2025 Portraits Art Competition | Winners
This year’s Portraits Competition brought together more than 400 entries from artists across the globe — from Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Turkey, the U.K., and 27 U.S. states. The range of submissions reflected not only technical mastery but the diverse perspectives and expressive techniques shaping contemporary portraiture.
1st Place: Jackson Wrede
Dune Buggy, oil
2nd Place: Alessandra Marrucchi
Our Golden Wedding Anniversary, oil
3rd Place: John Smolko
Ben 2, colored pencil
2025 Portraits Art Competition | Special Merit Award Recipients
Justin White Flaming Steph, oil
Dan Simoneau Prince, watercolor
Mary-Jane Steffens Hope In Sepia, pastel
Marissa Madonna Courtney, colored pencil and acrylic
Rita Dauchot Here and Now: Hope, watercolor
Yuehua He Girl, oil
Vitaly Gunaza The Wind from Far Away, oil
Takashi Ogihara This Year’s Banksia Rose 2, pastel
Chantel Barber Some Things Don't Change, acrylic
Ralph Barba Agats, oil
Giddy Richt Sugar Skull, colored pencil
Dan Simoneau I Dream, Therefore I Become, acrylic
Paige Weber True Grit, oil
John Suh Artist with His Cat, oil
Ghazaleh Naderian Portrait of Emily, pencil and chalk
Barbara Berry Impromptu, pastel
Cher Pruys Grit Goddess, acrylic
Aki Kano Aki and Henry, watercolor
Donald Farrell Marley, watercolor
Anna Abramskaya Quiet Breeze, graphite
Janine Helton Light and Shadows watercolor
Nancy Walker Winter is Coming, oil
Fernando Robles Contemplation, oil
Carlos Miguel Mendoza La Serenidad de Tomasito, colored pencil
Barry DeBaun A Song in Her Heart, oil
Barry DeBaun Mother's Touch, oil
2025 Portraits Art Competition | Artistic Recognition Award Recipients
Pauline Stuart A Mother’s Love, colored pencil
Milena Guberinic Once Upon a Time in a Land Far Away, watercolor
Pam Agan-Smith Bridget in London, pastel
Dawn Bouchard My Best Friend-Kika (RIP), mixed media
Cecile Welten Losing Spring, watercolor
Lorraine Simonds Yet I Will Still Hope, watercolor
Jordan Rando Kevina Burgess, ballpoint pen
Susie McColgan Forever Young, acrylic and oil
Susan Penfold Where Stories Dwell, pastel
Joel Mitnick Portrait of Rebecca, oil
Kay Salem Quiet, watercolor
Annette Alessi Silas, charcoal
Louise Renee Sewing with Lucille, pastel
Patrick Hedges Somba woman, scratchboard
Jessica Cavaliere Me, Myself, and Mother Nature, needled felt
Diane Granger Emma, pastel
Susan Typert Kitty Cat Cup, pastel
Susan Grimm Opening Day Selfie, colored pencils
John Hanley Baby Matthew, graphite
Dawn Bouchard The Insight Time Has Etched, mixed media
Catherine Frey Murphy Emerging, colored pencil
Emily Tull Roses on Parade Follow You Around, embroidery
2025 Portraits Art Competition | Honorable Mention Award Recipients
Carol Kent The Healer, pastel
Gary Custer Jasper, watercolor
Elle France Facial Recognition, oil
Robyn Bromham Himba Girl, pastel
Emmanuelle Fonsny The Girl with the Golden Earrings, pastel
Jamie Derr A Mother's Embrace, oil
Christina Rosepapa In Her Care, colored pencil
Irina Kaplan Rahil', watercolor
Rochelle Oberholser The Woman from Ukraine, colored pencil
Rochelle Oberholser ELF, colored pencil
Lauren Yoho The Thinker, watercolor
Stacey Barge Unbreakable, colored pencil
Aaron Krone Hopes and Dreams, graphite
Cindy Kopenhafer Untitled, pastel
Viktoria Stockmal Scarlett Gaze, watercolor
Dot Anson Isabella, pastel
Tanya Finch Coach, graphite
Victoria Twomey Waiting at the Window, colored pencil
David Haley Blue Cap, acrylic
Jaya Perrier Dana in Blue, mixed media
Kat Block Harris, collage
Han In Wong Life Itself, watercolor
Li-Ann Yap The Last Sit, pastel
Tatiana Roulin Girl in a Blue Scarf, mixed media
Paula Martin Bella, graphite
Margaret O'Brien Baker And So It Begins, oil
Jenny Ink Je Pleure, mixed media
Aniko Henneberg Winning Smile, watercolor
Charmaine Harris Young Love, scratchboard
Semire Akyazi Singer, pastel