Shahrad Malekfazeli - Third Place

Anna
Oil, NFS
 
Award Winner: Third Place
Juror notes: This figurative piece is brilliantly painted. I love the fact that the artist lets us in on the secret of the canvas by showing us the over-painted edges in the float frame. The artist captured the skin shadows and fabric beautifully. Though she is nude, her facial expression is one of trust and ease. It is the Mona Lisa smile mixed with the direct eye contact, slightly hidden in the cast of the shadow. The skin is beautifully painted, and the artist displays incredible handling of the atmospheric qualities of the oil.