The California Art Club has announced the winners of “Renewal and Rebirth,” its inaugural Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition. The winning Works, selected by guest judge Peter Trippi, Editor-in-Chief of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, are showcased in a virtual exhibition that marks the arrival of Spring.
The works, which spotlight the theme of “Renewal and Rebirth,” may be viewed at californiaartclub.org/rebirth among the nearly 50 paintings and sculptures identified as finalists for honors and cash prizes.
First place went to Nathaniel Skousen for his oil painting “Birth of the Moon.”
“This symbolist scene is not only superbly painted, but also reminds us that the moon has long been associated with renewal and rebirth by cultures around the world,” said Trippi. “The artist quotes John Everett Millais’s famous floating ‘Ophelia’ (1851–52) without the morbid, even misogynistic overtones some artists bring with that motif. Instead, the girl depicted here is very much alive, ready to awaken and move forward.”
The Winners:
First Place – $1,000 Prize, Nathaniel Skousen, “Birth of the Moon”
Second Place – $500 Prize, Rebecca Arguello, “Breakers at Indian Beach”
Third Place – $250 Prize, Anna Rose Bain, “A New Dawn”
Honorable Mention – $75 Prize, Davis Perkins, “Stemple Ranch”
Special Recognition for an Associate Artist Member, William Gullette, “Skin Shed”
The unveiling of “Renewal and Rebirth” coincides with the arrival of Spring and the new life the season brings each year. The exhibition may be viewed on the CAC website through June 1, 2021, and all works are available for acquisition.
This new quarterly competition was launched by the California Art Club to encourage artists to develop and refine their classical art skills and spotlight their mastery by providing a new platform for showcasing contemporary-traditional works of art.
> Sign up to receive Fine Art Today, our free weekly e-newsletter
> Click here to subscribe to Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, so you never miss an issue
