21st UKCPS Annual Open Exhibition 2022

The 21st Annual Open International Exhibition (2022) of the UK Coloured Pencil Society is now online. 

It's particularly interesting for me as I was one of the Judges this year in terms of reducing 250 images from coloured pencil artists from aropund the world to the 83 images in the exhibition which can now be viewed online. All we get as Judges was the digital image (online), the unframed dimensions and a spreadsheet to include our marked for each work. The other Judges were

• Richard Rees PPS - President of the Pastel Society
• Nuala Henry - UK Marketing Manager, Hahnemuehle

Alyssa Tidwell - Editor of International Artist magazine was the Judge making the awards

YOU too can be a Judge and VOTE for the image you think deserves the People's Choice Award. All you need to do is:

• click the images to see a larger version of each image
• complete the form on The People's Choice Award Page - and then click the submit button

The 21st UKCPS Annual Open Exhibition Award Winners

Links in the artists' names below go to their websites where you can see more of their art.

Best Picture in Show 

Best Picture in Show - Black Sea by Megan Seiter (Pic No. 241)

Megan Seiter is an American artist specializing in colored pencil still life drawings. Originally from Rhode Island, she received her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, and in 2009 moved to California. Megan has shown her work internationally, in galleries and juried exhibitions hosted by the International Guild of Realism, American Women Artists, the Colored Pencil Society of America, and the UK Colored Pencil Society, among others.

This for me was the standout drawing in the show in terms of its HUGE impact and technical proficiency. I remember looking at it very, very closely to check it wasn't a photograph!

Reserve Best in Show

Reserve Best in Show: Spellbound by Francesca Comparin (134)

Francesca Comparin is based in London.  I can't find a website so have no other information about her. However you can follow on her:

• Instagram
• Facebook

Best Pure Colour Pencil

Best Pure Colour Pencil: Pittsburgh Pomelos by Janie Pirie UKCPS Gold  (114)

Janie Pirie is a well known floral and botanical artist and teacher who works in coloured pencil and she's won major awards at UKCPS previously with hanging fruit. I well remember her grapes when she won Best in Show. I must confess I knew who'd drawn this particular image as soon as I saw it. 

The Pat Heffer Award

The Pat Heffer Award: The Guidi Siblings by David Sandell UKCPS Gold (055)

David Sandell is an illustrator and award winning artist in both oils and coloured pencils

During what has been an unusual and challenging year for the world, I was lucky to be able to work on a family portrait commission of three outstanding young people; the Guidi siblings. The restrictions during 2020 meant socially distanced meetings and photography at different locations. In May 2021 it was a pleasure to finally deliver the portraits to a very appreciative and patient family.

The Colour Pencil Shop Award

The Colour Pencil Shop Award: Dragon Turtle by Susan Poole UKCPS Silver (220)

Highly Commended

• John Guiseppi: American White Ibis - Highly Commended (203)
• Becca Barron: Another Day on the Farm - Highly Commended (97)
• John Stansfield: Pole Line Capacitor - Highly Commended (127)

• Caroline Strong: Ivy Bee and Red Admiral - Highly Commended (131)
• Judith Heilbronn-Crown UKCPS Diamond: Keswick - Highly Commended (224)

I'm going to ask UKCPS whether I can comment on my blog about the messages I'd like to get back to coloured pencil artists submitting to this show. I'm almost certain I've agreed to write something for the UKCPS Talking Point Magazine so it might need to be after that has been published.