This painting “Eloquence of Quietude” just garnered a 5th Place award in Dakota Art Pastels’ 2022 competition! This is the first time I’ve entered the show, and, given my PSA Signature status, I went straight to the “Established” category. To have a painting of mine receive this kind of recognition is an honor, especially considering the high quality of the entries this year. This painting received an award for the Third Quarter competition so it qualified for the final. Wow. Cool.
My thanks to the judge for these comments on the piece:
Subtle color shifts and sparkling light lead us through this quiet forest. At a glance, greens rule, but a closer look invites us to get lost in many layers of colors and suggested details. One can almost hear small wildlife rustling in the underbrush, see a flitting bird in the corner of your eye, and smell the rich dampness of growing things.
Mark Ivan Cole - exploring the inner and outer worlds 