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All artists are pleased when they win awards, and I am no exception.  It's as if the award somehow validates your work and gives the artist a sense of accomplishment.  When I won my first award I felt like I was floating.  It was awarded for one of my Shattered Reality paintings and it made me feel as if I had finally "arrived".  The feeling didn't last too long as the reality hit that I am not "all that" and I am not one of the heavy hitters in the art world.  I don't have a picture of that painting and I sold it  long ago, which actually is award enough for me.  The nice thing about winning awards is the opportunity to put "award winning artist" in front of your name in promotional material.  It gives you more credibility.

I was looking on the internet at some of the top award-winning artists of 2016 and found this piece by Tero Isokaanta from Finland.  His style reminds me a bit of Norman Rockwell, whom I greatly admired from a young age.   I find this painting interesting and it makes me want to know what is going on in the mind of the smoker.  Is he taking a break from playing the guitar at his side?  Is he thinking of what he might play?  He has quite a pensive look on his face.

Gianluca Giarrizzo, and American artist, took third place in the 2015 American Arts Awards section for charcoal and graphite .  I enjoy the pencil strokes in this piece and the style used in the creation.  

Abstract artist Divna Pesic, from Macedonnia, won 1st place in the abstract division for this interesting piece.  I like the balance of the colors in this painting.  I also enjoy the energy and movement.  For me, abstract art is the hardest form.  It takes a lot more thought than realistic art.

In 2016 I won an award for Shattered Reality L.  I was very excited about winning the award because I was pleased with the movement and use of vibrant colors.   I felt good about entering this watercolor painting in a regional juried show and hoped I might have a chance of receiving an award.

An artist would like for each of his/her creations to be of award winning quality but that isn't quite realistic thinking.  First of all an artist must submit his/her work to a juror or panel of jurors and the work must be of high quality, but it must also appeal in some way to those making the decisions and awarding the prizes.  Artsy has this to say about finding the prize or award that's right for you:  "Artists should seek out opportunities based on their eligibility and the kind of work they make. “Don’t change to accommodate prizes,” advises London artist Allyson McIntyre, who won the 2015 HIX Award, which gives artists £10,000 to go towards a solo show at the London gallery HIX ART. “Be authentic to your practice and find the prizes that work for what you do.”

There are many shows and art contests available to artists.  Personally, I think a good place to start is entering juried competitions in your area and then after you have a little experience with the process, expand beyond your area.  Many entries are accepted on-line, so the quality of photos is of the utmost importance.  Awards may consist of the monetary type, the recognition type, or a combination of both.  I have won both monetary and recognition awards.

My advice to any artist desiring to win awards is to make sure your work is of the best quality you can produce, make sure the photos of your work are professional and present the exact colors of your paintings, and to research the jurors who will be judging the competition.  Knowing a bit about the jurors can give you some idea if your work might be appealing to those judging it.

Best of luck to those of you entering the world of competition.  It can be worth the time and effort you put into it.

Take some time this week to visit and art gallery in your area.  You might just find something that inspires you.