2020’S BEST CELEBRITY PORTRAIT ARTISTS NAMED BY 25 GALLERIES:

6 min readOct 26, 2020

MARIA BENDARSKAYA, KERRY WALKER, DAN PYLE, TANYA FILICHKIN, MAYOR OLAJIDE, DAVID AIAZZI, YOURI CHASOV, ZHOU YANG, BOJAN GURBAJ, KIGEMUZI MERVYN BALIKUDDEMBE, WILLIAM ROWAN

Painters, photographers, sculptors and digital artists from 62 countries competed in the most prestigious online art call, AMERICAN ART AWARDS, https://www.americanartawards.com/, where America’s 25 best galleries and museums score art in 50 categories. In this column, I’ll reveal the world’s best contemporary artists of 2020 one category at a time.

Winners in this category are from Russia, USA, Nigeria, China, Netherlands, Uganda and Spain.

BIO OF FIRST PLACE WINNER, MARIA BENDARSKAYA:

I am 28 years old and I was born in Prokhladny at Kabardino-Balkarian republic, Russia.

I started painting when I was five years old and couldn’t imagine my life without it.

I have a bachelor’s degree in arts. After graduating I was working as a sculptor, artist, designer at various places.

Most of all in painting I like realism and showing things as they are, but also I like to try other art movements.

Specifically I love to paint people’s faces, because every character has its own history.

In the beginning of 2020 I have started digital painting, I really like it and plan to progress in it further.

Also I appreciate comfort and I want to be an interior designer and am now learning this craft.

Artists’ Association of Kazakhstan Republic(as a young artist) / Eurasian Designers Association / “Amplitude” art group, which consists of Guldana Alina-Zhurkabaeva, Naira Tumanyan, Renat Yelubaev, Aidos Yesmagambetov and me.

My exhibitions:

2016 — Flashmob timed to the international biennale of artists, Nur-Sultan

2016 — Exhibition of the young artists of Artists’ Association of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan

2017 — Russian Center of Science and Culture (as a member of “Amplitude”), Nur-Sultan

2018 — “Has Sanat” Art Gallery (as a member of “Amplitude”) , Nur-Sultan

2019 — National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan (as a member of “Amplitude”), Nur-Sultan

Each May the American Art Awards organization selects the 25 Best Galleries and Museums in America, then in autumn these revered art institutions vote on online art to decide the world’s best contemporary artists.

Last month America’s 25 Best Galleries scored almost 2,000 works in 50 categories from 62 countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic Of Korea, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Serbia, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

COLLECTORS wanting to acquire these pieces or contact the artists can get direct links here: https://www.americanartawards.com/2020-winning-art/

Enter here: https://www.americanartawards.com/register-to-enter-3/

CONTACTS FOR CATEGORY 31. PORTRAIT OF SOMEONE FAMOUS

1ST PLACE-TIE MARIA BENDARSKAYA RUSSIA www.instagram.com/bendarrit “Portrait Of Gandalf (Ian McKellen)” Digital.

1ST PLACE-TIE KERRY WALKER USA kerrys.custom.artistry@gmail.com
“Thoughtful John” 14x17" Graphite pencil 8b, Staedtler mechanical pencil, tombow mono zero eraser, blending stump.

2ND PLACE DAN PYLE USA http://danpyleartist.com/
“A Kiss On The Cheek (Audrey Hepburn & William Holden)” 21x28" Charcoal on illustration board.

3RD PLACE TANYA FILICHKIN USA https://tanyafilichkin.artspan.com/ “First Among Equals Second To None The Last Of The Best — Portrait of the Legend BOB DYLAN” 20x20” Acrylic on canvas.

4TH PLACE-TIE MAYOR OLAJIDE NIGERIA https://www.facebook.com/mayor.olajide.98 “President Donald Trump” 48x72" Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol paper.

4TH PLACE-TIE DAVID AIAZZI USA www.daiart.org “Robin Williams” 30x24” Acrylic on canvas.

5TH PLACE-TIE YOURI CHASOV RUSSIA http://yourichasoffart.carbonmade.com “E.Grieg-6” 30x30" Digital painting on paper.

5TH PLACE-TIE ZHOU YANG CHINA 282870832@qq.com
“Culture Moistens Things Silently” 30x30cm Oil on board.

5TH PLACE-TIE BOJAN GURBAJ NETHERLANDS www.bojangurbaj.com “Homage To Nikola Tesla” 40x50cm Oil on linen.

6TH PLACE-TIE KIGEMUZI MERVYN BALIKUDDEMBE UGANDA http://mervynkbart.blogspot.com/ “Justin Bieber” 17×24" Charcoal pencil on paper.

6TH PLACE-TIE WILLIAM ROWAN SPAIN www.william-rowan.com “Live, Work, Pose (Pose Series Netflix)” 90x120cm” Acrylic on canvas.

100 ARTICLES and 50 VIDEOS on the 50 CATEGORIES of the 2020 AMERICAN ART AWARDS WINNING ARTISTS will be at this link: https://www.americanartawards.com/press-on-2020-artists/