Raymar Art Painting 5th Annual Competition

May 2011 Best of Show
Award Sponsor: RayMar Art
Judge: Kate Palmer

Fur – Portrait of Donald Becker by Luiz Vilela
14 x 11 Oil

Judge’s Comments: Dramatic with its strong lights emerging from the dark, this portrait in profile is both refreshingly original and brilliantly painted. It’s a masterful rendition of what’s not shown as well as what is – I feel I can see into the eye that is merely suggested in the cool shadows. I especially love the variety of paint handling, from the loosely laid-in blues and golds of the tunic to the delicate brush work of the hat and face. Emotion lies in the way light is played over the various surfaces – fur, hair, face and fabric – each one handled differently. – Kate Palmer