Please help us congratulate Paula Holtzclaw for winning Overall First Place in the August 2025 PleinAir Salon, judged by master artist Natasha Isenhour.
“When I saw this painting on my first pass, I knew it was one I would have to study more deeply,” Natasha said. “I ‘felt’ this painting. It drew me in right away with the strong composition and skillful manipulation of complimentary color and overall palette that first invites you to look around, then brings you gently back to the subject.
“But what also makes this painting work so well is the varied edges. The artist is manipulating your eye and showing you what they want you to see. For instance, the leaves in the pot are soft focus, framing the subject by going up, out of the vessel, then guiding your eye back into the light and to the subject again. Meanwhile the leaves on the table have harder edges which add weight to the composition, helping to anchor the subjects on the table. So many lovely attributes here. Masterful work!”
“I choose to paint what is beautiful and meaningful,” Paula says, “knowing that this act of celebrating and communicating the beauty in this world has the power to uplift and inspire.”
Connect with the artist at www.paulabholtzclawfineart.com.
About the PleinAir Salon:
In the spirit of the French Salon created by the Academie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, this annual online art competition, with 11 monthly cycles, leading to the annual Salon Grand Prize winners, is designed to stimulate artistic growth through competition. The PleinAir® Salon rewards artists with $50,000 in cash prizes and exposure of their work, with the winning painting featured on the cover of PleinAir® Magazine.
Winners in each monthly competition may receive recognition and exposure through PleinAir Magazine’s print magazine, e-newsletters, websites, and social media. Winners of each competition will also be entered into the annual competition. The Annual Awards will be presented live at the next Plein Air Convention & Expo.
The next round of the PleinAir Salon has begun so hurry, as this competition ends on the last day of the month. Enter your best art in the PleinAir Salon here.
View more artist and collector profiles here at FineArtConnoisseur.com.
A touch of lace, is a wonderful piece !!! Congratulations !