Announcing ECOAA’s 68Th Annual Juried
Art Exhibition and Sale
Saturday August 1 to Saturday September 5, 2026
John M. Parrott Art Gallery
254 Pinnacle St. Belleville, Ontario K8N 3B1
Art Exhibition and Sale
Saturday August 1 to Saturday September 5, 2026
John M. Parrott Art Gallery
254 Pinnacle St. Belleville, Ontario K8N 3B1
Opening & Presentation of Awards Thurs. Aug 6, 2026 4-5:30pm
Date for pick-up of Unsold Work Tues Sept 8,2026 10-12 or 2-4pm
Date for pick-up of Unsold Work Tues Sept 8,2026 10-12 or 2-4pm
Annual Juried Show Awards
Juror’s Choice Award - Any Medium - $500 Don Maddocks Award - Best Drawing/Pastel/Print/Other - $200
Jake Mol Award for Best Watercolour - $200 Gary Chapman Award – Most Innovative - $200
Pauline Holancin Award for Best Oil - $200 Five Honourable Mentions – Any Media - $100 each
Rose Baker Award - Best Water Media/Acrylic - $200 People’s Choice Award - $100
Juror’s Choice Award - Any Medium - $500 Don Maddocks Award - Best Drawing/Pastel/Print/Other - $200
Jake Mol Award for Best Watercolour - $200 Gary Chapman Award – Most Innovative - $200
Pauline Holancin Award for Best Oil - $200 Five Honourable Mentions – Any Media - $100 each
Rose Baker Award - Best Water Media/Acrylic - $200 People’s Choice Award - $100
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Juror’s Choice
Grounded by Laurie Cairns There are many reasons why this painting resonated with me. First and foremost, I was drawn to its perspective. I almost feel as though I am a small animal in the forest, gazing upward into the towering trees. It is an immersive viewpoint that invites the viewer into the landscape rather than simply observing it. The light and texture achieved in the moss are exceptional. The artist has captured its soft, spongy quality so convincingly that you almost want to reach out and touch it, demonstrating a true mastery of the oil painting medium. This same sensitivity to texture is echoed in the forest floor and the rugged bark of the trees, creating a rich tactile experience throughout the painting. Although the background is painted in a much looser style, it works beautifully as a backdrop, allowing the roots, moss, and foreground details to command the viewer's attention. |
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Pauline Holancin Award: Best Oil
Echoes in the Mist by Mary Espinosa The subdued palette is one of this painting's greatest strengths. Through subtle gradations of colour, the artist creates a compelling sense of serenity and quiet contemplation. The carefully layered application of colour generates a remarkable depth, drawing the viewer into the landscape and encouraging prolonged engagement. This work demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of colour harmony, proving that a restrained palette can be every bit as powerful as a more vibrant one. Rather than relying on high contrast or saturated hues, the artist achieves emotional resonance through nuance, resulting in a composition that is both visually refined and deeply evocative. |
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Jake Mol Award: Best Watercolour
Heritage Breakfast by Shelley Prior The artist demonstrates a confident command of watercolour, a medium renowned for both its beauty and its unforgiving nature. This beautifully executed still life offers the viewer much to appreciate. The quilt-like backdrop provides a rich interplay of pattern and texture, creating a harmonious setting for the carefully arranged objects. The greatest achievement of the work, however, is the exceptional rendering of the reflection on the cup. It is handled with remarkable sensitivity and technical precision, capturing the delicate interplay of light and form. This subtle yet compelling detail elevates the composition, showcasing the artist's mastery of observation and control of the medium. |
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Rose Baker Award: Best Water\Acrylic
Tranquility by Leo Brouwer The success of this painting lies in its ability to capture the essence of a quintessential Canadian summer at the lake. The composition places the viewer in the perspective of someone passing by in a boat, creating an immediate sense of movement and quiet observation as the cottage comes into view. The handling of light filtering through the trees and dancing across the water is particularly well executed. Strong atmospheric perspective draws the eye naturally toward the cottage nestled back amongst the trees, creating a convincing sense of depth and place. The result is a work that evokes both nostalgia and the timeless tranquility of the Canadian cottage landscape. SOLD |
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Don Maddocks Award: Best Drawing|Pastel\Print \Coloured Pencil\Other
Look of Longing by Rita Woodburne The greatest achievement of this drawing lies in the artist's ability to capture the subtle expression in the animal's eyes. They truly become the window to its spirit, creating an immediate emotional connection with the viewer. The gentle tilt of the animal's head, combined with its sideways gaze, enhances the sense of curiosity and tenderness, giving the portrait both warmth and personality. The pencil rendering of the fur is exceptional, demonstrating remarkable technical skill through its careful attention to texture, value, and detail. Set against a simple, understated background, the subject remains the unmistakable focal point, allowing the expressive qualities of the portrait to shine. |
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Gary Chapman Award: Most Innovative
River Joy by Scott Rubie Like many landscape artists, this painter has embraced one of nature's most challenging subjects—the convincing depiction of moving water—and has done so with considerable success. One can almost hear the rushing stream as it tumbles over the rocks, a testament to the work's immersive quality. I particularly admire the artist's ability to convey movement through expressive, confident brushwork that is both energetic and purposeful, while maintaining a restrained and harmonious palette. The handling of water in its many forms is especially noteworthy. From the delicate mist and spray to the forceful splash and the swift current, each element is observed and rendered with remarkable sensitivity. Equally impressive is the attention given to the quieter passages, where the water settles into reflective pools and gentle surface textures. These subtle transitions reveal keen observational skills and a sophisticated understanding of both the physical behaviour and visual character of water. |
HONOURABLE MENTION
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1. When the Sky Lit up I forgot About Spring
by Lori Ridgeway This painting immediately resonated with me through its playful and sophisticated use of shadow. The subtle purples and blues woven into the shaded passages enrich the composition, demonstrating the artist's keen understanding of colour temperature and light. A strong compositional design guides the viewer effortlessly through the painting, while the expressive, confident brushwork brings vitality and energy to the scene. |
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2. Forest Moments
by Neyla Abramovich Rendered in harmonious shades of blues and greens, this small yet captivating painting beautifully captures the quiet magic of the forest. Emerging from the cool shadows, subtle passages of colour appear unexpectedly, creating moments of discovery that draw the viewer deeper into the composition. |
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3. Cicada Serenade
by Dale Ballard The strength of this painting lies in its masterful exploration of texture, showcasing the unique qualities that can be achieved with the cold wax medium. The artist has created a well-balanced composition, with a clear relationship between the foreground, middle ground, and background, guiding the viewer naturally through the landscape. The richly textured, expressive brushwork imparts a sense of spontaneity and vitality while remaining thoughtfully controlled. |
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4. Loyal Tea
by Jennifer Delaney There is a quiet reverence created around the ritual of tea drinking in this piece. The artist transforms this simple, everyday moment into one of contemplation and connection, capturing the sense of pause and mindfulness associated with the tradition. The carefully observed reflections add a beautiful layer of complexity, enhancing the sense of light and atmosphere within the composition. The abstracted background provides a subtle yet effective setting for the still life, allowing the objects to emerge with clarity while creating a harmonious balance between realism and mood. |
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5. Pasture Eyes
by Elizabeth Bembich Although modest in scale, this small painting possesses a remarkable sense of presence and power. The artist embraces a brutalist approach through the bold use of texture, making the material quality of the surface one of the work's greatest achievements. The rugged, expressive treatment creates a strong visual impact, yet it is the animal's gaze that truly commands the viewer's attention. The eyes create an intriguing sense of connection, seeming to follow the viewer's movement from side to side. This captivating interaction between texture and expression is this painting’s greatest asset. |