On March 1, 2018 I received an email notification that my miniature painting, “Channeling van Gogh” received a Special Merit Award in a worldwide abstract art competition! I am honored and extremely excited to be recognized for my alla prima abstract artwork!

Many decades ago, I won one or two, very small, sporadic awards for my drawings and sculptures in my earliest of college careers. Due to struggles in my life, I never pursued a full-time career as an artist but, I never gave up my art either. I continued to paint alla prima abstracts with an impasto-like technique. However, I never once considered entering any of my paintings in a contest prior to setting up my website.

When I made the decision in the spring of 2017 to finally accept myself as an alla prima abstract artist, to build a website selling my artwork online, I had no clue what all it would entail. How would I do this?

I turned to Google and stumbled upon Cory Huff’s The Abundant Artist Facebook page, his TAA Mastermind Facebook Group and his book, “How to Sell Your Art Online”. These became my tools to go forth in creating my website and selling my artwork online. He is a wealth of information for artists. I find daily support in his artists association membership – The Abundant Artist Association – as well. Artists in the association are encouraging, supportive and willing to share their knowledge. It is awesome to be a member!

In my year’s worth of research, it also finally dawned upon me that I should start entering my artwork in competitions as well! What did I have to lose? Absolutely nothing.

But why did making this decision to enter a competition cause so much anxiety for me? Possibly having others who value art seeing my artwork and myself as an artist? Yeah, that felt very scary!

Encouraged by seeing other artists in the TAA Association participate in contests, competitions, displaying their work in galleries and art shows, I continued to research online for abstract art competitions for myself.

I finally chose to enter my alla prima abstract artwork in the Light Space & Time Online Gallery’s 9th Annual Abstract Art Competition (February 2018). I was very nervous to do it but other than a very small registration fee, I had nothing to lose, did I? However, I put off entering immediately; I could do it later. Knee deep into building my website I simply forgot. Thankfully, I had subscribed to the LST newsletter and received an email reminder that the end of the competition was looming. I quickly uploaded my artwork into the competition.

Finding a notification in my email of the winners this morning, I just assumed it was sent out to all who had entered the competition. I began reading, and quite honestly, I never expected to see my name listed as a winner. But there it was – my name – listed under the Special Merit category as a winner!

The gallery received a total of 952 entries – from 29 different countries around the world and 40 different states from the US. The following paragraphs are quoted from the announcement of winners:

“The exhibition has been divided into two media categories. Painting & Other Media and Photography & Digital Media. In addition, there is an overall Winning Artists Category, which is the “best of the best” and consists of the ten (10) best entries comprised from the 2 media categories.

The gallery also included Special Merit awards and Special Recognition awards for outstanding art. Many of the artists in either of these groups could have easily been included in the upper tier of our winners, as their art was also exceptional.”

Then further down the announcement, I found this category where my name was listed:

Special Merit Award Category – These are the artists and their artwork which we felt could easily have been placed higher but due to the size constraints in each media category, this art was placed in this special category. Any of the Special Merit art, in many cases, is interchangeable with the best art that we selected for the top tiers. Please go to the results in the Abstracts Art Exhibition “Special Merit Award Category” here.

I am so very glad I over came my fear and entered! The original miniature has been sold previous to receiving this announcement.

Reproductions of the original may be purchased as enlarged gallery wrapped canvas reprints and/or posters. The painting is also reproduced on clothing and other products. Please visit my Shop, search for “Channeling van Gogh” to see all products available for purchase. https://phyllisrgreene.com/shop-all/

Full announcement of the winners may be found here https://www.lightspacetime.art/abstracts-art-exhibition-march-2018/

One final thought if I may…

Countless times throughout my adult life I have been begged to not keep my artwork a secret, hidden away from the public, especially by my college roommate, Tracy W. of Dallas, TX. She always insisted I should accept myself as an artist decades ago. In building my website and making the decision to sell my artwork online, I also must give a shout out to the following people: Sheryl B. of AL, Chris T. of NYC, Shannon B. and Bret G. both of Atlanta, GA, as well as my two children, Jessie and Isaiah, and grandchildren, Bella and Colton – all of whom have been extremely supportive in believing in me and in encouraging me to sell my artwork online. Thanks guys!

“Channeling van Gogh”, acrylics, palette knife, canvas pad sheet, gloss varnish, 3-5/8″ x 6″.