The Orange County Arts Commission and the Orange County Arts Alliance are pleased to announce the winners of the 9th Annual Paint it Orange Plein Air Paint-out, presented by Hometown Realtors Supporting the Arts. The event took place October 1 – October 3, 2025 throughout Orange County, NC. Seventy-six adult and fifty-eight youth painters participated in the painting competition, which was judged by Brian Kuebler. You can find his remarks of each winning painting below.
The works are on exhibit through Saturday, November 8th at the Tom Stevens Gallery (adult paintings) and the Orange County Public Library (youth paintings) in Hillsborough.
Works may be purchased online at the links below:
- Adult Division numbers 1-50
- Adult Division numbers 51 – 76
- High School exhibit
- Middle School exhibit
A People’s Choice Winner will be selected by attendees of the painting sale and exhibit through November 8th.
FIRST PLACE
Teahouse Trail, Morning Light by Emily Anderson of Chapel Hill, NC
Oil on linen | $375
“Emily’s work captures the effects of light beautifully-filtering through the trees, raking off the steps and rockwork. The brushwork and limited palette are well-executed throughout the composition. Use of impasto in the sun is balanced by thinner passages of paint elsewhere.”
SECOND PLACE
Taking the Scenic Route by Sue Marchman of Chapel Hill, NC
Pastel | SOLD
“Sue’s work shows a confident use of the pastel medium. The viewer’s eye meanders nicely throughout the picture space stopping at passages of color and texture, adding complexity with her nice use of perspective.”
THIRD PLACE
RambleRill Barn by John O’Neill of Wilson, NC
Oil | SOLD
“John’s work offers the eye a nice use of the triadic palette: bold red barn is anchored by a range of yellow-green to cool greens, and a clear blue sky. There is a confidence in how the paint is applied in planes of light and shadow, value and color work well to keep the eye engaged. “
BEST CITYSCAPE
Blue Umbrellas at Antonia’s by Katharine March of Staunton, VA
Oil | SOLD
BEST NOCTURNAL SCENE
Corner Glow by Linda Hauser of Wake Forest, NC
Oil | SOLD
BEST WATER SCENE
West Fork Eno River by Henry Arnette of Mebane, NC
Acrylic | $500
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hillsborough NC by Ann Brownlee Hobgood of Hillsborough, NC
Mixed media | SOLD
Church Among the Trees by Kyle Camu of Raleigh, NC
Oil | SOLD
Early Fall Foliage by Marcia McDade McMann of Cedar Grove, NC
Oil | $450
YOUTH COMPETITION RESULTS
FIRST PLACE – High School
Carolina Morning by Emma Yung (East Chapel Hill High School)
Acrylic | SOLD
SECOND PLACE – High School
Nash Street Sunset by Lucinda Smylie (Cedar Ridge High School)
Watercolor, Pen, Pencil | SOLD
THIRD PLACE – High School
The Split Heart Tree by Vincent Stambaugh (East Chapel Hill High School)
Acrylic | $150
HONORABLE MENTION – High School
The Canopy by Oakley Gaddy (Orange High School)
Acrylic | $125
HONORABLE MENTION – High School
Always Flowing by Austin Gray (Eno River Academy)
Acrylic | $275
FIRST PLACE – Middle School
Weaver Street Community by Sadie Shelley (Smith Middle School)
Collage | SOLD
SECOND PLACE – Middle School
The Forest Theatre by Gwyneth Gilner (McDougle Middle School)
Acrylic | $220
THIRD PLACE – Middle School
137 by Hadley Barker (Gravelly Hill Middle School)
Acrylic | SOLD
HONORABLE MENTION – Middle School
Feeling Flustered? Get Some Custard. by Pippa Clark (Gravelly Hill Middle School)
Watercolor & pencil | $50
HONORABLE MENTION – Middle School
Mushroom Paradise at MLK Park by Louise Soliman (McDougle Middle School)
Oil pastel | $45
2025 SPONSOR’S CHOICE AWARDS
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Corner Glow by Linda Hauser of Wake Forest, NC
Oil | SOLD
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Confluence by Carol Blackmore of Chapel Hill, NC Watercolor, Acrylic | $500 |
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Blackwood Farm Park by Jaqueline Clary of Durham, NC
Oil | SOLD
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Tucked Away by Susan Paulsen of Chapel Hill, NC
Oil | SOLD
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Have We Forgotten? by Julie Wolk of Chapel Hill, NC Acrylic | SOLD |
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Fall Fields (A Bluestem Pastoral) by Jaqueline Rimmler of Cedar Grove, NC Acrylic | SOLD |
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Little River Regional Park by Catherine Kramer of Hillsborough, NC
Watercolor | $270
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Teahouse Trail, Morning Light by Emily Anderson of Chapel Hill, NC
Oil | $375
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CATERRI WOODRUM
Hartley Henge by Bren West of Chapel Hill, NC
Charcoal | $725
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