The Overall Winning Artists Category consists of the 10 Best Entries received from the 2 media categories of the Painting & Other Category and the Photography & Digital Category.
The winning artists will now be featured on the Light Space & Time website for the month of June 2015 and thereafter, the artworks and links to the artist’s websites will remain online in the Light Space & Time Archives.
Congratulations to our artists who made our 6th Annual “Abstracts” Art Exhibition so successful this month. At any time, we invite our winners and other interested visitors to link their websites to the Gallery’s Archive section for further ongoing promotion.
The Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery will have digital “Abstracts” Award Certificates, Event Postcard, Event Catalogue and Press Releases sent to the winning artists within the next week or so. Thank you to all of the artists who participated and for being a part of the gallery. To return to the Abstracts Home Page here.
1st Place – Anne Neidhardt – “Reed Flute Cave”
Anne Neidhardt came to Canada from Scotland at the age of nine. She has lived since then in Toronto and has a husband and two children. After a long career in nursing education, genetic counselling and health care administration, she has found a new career as an artist. She is currently a member of four arts organizations and shows her work in juried and non-juried exhibitions.
This is what Anne has to say about what painting means to her, “Art for me is about visual communication – emotions, moods, beauty and sometimes sadness. The human narrative is important to me and I love paintings that “tell a story”. I try to create evocative compositions that reflect the human condition. There are times when my imagination takes over. I am often drawn to the old, lonely or mysterious. I paint impressionistic landscapes, narratives and abstracts in acrylic, watercolour and mixed media. With an eclectic mix of subjects I try to elicit a response of recognition in the viewer of a time, a place, a person or a feeling. I hope to add to the viewer’s observations about life.
I love the feel of the paint as I use brush or palette knife on a variety of supports. Just moving paint around is a joy. The freshness and transparency of watercolour and the challenge of controlling the paint is exciting. The textures and vibrant colours of acrylic paint offer endless creative options. Experiencing life and travel is a privilege and keeps art fresh. Creative discoveries allow for the development of new styles and subjects.” View Anne’s website and blog at www.anneneidhardtart.com
2nd Place – Danielle Austen – “Spiral”
Danielle Austen is an award-winning fine art photographer specializing in intimate portraits of the environment. She was trained in the traditional fine arts of painting, sculpture, drawing and photography where she received her BFA from Cornell University. She worked as a graphic designer before attending the master’s program at the Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, in photojournalism.
Working for newspapers and magazines, her editorial work has been published locally, regionally and nationally, including “Life’s, The Year in Pictures.” Returning to her fine art roots, she has combined her skills and training and has participated in over three dozen national juried exhibits, two joint shows and two solo exhibits. She was recently selected to have solo exhibit as part of the “NJ Emerging Artist Series” at the Monmouth Museum in March 2016.
This year she will be an Artist-in-Residence at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and will be returning for a second time to Acadia National Park this fall. She previously did other residencies at the Everglades National Park and the Vermont Studio Center where she received a full fellowship.
Danielle has won many awards, both in her photojournalism and fine art work. In 2013, Danielle was a national winner of Canon’s “Project Imaginat10n” photo competition with Director Ron Howard. Celebrity director, Biz Stone, the co-founder of Twitter, chose her winning image to help inspire his short film, “Evermore” which premiered October 2013 in NYC.
“It is easy to get lost in the beauty of the majestic vistas, but I believe it is the elements that make up these scenes are of the greatest value. My nature photography reflects a desire to capture and record the many tranquil aspects of my journeys that are often missed by the casual observer. As a documentary fine artist trained both in photojournalism and in the fine arts, I am bound to seek honesty in my subjects and to communicate the spirituality of the moment. I focus on documenting intimate portraits and unexpected views of the landscape…and to tell their story. I search for what many may see as ordinary and discover the extraordinary.
Over the years, I have found beauty in many unforeseen places. I am constantly surprised at the ability of nature to create amazingly beautiful abstract imagery through the interplay of light, pattern, color, and movement. The effects can be surreal, and even ethereal. I believe these images are pathways into the unexpected depth of the natural world.” http://www.danielleausten.com
3rd Place – Stephanie Estrin – “Lost and Found”
Stephanie Estrin is a self-taught artist with a love for bright, bold colors. She grew up in Montreal, Quebec and currently resides in Austin, Texas. She has been creative all her life and has been a quilter, an award winning plush toy designer, and a painter.
She prefers to paint intuitively with no preconceived ideas when starting a painting. Her abstract work embodies her feelings and thoughts at the moment of its creation. She is inspired by nature and human emotion.
Stephanie has exhibited in juried exhibitions and group shows for the last several years in and around the Austin, TX area. One of her 2013 paintings has appeared Quotes Illustrated by Lesley Riley. Stephanie is currently a member of the Austin Visual Arts Association, Creative Arts Society and Austin Artists Network.
She is currently represented by Off the Walls Gallery in Shelton, Washington. http://www.stephanieestrin.com
4th Place – Charlann Meluso – “Pond and Forest”
As a street photographer, my never-ending quest for unique and original abstract images always leads me to random patterns of texture, shapes, lines and color found on walls and other surfaces. Once they have captured my eye, I begin my photographic journey. Stimulated by what I have discovered, I feel an insatiable urge to turn the image or a portion of it into a work of art in its own right.
An abstract photograph, by nature, is the essence of the subject matter, not necessarily the literal view. The end result is the culmination of intense scrutiny of the photographer who “finds” or “discovers” something in the ordinary. My love of artistic composition and design has an overwhelming effect on how I choose my subject matter and what becomes of it after capture. I may labor for hours or discard an image immediately if it is not to my satisfaction.
The abstract images in my portfolio are diverse. The majority of them are created from natural occurrences, such as rust, decomposition, erosion, scaling and flaking paint on surfaces. Others are created by the hand of man. Nevertheless, each image bears its own identity and has its own beauty and appeal. It is those images that excite me the most…the accidental, randomness of the elements of art amassed on a visible surface…the obvious “unidentifiable” subject matter which holds the viewer’s interest and piques his curiosity.
What I see and capture must satisfy both my eye and my soul and also have a visual impact that will evoke a feeling or reaction within the viewer with whom I strive to have a similar connection. Since my photographs are conceived with the notion to be seen, pondered and enjoyed, the emotional connection with the observer completes the intent of my artistry. http://www.charlannmelusophotoart.com
5th Place – Yossi Sigura – “Orange Hills”
Contemporary Impressionistic painter, Yossi Sigura, was born (1964) and raised in Israel. In his early years as an artist, he was focused on painting very realistic portraits and nudes, but his interest in nature led him over the years towards landscape painting.
Lyrical and vibrant, Sigura’s paintings feature forests, skyscapes, seascapes and portraits rendered in fantastic colors. He creates in a variety of mediums; painting acrylics, pastel, ink, charcoal and watercolor. He also creates clay and bronze sculptures.
His main inspiration is the landscapes of Israel, especially the forests and trees on Mount Carmel and the Galilee mountains and valleys. His other big love and inspiration are the big forests in northern America which he keeps returning to in his paintings.
Sigura’s art work comes from life and soul. His artistic style is expressive, using vibrant color and strong compositions. He paints a variety of subjects in a variety of styles but his roots are well in the impressionistic tradition of painting. The development of his style was never a conscious decision; it just evolved over the years.
His works are in many private collections in many countries in the world like Canada, United States, Israel, Germany, United Kingdom and many more. http://www.sigura-art.com
6th Place – Rae Emogene – “Follow the Trail”
Emogene’s photographic images do not lack direction or purpose. Her intention is to create something entirely new from her surroundings by deliberately combining existing elements and using them in an unexpected way.
After shooting 35mm for several years, Emogene, whose name means “Image or Likeness”, switched to digital in 2008 and hasn’t looked back. She feels there is too much emphasis placed on rules and is passionate about seeking out images that others may not visualize.
In recent years, she has been influenced by minimalism and has been slowly integrating that concept into her photographic artwork. Even her workflow for a photo shoot is minimalist. There is no plan other than perhaps a starting point from which she explores the surrounding area. This allows her creativity to wander without any preconceived expectations and leaves the integrity of the images intact.
Emogene has been nominated in several international photography competitions in both colour and black and white photography. She is a member of the Photographic Society of America, Canadian Association for Photographic Art and Visual Arts Alberta – CARFAC.
Frozen in time, Emogene’s compelling images will have you coming back to look at that “something” over and over again. To view other artwork by Emogene, visit her website: www.emogene.ca
7th Place – Lucy Matta – “Fall Moon”
Lucy Matta is a Montreal-based Canadian artist specializing in acrylic painting. Born in 1968 in Montreal, She is inspired by textures and movement. She creates unique artwork by experimenting with different mediums and techniques. She is a young, upcoming artist who aspires to share the beauty of art as well as inspire others to delve into the art world.
She has created several collections such as: The Africa Collection; lulu Abstract Collection; Mink Collection; lulu (feminine) Collection
Lucy states this about her artistic journey, “I remember developing an interest for painting very early on in life while watching my grandfather in his unfinished low ceiling basement. The smell of oil paints filled the entire space as I watched attentively his every brush stroke. Although fascinated by his talent as a child I did not start painting myself until my early 30’s…but have not stopped since! As a self-taught artist my knowledge of creating an interesting canvas grows with each new piece as I tend change it up a little if I get too comfortable with a style.”
She continues her thoughts, “My first collection named “Africa Collection” took its first breath the same year my daughter took hers, in 2002. I’ve recently started the “LuLu Collection” which I’m still having a great deal of satisfaction creating. I hope you see a little of yourselves in my work. If you do, then I have succeeded.” http://lucy-matta.comistwebsites.com
8th Place – Charles Hezsely – “Transformation”
St. Paul-based photographer, Charles Hézsely, was born in Slovakia. Growing up in a diverse environment helped him develop his attention to detail whether it is noticing candid moments in people’s lives or the unique features of buildings. As an ethnic Hungarian, he is inspired by the works of famous Hungarian photographers such as André Kertész or Brassai.
Upon moving to Minnesota, he became a keen observer of the Midwest. His “Old” and “New” World experiences have influenced his authentic, spontaneous, and unobtrusive way of seeing things. Charles enjoys taking photos of architecture, events, landscapes, and people. He likes to capture the unexpected perspective in order to create unique images. He is also a big fan of creative iPhone photography.
Charles perfected his photographic craft by taking workshops at the Mpls Photo Center and learning from well-known Minnesota photographers, journalists, and artists.
Charles has contributed to numerous exhibits in the US. He has won honorable mention from National Camera Exchange, the Light Space & Time Online Gallery, A Smith Gallery, and the 2014 Mobile Photography Awards. He also received Best of Show from the Robbin Gallery and won first place from Minnesota Exposure. Two of his photos were published by tpt in Capture Minnesota, Volume II and IV.
Charles says, “I try to make the ordinary look extraordinary. It gives me great satisfaction when I look at something from a new angle as if I had seen it for the first time.” http://www.charleshezselyphotography.com
9th Place – Karyn Estela – “Goddess Within Us All”
Karyn Estela earned her B.A. with a Major in Studio Art, Minors in Piano Pedagogy and Music Education, along with a Teaching certificate in Art Education K-12 from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado.
Over the last 23 years Karyn has been a teacher, mentor and facilitator for students grades K-12 and adults. In addition to her teaching career Karyn has been a pianist for ballet schools, draftsman for oil and civil engineers, equestrian trainer and volunteer docent and artifact researcher for the Educational Department of the Denver Art Museum.
Her second language is German. Karyn has lived and traveled extensively in the USA and Germany. At present she lives with her life-partner Harald in Colorado. http://berkanaarts.com
10th Place – Dielle Ciesco – “Lotus”
Dielle Ciesco is in love with the quest to express the inexpressible. She is a vocalist, twice-published author, healer, and artist inspired by color, texture, and feeling.
Untrained in art until recently, her media of choice was pastel, pencil and collage. Now under the tutelage of her tonal impressionist husband, Stuart Davies, Dielle is discovering the rich and vibrant versatility of oils.
Dielle aspires to create abstracts that uplift and reconnect us with our deeply mysterious origins: “However and whenever we allow life to create through us, it is an act of love that reminds us who we are.” She and Stuart live in the perfect light in France. http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/dielle-ciesco.html
