The 2026 Fall Online Exhibition is open. This fall’s show brought together the 49th Open Division and the 17th Master Circle Division, and the work is now on view at the links below.
Congratulations to every artist whose work was accepted, and thank you to everyone who entered.
Meet the Judge: Natasha Isenhour
Natasha Isenhour served as Judge of Awards for both divisions. A Contemporary American Realist working in oil and pastel, she paints unpopulated spaces with what her bio calls “an edgy lonesome starkness.” She exhibits throughout the Southwest, teaches plein air and studio workshops, and is represented by galleries in Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico.
She is an IAPS Master Circle recipient, a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, and a Distinguished Pastelist of the Pastel Society of New Mexico.
In the Judge’s Words
With so many accomplished works to consider, selecting just eight award recipients in each division was no simple task. In the judge’s words:
What an honor and incredibly difficult task it was to go through approximately 100 paintings in each category of jury-selected works to designate only 8 in each as recipients of awards. Often only a half dozen works quickly rise to the top and I keep going back to reconsider others. But in this show, I had 18-20 museum worthy works in each division in my final list and had to really dig into each to winnow the field! There was such a beautiful breadth of subject matter, technique and sensitivity in these two juried divisions of work. There were many more paintings deserving of recognition than the awards I was given to designate. The winners not only represent the best in technical acumen, but they each have a story, an emotional element that invites me to linger. Entering is the first win, getting an award is icing on the cake! Congratulations to the award winners, all well earned!
49th Open Division Award Winners
Best in Show: Bridget Gallagher, “Prickly Pear,” Arizona Pastel Artists Association
First Place: Sebastian Ilczuk, “Tatras, The Valley of Dry Water,” Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada
Second Place: Jane Romanishko, “Sage,” Pastel Artists.Ca
Third Place: Jill Storey, “Music Men,” Pastel Society of America
Awards of Merit:
- Ann Filipiak, “James,” Pastel Society of America
- Mary-Jane Steffens, “Lady Kowhai,” Pastel Artists of New Zealand
- Laurel B. Friedmann, “Fireflies of Abstraction,” Connecticut Pastel Society
- Pierina Sannia, “Inertia of Stillness,” Pastel Society of Victoria, Australia
17th Master Circle Division Award Winners
Prix de Pastel: Carol Harden Hall, “The Cast,” Pastel Society of America
Gold Award: He Shilei, “The lost doll,” China Pastel Network
Silver Award: Sarah Blumenschein, “Reflections in a Silver Pitcher,” Pastel Society of New Mexico
Bronze Award: Masoud Habibyan, “Golden Silence,” Pastel Artists.Ca
Awards of Excellence:
- Linda Louise Mutti, “Sundown On The Preserve,” Pastel Society of the West Coast
- Frederick D. Somers, “Fountains of the Deep,” Pastel Society of America
- Richard McKinley, “A Place of Reflection,” Pastel Society of America
- Cuong Van Nguyen, “Silent Companion,” Pastel Society of America
What Exhibition Recognition Means
Acceptance into an IAPS juried exhibition earns one honors point, and an award earns an additional point. Points count toward Master Circle (5 points) and Eminent Pastelist (10 more).
For more on how the online exhibitions fit into IAPS going forward, read Online Exhibitions Are Here to Stay.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll feature each award winner on the IAPS Facebook Group, Facebook Page, and Instagram.