OPEN
AUGUST 2026
BEST IN SHOW
LINDA L. MCCORD
**SAPPHIRE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2022**
* THE SPOTS REMAIN *
Mixed media
“Behind Closed Doors is a series of acrylic and mixed media works exploring the unseen moments of life — the thoughts, emotions and stories that unfold out of view. Through layered paint, texture and intuitive mark-making, each piece hints at a narrative, inviting viewers to imagine what lies beyond the surface.”
— LINDA L. MCCORD
GOLDEN TRIO AWARD
COOLBYRON
* DISTANT AD24224C4A *
* NEW DISTRICT AD24369A1 * * MAXIMUM AD24222E1 *
Abstract digital
“The concept is developed from Art And Technology Of Design and from a sophisticated concept of intrinsic value of space. My work explores the nature of color and abstracted impressionism in contemporary art and investigates ideas related to man’s impact on nature. I created a new style of Techno-Expressionism which incorporates both hand and digital technologies. The composition is an image that integrates colour fields and structured forms using latex mediums, encaustic, pigments and acrylic on canvas or prints. My focus is colour advancement — to create a new art image and form.” — COOLBYRON
DIAMOND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
JAY JOHANSEN
**SAPPHIRE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2024**
* ORACLE OF COMPOSURE *
Acrylic
“My art explores identity, emotion and legacy. Through portraits I capture not just likeness but essence, using bold palettes and textures to evoke nostalgia, intrigue and reflection inviting viewers to connect with deeper stories. Legacy, history & experience — that’s what makes the story telling, by way of oil & acrylic mediums — approachable, relevant & enduring.” — JAY JOHANSEN
DIAMOND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
GABRIELE GRACINE
**EMERALD ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2021**
DIAMOND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
SARAH HAIG
* WASHING AWAY *
Photography
EMERALD AWARD
A. DEBRA REICH SCHWALM
* FEROCIOUS ROAR *
Batik watercolour on mulberry paper
“I love the journey for the next inspiring image and how it can be embellished and re-invented into a watercolor batik. Capturing the light is everything. The final results of the textures and transparency is amazing. I like to create a sense of magic, whimsy and GLOW into my art.” — A. DEBRA REICH SCHWALM
RUBY AWARD
HENRIK BAKMANN
SAPPHIRE AWARD
JOHN DIEPHOUSE
**RUBY ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2024**
**CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023**
* AGORA *
Photography
“I am a self-taught photographer and digital collage artist and am attracted to a wide variety of subjects ranging from natural landscapes, botanicals and wildlife to images that provide either abstract expression or social commentary. I am interested in sharing images that evoke a story of some kind. Images may be simply documentary, reflect a sense of time and place or resonate on a more abstract level of color, shape or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection.” — JOHN DIEPHOUSE
CRYSTAL AWARD
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AWARD OF MERIT
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HONOURABLE MENTION
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FINALISTS
**WINNERS VIDEO**