ArtSpace 'Expressions' Winners Announced

ArtSpace Herndon and the Council for the Arts of Herndon announced the winners in the 2010 "Expressions" portrait competition on Tuesday.

First place, with a cash award of $500, was given to Douglas Kingsbury for "The Writer." Second place, with a cash award of $200, was given to Judith Peck for "Doubt." Third place, with a cash award of $100, was given to Teresa Oaxaca for "Girl in Blue."

Judges, Jonathan Linton and Rebecca Kasemeyer, added two additional prizes, an honorable mention and a people's choice award. Honorable mention, and a prize of $50, went to Claudia Samper for "Deconstructing Julia."

The People's Choice Award will have a cash award of $150 and will be selected by the gallery's visitors during the run of the show. All paintings are eligible, including the winners. Each visitor can vote for their favorite portrait each time they visit through Oct. 24.

"While there are so many wonderful portraits in the exhibit, everyone seems to have their own favorite," said Robin Carroll, ArtSpace volunteer and President of the Board of Directors of Herndon Foundation for the Cultural Arts.

"The People's Choice Award is a wonderful way for the public to interact with the art and ArtSpace encourages everyone to visit and take part in the voting," Carroll said.

The exhibit continues through Sunday, Oct. 24th and includes artwork by the following artists who were finalists in the competition: Jill Banks, Marcus Beauregard, Brenda Drake, Gavin Glakas, Betsy Gosheff Scible, Deena Hunkler-Sanks, Elizabeth Perry Kapsch, Douglas Kingsbury, Christine Lashley, Gail Litton, Wei Lu, Yuan-Lin Mao, Derek McGowan, Mireille Molette, Teresa Oaxaca, Judith Peck, Ashley Phipps, Tricia Cherrington Ratliff, Mary Reilly, Patricia Rice, Barrett Ripin, Claudia Samper, Michael  Strawderman, Roberta Thole, and Wendy Wang.

The finalists were selected from works entered by 66 portrait artists in Virginia, Maryland, and DC.  "The finalists represent a wide variety of artistic styles, along with some extraordinary studies that portray excellence in capturing human expressions," said juror Gail Roberts, owner and director of Ayr Hill Gallery in Vienna, VA.