MAM Awards 2011: Portrait Nominations for Best Artwork

The Making a Mark Prize for Best Artwork - Portrait / Figures 2011 aims to celebrate and highlight excellence in portraiture and/or artwork predominantly involving figures

Below you can find the nominations I received for the  best picture (portrait/figure) on an art blog in 2011.

• I've still to select a work for my nomination. I'll then be selecting three works to go forward as the shortlist for you to the vote on for the best still life picture on art blog in 2011. 
• I'll be including larger images of the three shortlisted works in the invitation to vote for the winner.
• You then have until 29th December to vote for the work you think is the best (ie voting closes a minute after midnight GMT on 30th December )

This is a link to the

• Landscape Nominations for Best Artwork
• Still Life Nominations for Best Artwork
• Natural World Nominations for Best Artwork

The details of the nomination process and criteria for submissions can be found in Nominate the Best Artwork (Portraits/Figures) on a blog in 2011

Now for the nominations.....




Nomination: Girl with Lambs by Antii Rautiolla
Post: Girl with Lambs
Nominated by: Casey Klahn

Mr. Rautiola, of Helsinki, paints his three daughters as subjects, and the results are intimate, and at the same time they have an "everyman" aspect. The angular lighting of his scenes adds to this effect.

The loose application of his paint keeps these otherwise personally important scenes at the viewer's level, and so there is no barrier between the viewer and the ideas the artist is presenting.

Simply wonderful.

This Girl with lambs painting adds a herd of domestic animals to the child scene. The lambs are as attentive to what the girl brings as I am to what the artist does!

Nomination: "Leah at Sea" by Taryn Day (Awake and Painting)
Post: Leah at Sea
Nominated by: Rose Welty

Taryn's handling of the paint seems to reflect Leah's personality. You immediately understand that Leah is confident and adventurous

Scarlet by Zachary Proctor
24" x 24", oil

Nomination: "Scarlet" by Zachary Proctor (Sketchbook)
Post: # 46 Scarlet
Nominated by:  Regula Scheifele

I'd like to nominate the wonderful portrait "Scarlet" by Zachary Proctor, part of an ongoing series of what is to be 100 portraits.

As the artist stated: "These paintings (sketches) are all 24"x 24" and are completed for the most part in one session. My goal is to do 100 and have a show with all of them."

I like the painting nominated because – apart from being very well executed – Zachary Procter manages to paint a very pleasing portrait of a child, catching her sweetness and innocence without drifting into 'overly sweet and kitschy'.

As with all the portraits in this series, Scarlett is shown face-on, no surroundings, single-colored background. Nothing is taking away from the whimsical, contemplative expression on Scarlet's face.

It's also worth looking at all the portraits in this series – unique individuals portraits with insight passion

Black Sun by Dirk Dizmirsky
Graphite on paper, heightened with white ink
25.6" x 20.5" (65 x 52 cm)

Nomination:  "Black Sun" by Dirk Dzimirsky (Dirk Dzimirsky - Drawings)
Post:  Black Sun
Nominated by:  Jessica Rosemary Shepherd

Firstly, this piece is a huge achievement showing Dirk's amazing drawing skills and his patience. The tonal variation is remarkable and he has approached this portrait with sensitivity and wonder.

When I look at this piece, I feel sad, but I also feel thunderstruck at how amazing and inspiring life is. The contradiction of these feelings leaves me feeling puzzled which means I look at the portrait again and again for longer and longer until I feel lost in it. The piece has a timeless quality to it. It's simple and not fussy. I would gladly have this on my wall, even though I don't know the man depicted. It's busting with life, even though there is no colour and no movement. From the shiny eyes to the little bit of spittle on the lips -there is a mood of anticipation in this piece. I can't help but wonder what the man is thinking about? What he wants and where he's been? Who he's loved, who he's lost...

Nomination: David Boles (Cobalt Blues)
Post:  Candlelight II
Nominated by: Jeanette Jobson

I'd like to nominate David Boles for Best Portrait/figure for his drawing Candlelight II on his blog Cobalt Blues. David uses silverpoint and in this piece, a touch of gouache. His drawing is so technically sound, something that is seen less and less these days, that it becomes eye catching. His depiction of texture and values using silverpoint is masterful.

Preserving drawing abilities is crucial to all artists and highlighting a piece that shows the technique at its finest helps bring it to the forefront again.

"Veiled" by Johanna Spinks
10" x 10"

Nomination: "Veiled" by Johanna Spinks (Portrait Painting Patter by Johanna Spinks)
Post: How to paint eyes...What was I thinking?
Nominated by: Marie Theron

Johanna Spinks is a portrait artist that I admire very much. She works from the model, is comfortable to paint with a crowd watching and blogs in a pleasant and chatty sort of way.

The spontaneous works often have an Old Masterly feel to it. I get the impression that this artist does not ever rely on photographs.

Raccoon by Rosie McClelland
oil on canvas
60 x 100cm

Nomination: Raccoon" by Rosie McClelland (Rosie McClelland Art)
Post:  Raccoon
Nominated by:  Gerry Snape

This portrait is of a young Belfast actor. The painter has made great use of complimentary colours. The stance executed by her in the painting shows a young man looking to the future with determination and hope.

Nick by Maria Kovalenko Leysens

Nomination: Nick by Maria Kovalenko Leysens (Maria Kovalenko Leysens)
Post:  Finished Pastel Portrait of Nick
Nominated by: self-nomination

This is Nick. The painting shows who he is not just what he looks like

Anastasia by Maria Villioti

Nomination: ''Anastasia" Maria Villioti (Art breaths / pnoes texnis)
Post: http://pnoestexnis.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_7951.html
Nominated by: self-nomination
(no comment) 

Laughed Ray by Tilen

Nomination: "Laughed Ray" by Tilen (Tilen Artplanet)
Post: #136 • Laughed Ray
Nominated by: self-nomination

Brave + Bold + Bright