Miami for integrating the best of Emerging to Mid-Career Contemporary artists... represents over 1,000 artists... "
BEST IN MINNESOTA -- DOUBLETAKE GALLERY.
"...enormous international Internet presence, with millions of hits... LeRoy Neiman, Salvador Dali, Peter Max, Frederick Hart, Erte, Norman Rockwell... fine art consignment and brokerage service... "
BEST IN IDAHO -- PRICHARD ART GALLERY.
"...premier venue for the state of Idaho... critically engaged, forward thinking arts space... freedom-oriented... encourages experimentation... emerging as well as established artists... "
BEST IN OKLAHOMA -- OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER.
"...Nonprofit organization... encourages artistic expression... Oklahoma’s top artists... $26 million capital campaign... spectacular new facility just south of downtown OK..."
BEST IN NEW MEXICO -- WILDER NIGHTINGALE GALLERY.
"22 years... eclectic works ranging from contemporary abstracts to traditional Taos landscapes... Leading artist such as BJ Briner, Tom Noble, Rory Wagner, Margaret Nes and Stephen Day..."
BEST IN MICHIGAN -- ART LEADERS GALLERY.
"10,000 square foot show room... over 24 years they have earned an impeccable reputation and are one of the leading residential and corporate art dealers in the state."
BEST IN OREGON -- BRONZE COAST GALLERY.
"24th year... one of the Oregon Coast's premiere fine art galleries... specializing in limited edition bronze sculpture... popular tourist attraction... award-winning regional, national and international artists..."
BEST IN WASHINGTON -- BRICK WALL PHOTOGRAPHIC GALLERY.
""...only Spokane gallery dedicated entirely to photography... some of the finest photography in America... nature, landscapes, as well as contemporary compositions by students and educators..."
BEST IN MAINE -- FARNSWORTH ART MUSEUM.
"20,000 square feet... 15,000 works. For nearly seventy years, they have exhibited a nationally recognized collection of art from America’s greatest artists..."
ARTISTS CAN ENTER ONLINE IMAGES FOR 2017 HERE: www.AmericanArtAwards.com
