2023 2nd National Open Juried Exhibition
Wayne Art Center
413 Maplewood Ave., Wayne, PA
Opening Reception & Awards Ceremony, Sunday, September 10, 2024, 3-5 PM
September 10 - October 7, 2023
Our 2023 Philadelphia Pastel Society National Exhibition was juried by Diane Rappisi PSA, IAPS/MC
Diane offered the following comments about each piece that she selected for an award.
Arete Award of Excellence
Madeleine Kelly, “Fire Road Revisited”
This painting has it all – color, composition, structure, edge work and soul. I feel like I’m standing right in landscape. Keen perception of color, especially in the snow.
First Place Award
Wendy McClatchy, “Translucent Rise”
An outstanding use of value and temperature within a limited palette, that succeeds in portraying both structure and translucency.
Second Place Award
Anne Whalon, “Hey!”
Beautiful color choices to describe the effect of light falling over the subjects. I like the playfulness in the colors and the interplay of abstract shapes within the composition.
Third Place Award
Barbara Berry, “A Pearl in Satin”
This pop of red demands attention, and the figure is solid and well done. The artist successfully balances the delicate flesh tones against the bold scarlet, while the neutral background nicely frames the figure.
Honorable Mention Award
Laurie Higgins, “Chelsea Morning”
Soft, warm colors set the mood for this serene moment. Subtle color shifts beautifully describe the light falling over the forms.
Honorable Mention Award
Catherine Grygiel, “Meandering Stream”
Simple masses, powerful colors and sensitive edge work – bold and confident.
Honorable Mention Award
Jeri Greenberg, “Sweethearts”
Interesting composition and a delightful limited palette challenge. I especially like the interspersed green leaves and turquoise highlights.
Award for Pastel Excellence in Memory of Marge Levine
Felice Simon, “Solstice”
This is a colorful little gem of a painting. Vibrant, imaginative and confident.
George Torphy Memorial Award
Kimberly Stone, “Rail Trail”
The dappled sunlight in this painting is a great use of warm and cool color temperatures. Strong value structure and nice composition.
PWCS Award
Allison Krajcik, “Chorus in Pink”
Delicate and refined. The artist’s treatment of the subject matter suits the elegance of the tulips.
Pan Pastel Materials Award
Mary Ellen Goetz, “Downward South Bristol”
The simplicity of this painting allows the playful color to shine, evoking memories of a sunny seaside town. I like the vertical accent created by the pole and the road stripe in the composition.
Wayne Art Center Award
Anthony Hedrick, “Joseph Zellers”
The character in this portrait immediately shines through. I especially like the tufts of hair around the ear and the stretched skin where the thumb is pulling. These and other details sit well on a solidly built form.
PSA Award
Julia Doemland, “Sunlit Path”
This is a gentle, poetic interpretation of a sunlit path. Nice handling of edges and color shifts.
Rita Morrin Memorial Award
Joanne Turner, “Feel the Beat”
Great sense of movement in this painting, and the artist gives us a good feeling of depth.The texture on the back wall gives additional excitement to the painting.
Constance J. McClatchy Memorial Award of Excellence for Use of Color
Denise Vitollo, “Koi Harmony”
The subjects of this painting appear to shimmer and glow in relation to their surroundings. The wave patterns and reflections are a masterful interplay of colors.
Pastel Society of Tampa Bay Award
Carol Kardon, “Stillness”
The exciting mark making and textures in this painting give it an ethereal quality. Interesting use of edges and contrasts lead the eye through the composition.
Maryland Pastel Society Award
Barbara Backman, “Lily”
This artist has beautifully captured the form and substance of a daylily. The petals feel delicate yet solid, and the subtle color transitions are well done.
Central Massachusetts Pastel Society (CMPS) Award
Judith Cook, “Slow Game”
Strong, flat shapes and thoughtful color relationships create a painting that doesn’t need a lot of detail. Its simple, elegant composition and a nice sense of light say it all.
Blick Art Materials Award
Sherry Ward, “Fruit Salad”
Strong, flat shapes and thoughtful color relationships create a painting that doesn’t need a lot of detail. Its simple, elegant composition and a nice sense of light say it all.
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Award
Barbara Delmonico, “Child of Mine”
This painting beautifully captures a special moment between mother and child. The dreamy atmosphere, with soft, crayola colors and patterns, work well to capture the childlike feeling of the moment
Juror of Selection
Anna Wainright PSA-MP, IAPS/EP
Juror’s Statement: “It has been a great honor to jury the works submitted for the Philadelphia Pastel Society’s 2nd Annual Open Juried Show, I thank you for asking me. I was astounded by the quality of work coming out of your young society. There was an abundance of styles and techniques, as well as subject matter. Please know that the choices were very difficult, out of 210 submissions only 70 could be chosen. I tried to consider overall composition, finished appearance, and competency of the works as presented. As we all know they are all brilliant when seen in person and framed. I wish I could have chosen them all. I congratulate all who have been chosen, and encourage those who were not to keep working and find their own unique style and voice, and remember we have all been there. Think of every entry as a challenge to be your best. Best of luck to all in the jurying of awards, there are some extraordinary pieces in this show!”
Biogrphy: Anna Wainright is a national and international award winning, gallery represented artist. Driven to paint images that evoke a sense of weather and emotion as well as place, she is known for her atmospheric paintings. After 25 years in public service, her pursuit of her dreams to be an artist began in 2007 with pastels as her preferred medium at the time. After years of work in that medium, her efforts culminated in 2022 when she received the top award, Prix De Pastel, in the Master Circle Division of the Pastel World Exhibition at the International Association of Pastel Societies Convention in New Mexico, where she also received Eminent Pastelist distinction. She also has Master Pastelist distinction in the Pastel Society of America, as well as Signature status in the American Tonalist Association and Associate in Oil Painters of America, NOAPS, and the American Impressionists Association. She has exhibited in two shows in China, and last year in Korea. She was recently featured in the “Conjuring the Landscape” article in the Jan/Feb 2021 issue of the Pastel Journal, as well as the publication “Pure Pastel: Contemporary Works by Today’s Top Artists” in 2019. She has received honorable mention several times in the Pastel 100, as well as second place overall in 2019. Her works have shown in museum exhibitions including the Butler Institute of American Art, OH; Slater Museum, Norwich, CT; and Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA. She has gallery representation at The Artful Deposit and Beacon Galleries in New Jersey, as well as resident membership at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. See more about Anna at www.ajwainright.com
Judge of Awards
Diane Rappisi PSA, IAPS/MC
Diane Rappisi is a contemporary realist painter whose work fuses the light and chroma of the Cape Cod colorists with the form and structure of the traditional Italian and French academies. She works in oil, pastel, charcoal, and graphite. She trained at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia, where she deepened her understanding of color, form and anatomy, and discovered her love of figure painting.
Diane’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and resides in private collections across the USA, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.She’s had two solo exhibitions and has won awards in numerous juried shows including the International Association of Pastel Societies’ “Pastelworld” Biennial Juried Show, the Pastel Society of America’s “Enduring Brilliance” in New York, NY, and the International Mile-High Pastel exhibition in Denver, CO. Accolades in 2022 include 2nd Place Portrait and Honorable Mention awards in Pastel Journal’s highly competitive “Pastel 100” Her pastel “Wild Spirit” was selected as a finalist in the Art Renewal Center’s 16th International Salon.
Diane has conducted workshops and demos at various arts organizations across the US, Australia and New Zealand, including the IAPS biennial convention in Albuquerque, NM Diane is an IAPS Master Circle member, a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and the Maryland Pastel Society, an elected member of the Salmagundi Club in New York and the Oil Painters of America, and a member of the Pastel Society of Colorado. She currently works in her studio in Chestertown, MD and is on the faculty of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD. See more about Diane at www.rappisiart.com.