Juror Lori Putnam with 2026 Adult First Place Winner Carol Strickland (top), 2026 Youth (High School) First Place Winner Nora Nicely (left), and 2026 Youth (Middle School) First Place Winner Jett Staton (right)
ArtsOrange is pleased to announce the winners of the 10th Annual Paint it Orange Plein Air Paint-out, presented by Hometown Realtors Supporting the Arts. 110 adults and 80 youth painters participated in the painting competition, judged by Lori Putnam. You can see her remarks on each winning painting below.
The works are on exhibit through Saturday, November 21st at the Eno Arts Mill Gallery in Hillsborough (437 Dimmocks Mill Road Suite #17).
A People’s Choice Winner will be selected by attendees of the painting sale and exhibit through until November 21st.
FIRST PLACE
Beside the River Walk
by Carol Strickland of Efland, NC
Alkyd Oil | $390
“This piece looks like the artist truly observed nature in real time. Only in doing so, would she realize the difference between the colors and textures of the tree in the foreground to those in the middle ground. Nice use of greens, good color harmony, and mark making.”
SECOND PLACE
Field after Field after Field
by Madalyn Baldwin of Chapel Hill, NC
Oil | $750
“In this painting you can truly sense the distance as the name suggests of field after field after field. The artist used minimal suggestion of the rows in the mid-ground which could easily have been over done. The foreground shadow shape pulls us into the scene nicely. I can feel the summer heat due to the use of warmth in the under shadows of the brush and trees.”
THIRD PLACE
Morning Light
by Jacquelin Rimmler of Cedar Grove, NC
Soft Pastel| SOLD
“Bridging a gap between abstraction and representation, this artist’s use of vertical strokes to suggest layering of grasses and horizontal marks to illustrate the light on the tree trunks juxtaposed to angular branches and random leaf shapes.”
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Battle Park
by R. Scott Horner of Chapel Hill, NC
Acrylic |SOLD
“The forest and suggested rock and creek bed give you a true feeling of being lost there. This is a magnificent example of how it we actually view such chaos. Color harmony, vertical strokes against circular ones are a large part of the success of the work.”
New Hope Creek
by Sue Marchman of Chapel Hill, NC
Gouache |$450
“The forest and suggested rock and creek bed give you a true feeling of being lost there. This is a magnificent example of how it we actually view such chaos. Color harmony, vertical strokes against circular ones are a large part of the success of the work.”
YOUTH COMPETITION RESULTS
FIRST PLACE – High School
Path to the Fallen Tree
by Nora Nicely (East Chapel Hill High School)
Acrylic | SOLD
“Masterfully painted, this has the maturity of an adult, professional artist. Strong design, warm and cool colors, color harmony and correct values, drawing, line, brushwork, texture, and form are all impeccably illustrated here. The painting has movement, energy, and grace.”
SECOND PLACE – High School
Vivid Dreams
by CJ Smith (Orange High School)
Acrylic and Pen on Canvas |SOLD
“This artist has a great eye for design. The bird’s eye view of the person at the bottom of the canvas whose knees, paper, and arms lead us into the scene seemingly connect with every other element in the painting. We follow along and want to examine every little thing. It is a feast for the eyes that leads us to the artist working in the upper half of the painting. The work is incredibly well drawn, inviting, and creative.”
THIRD PLACE – High School
Golden Pools
by Austin Gray
(Eno River Academy)
Acrylic | SOLD
“I had to come back to this one several times to search for all of the wonderful bits of it. Every time, I found something new to make me smile. Little hidden gems are a delight. The shallow and transparent water and rocks both above and below are masterfully suggested. Wet ripples show us the surface of the water filled with golden stones. The glistening edges of wet rocks are a lesson in observation and illusion.”
HONORABLE MENTION – High School
Peaceful Pathway
by Glitch
“I was so engrossed in how beautifully painted each stalk is, how random their placement, and how consistent their rendering, that it took some time to notice the sweet little birds. It was not until my fifth or sixth pass that I found the girl. That is a sign of an artist who takes care in their work. Nothing is dashed off, lazy, or without consideration. The girl, sitting and facing left, leaves us with a mystery. What is her story? It is much more dynamic than if she had been placed closer to the front or facing inward”
FIRST PLACE – Middle School
Arcade
by Jett Staton (Mcdougle Middle School)
Collage | $250
“This piece is not only incredibly well done, it is amazingly creative. There are many small, nuanced decisions that had to be made to reach this level of success in the piece. Not just a matter of cutting and placing, but going a step further to add visual texture in the same way a good painting or sculpture does. I especially love the addition of the brick on the building and the black cat.”
SECOND PLACE – Middle School
Painting of a Painting by Amalia King
(Guy B. Philips Middle School) Acrylic | SOLD
“How wonderfully creative to paint a painting of a painting “in situ.” It takes imagination for an artist to see this as potentially a new work of art; to have vision and a plan to make it their own. The design choice is courageous. Straight, geometric shapes with only the circular elements in the original — a nod to the muralist. Any addition more would have reduced the impact.”
THIRD PLACE – Middle School
Art Center of Carrboro by August Woolman
(Mcdougle Middle School)
Acrylic | SOLD
“Wonderfully designed and executed. This is a testament to the child’s love and relationship to the arts and the opportunities the Center offers. At first, of course, we notice the lettering. Nicely designed, off-center, seemingly intuitive, the elements that begin off canvas and jut into the scene from the left and right keep the viewer looking around and noticing more such as the important shadow on the ground under the tree and sign, the attention to texture differences in the grass, mulch, and path, and the added detail on the door.”
HONORABLE MENTION – Middle School
Orange by Zilan Wang
(Guy B. Philips Middle School) | SOLD
“I was immediately drawn to this piece. There is a great color harmony that runs throughout. The mark-making is free yet intentional. The layering of elements adds a sense of space, and the use of the medium has the maturity of someone much older. I truly hope this young artist continues to explore and grow.”
