Winners

Russ Tanner's art is of the land itself, a testament to its wide-open spaces, to the beauty of its high mountain majesty and of its hard, angular places. He has been inspired by the majesty of the Southwestern mountain ranges and the subtle beauty of the deserts. His love of nature and places of beauty are conveyed by his honest realism mixed with the softer subtleties of impressionism.

Russ' choice of subject matter came as no surprise. As a young boy on excursions to the mountains with his Boy Scout troop, Russ would wander off from the rest of the group and stay mesmerized for hours on end by a view of a distant vista. He fell under the spell of the mountains and uncrowded country.

Russ' talents drew attention at an early age. After high school, he was awarded a full scholarship to the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Upon graduation, he moved to Kansas City, where he pursued a career as an illustrator for Hallmark Cards.

The recipient of a Merit Award from the 1997 Oil Painters of America National Show and voted a signature member of OPA, Russ has exhibited in numerous national and regional competitions.

Off The Mountains

Oil, Russ Tanner

Eye Art

Traditional Photography, Enhanced Photography

Juror: Michael Lightner

www.LightnerImages.com

Michael Lightner is a fine art landscape photographer based near Boulder, Colorado. He is interested in both the grand and intimate landscapes of the world. His travels have also allowed exploration of the built environment. He has been photographing around the world for the last ten years. He has studied with Alain Briot and Tony Sweet. Primary equipment is a Nikon D3 with Nikkor lenses including 14-24mm/f2.8, 24-70mm/f2.8, 70-200mm/f2.8, 24mm and 85mm TS and 200mm/f4 macro.

Michael is also Professor and Chair of the Electrical Computer Energy and Engineering Department at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Loch Ness, Scotland by Michael Lightner

Loch Ness, Scotland

Michael Lightner, Photographer