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My painting, “Sand Mountain Spring” won the top award in OPA’s 2022 plein air wet painting competition.
I spent the last week in Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the Oil Painters of America 31st National Show and Convention. This is an elite showing of the top representational oil paintings by living artists in the Americas. With such an amazing group of artists in one location, it’s OPA’s tradition to have a wet paint competition in which we are given a couple of days to paint on location, from life. As you can imagine, the resulting paintings were amazing and a real treat to see in person. For my painting, I found a lovely scene Northwest of town that had the beautiful snow capped mountain, blue sky with fluffy clouds, and a gentle warming and greening-up of the landscape as it flowed down to the verdant pastures below. There were even cattle grazing (can you see them in my painting?).
Well, on Friday night, during the big award ceremony, in front of a ballroom full of amazing artists, collectors, magazine publishers, editors and gallery owners, Dave Santillanes announced that my painting was the best in the Plein Air wet paint competition!!! My heart was pounding as I made my way on stage to be recognized. In fact, I felt completely overwhelmed with emotion and fought back tears in that joyous moment. I’ve been wondering why tears, instead of a high-energy celebration? I hate being so emotional but it’s how I’m wired. I have worked over a decade on my painting skills, striving for poetry, eloquence and emotion in each new piece; always pushing my best. I really want to paint great paintings and to make my living from it. Receiving recognition for something I want so badly is validation that I’m on track and my dreams are coming true. Of course the winnings and publicity are amazing too, but it’s the validation that brings the flood of emotion. That emotion is how I know this is what God wants me to do with my time here.
Thank you for being on this journey with me.
With love and gratitude - Scott
 
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