World’s Best Animal Realists: LETARD, MONTILLA, GOODHALL, CARREGA, DINIZ, VON TORNADO, BRUZGULIENE, IRWIN, GERALD, BOLEN & KOPENHAFER/ 2024 Art Collectors Choice Awards
Artists from 62 countries competed in the 2024 ART COLLECTORS CHOICE AWARDS. 20 international art collectors scored 50 categories of online images covering drawing, painting, sculpture, digital and photography.
The winning works will be revealed in this column one category at a time.
The ART COLLECTORS CHOICE AWARDS winners in CATEGORY 33. REALISM — ANIMAL represent AUSTRALIA, USA, UK, FRANCE, BRAZIL, CANADA & JAPAN.
BIO OF 1ST PLACE WINNER: “I was born in South Africa and immigrated to Australia 16 years ago with my husband and two beautiful daughters. Growing up I always admired realistic animal art and dreamed I could one day create my own artwork to inspire others.
During Covid lockdowns I had the opportunity to do some tutorials using pastel pencils and realised I could attain a realistic art form that I had always appreciated and thought impossible. This ignited a new found passion in me and is now an exciting and very real part of my life. I hope to continue to improve and expand my techniques, skills and mediums on this creative new adventure.” https://www.instagram.com/samara.heart.art/
WINNER WEBSITES: CATEGORY 33. REALISM — ANIMAL
1st Place SAMARA LETARD AUSTRALIA https://www.instagram.com/samara.heart.art/ “Rhapsody At The Watering Hole / Photo Credit Scotch Macaskill” 50x70cm Pastel on Pastelmat.
2nd Place — Tie RICKY MONTILLA USA www.rickymontilla.com “Controlled Movement” 60x57” Oil on canvas.
2nd Place — Tie PETER GOODHALL UK www.petergoodhall.com ¨Koi Koi Koi¨ 28x48” Oil on linen.
3rd Place — Tie CECILE CARREGA FRANCE www.crga-pastel-animalier.fr “Love You” 24x30cm Pastel.
3rd Place — Tie PAULA DINIZ BRAZIL https://www.pauladiniz.art/en “Duel Of Titans” 70x100” Oil on canvas.
4th Place — Tie KRYS VON TORNADO USA http://www.krysvontornado.com “I See You” 12x36" Oil on canvas.
4th Place — Tie DEIMANTE BRUZGULIENE UK https://www.dbartist.co.uk “I See Your Soul” 50x70cm Pastel on paper.
4th Place — Tie LINDA IRWIN CANADA www.lindairwinartist.com “Foxy Ginger — Photo Reference Donna Joyce” 12x16" Acrylic, birch panel.
5th Place — Tie DEBRA GERALD USA “Artie” 12x16” Acrylic on canvas.
5th Place — Tie TERESA BOLEN JAPAN https://teresabolen.com “Nico” 9x12" Oil on paper.
6th Place — Tie DEBRA GERALD USA “Koi And Friends” 16x20” Acrylic on canvas.
6th Place — Tie CINDY KOPENHAFER USA B&W charcoal on paper. https://www.cindykopenhafer.com “My Blue Swedish” 12x11”
ART COLLECTORS can see the hundreds of winning images and corresponding contact info to all the artists here::
In 2024, ART COLLECTORS CHOICE AWARDS had submissions from these 62 countries: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Denmark, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tobago, Togo, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arabian Emirates, UK, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
20 international art collectors asked to score art:
Andrew Cameron & Marcus Hamilton — Australia
Jason Stuckless — Toronto, Ontario
Floyd M. Elwell, III — Rancho Mirage, California
Jan Gold — Roseville, California
Michael Gregg Michaud — Los Angeles, California
Judi Evans — Los Angeles, California
Alec Wilder — Los Angeles / Las Vegas / New Orleans
Eddie Dyer — Los Angeles / Las Vegas / New Orleans
Michelle Foglesong Wilson — Las Vegas
Thomas Zora — Las Vegas
Paul Iacono — Chicago
Ron Lundin — Naples, Florida / Chicago, Illinois / Vail, Colorado
Jay H. Brewer — Orlando, Florida
Celeste Miller — St. Petersburg, Florida
Alan McMullen — Fannettsburg, Philadelphia
Brian Townley — Waco, Texas
Blaine L. Richards-Miller — Wichita Falls, Texas
Aimee Unakis — Georgetown, Illinois
Karen Valentine — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mitchell Antesky — Toledo Ohio
