Current Exhibition

Our ninth Art competition “Nature” started in June 2025 and concluded on July 17, 2025. Art Room Gallery received entries from many countries around the world: Canada, USA, Taiwan, UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Germany. The Nature theme in this competition included a diversity in types, styles and mediums (acrylic, watercolor, pastel, oil, scratchboard, bronze). The following evaluation criteria has been used for judging the artwork: creativity, interpretation of the theme, originality and quality of art, overall design, demonstration of artistic ability, and usage of medium. Jury decided to select 28 artworks for inclusion in the exhibition. Aside from First, Second, and Third place Jury also presented Merit awards and Honorable Mention awards.

Thank you, and enjoy the exhibition!

Statement:

Jason Shih was born in 1972 in Taiwan. In 1991, he began to specialize in metal sculpture when he was a sophomore in the Fine Arts Dept. of Taipei National University of the Arts. In 2001, he graduated from School for American Crafts, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA, and majored in Metal Sculpture. And then, he served as the metal sculptor Albert Paley's assistant, involved in crafts and public art work practices. Furthermore, he earned his Art Ph. D. from China Academy of Art, China (2015). Now, he lives in Taiwan, and consistently engages in the both areas of sculpture and public art.Jason Shih’s artistic vision is shaped by a diverse array of influences, from contemporary dance to avant-garde fashion. He cites German choreographer Pina Bausch and British designer Alexander McQueen as significant inspirations. Bausch’s explorations of time and space resonate with Shih’s interest in sculpture’s capacity to embody kinetic energy and spatial imagination. McQueen’s innovative approach to contemporary imagery and themes provides Shih with a broad canvas for creative expression. Shih’s work is also influenced by the aesthetic principles of Futurism and Constructivism, movements that emphasize dynamic energy and continuous motion.

Statement:

Cher Pruys, ASAA SCA, IGOR, AAPL, CSAA, AMS, LMS, OSA, MAA, CFA, NOAPS, PSOA, AWA., AAOA. I am a self taught artists working in water based medium, mainly acrylic, but also at times gouache and water-colour. I am a hyperrealism painter fascinated by the world around me. I am very drawn to shiny surfaces as well as transparent objects, especially when the lighting brings them to life. I look for beauty in everyday objects that most people take for granted or just don’t truly see them as they are. The seemingly boring and mundane subjects can truly be like magnets if portrayed in the right light. Shiny metal is one of those materials that can host endless visions….the light hits it and the reflections are captured on the smooth, sleek surface…people and animals especially the eyes...an artists dream! My future art plans are to paint the countless subjects I have chosen to become paintings and to share my art with as many people as I can. "To take my inner visions with my hands and create a work of art for you the viewer .... That is the ultimate in self expression."

Statement:

Ivan is a pastel artist living and working in the heart of the Herefordshire countryside, in the UK, having been brought up in Nottinghamshire. He was introduced to pastel as a teenager by a friend of his father's and in fact still has remnants of his first set of pastels. At 16, Ivan chose a career as a veterinary surgeon, rather than go to art college. However, in his retirement he pursued is interest on the creative arts, specialising in pastel as his chosen medium, and his understanding of animals allows him to add something extra to his artworks. Modern pastels and pastel pencils allow for more detailed artworks with increased depth and vibrancy. Ivan makes full use of this to create a style that is unique to him. Today commission work occupies much of his time, with subjects ranging from portraits and pet portraits to landscapes, and vintage and racing cars. Ivan has completed many artworks in the past 25 years, many of which can be seen on his website. He admires the work of many artists, including the Impressionists, Pre-Raphaelites, David Shepherd, Simon Coombes, and many of his contemporaries.