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Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2023: Entries Closed

Entries to the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize have officially closed, and the judging process is now underway. Our sincere thanks to all of the artists and photographers that entered. We are super excited with the array of entries and have already discovered a host of new creators!

As well as discovering many new artists, we love seeing artists who have entered in previous years entering again. It’s a delight to see the ongoing evolution of their work.

Additionally, the amount of talent entering our new Emerging Artist Award category has made this another difficult year to select the Finalists!

Danijela Krha-Purssey

The variety of entries has provided a considerable mix of styles and themes, and we have found ourselves energized by the amount of a talent. From incredible fantasy to quick-witted contemporary creations, spellbinding dark art and unconventional figurative portraits – you continue to impress us! Additionally, the vast array of experimental techniques and mixed mediums shows us that many of you are still pushing the boundaries and thinking outside-the-box. The array of stories shared through the artworks have provided many thought-provoking narratives. And with much excitement, we find ourselves discovering a host of magnificent new artists.

It is also wonderful to see artists who entered in previous years entering again this year. As we have mentioned before, every year is a new Art Prize complete with a new Jury Panel who choose the Winners. We love seeing the evolution of artists’ works year on year!

A truly international Art Prize

Artists from an incredible 85 different countries entered the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2023!

We have received entries from an incredible 89 different countries this year – wow!! Entries have been received from: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong Sar China, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Excitingly, we saw entries from a host of new countries as well. New entrant countries include entries from: Azerbaijan, Barbados, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lesotho, Macedonia, Martinique, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Turks & Caicos Islands, Vietnam. Welcome new entrants, and good luck!!

Entries were received in various Traditional mediums across the fields of painting, drawing, collage, installation, fibre art, art dolls, embroidery and mixed media. We have received sculptures in multiple mediums including metal, marble, wood, gold, plaster, stone, many resins, ceramic, clay, wool, found objects, and even skeletons! The Digital Art category has seen an array of digital painters, digital sculptors, digital 3D artists and photomanipulation artists enter, and in-line with our business ethos, AI art has not been eligible to enter. Last but not least, the Photography category provided the opportunity for fine art photographers from around the world to enter both their digital and analogue photography.

Judging Underway

Thanks to this process, our Editor-in-Chief Danijela Krha Purssey and her team have once again discovered a remarkable amount of incredible new talent. We look forward to sharing with you more of these wonderful entries over the coming weeks and months! The December issue will also feature a special editorial presenting the Grand Prize Winner of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and the Winners in each category, plus the Grand Prize Winner will have a 10 page in-depth interview published in this issue. Purchase a print subscription now to make sure you don’t miss out on this and many other inspiring stories.

Judging has now commenced by this year’s Jury Panel. The jury panel is made up of: Beautiful Bizarre Co-Founders, Danijela Krha Purssey and Richard Purssey; Directors of Haven Gallery Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb; Vicki Fox, Director of Quirky Fox Gallery; representatives from our major partners: INPRNT‘s leader of Independent Design + Creative Strategy, Ashley Heafy; RAYMAR President & Creative Director, Emilie Dietrich; Yasha Young Projects Founder Yasha Young, and the Licensing Manager at iCanvas, Sally Wolff.

These are joined by esteemed contemporary artists: Rebecca Leveille (Traditional Art juror), Ellen Sheidlin (Photography juror), Ellen Jewett (Sculpture juror) and Laura H. Rubin (Digital Art juror) who will be reviewing work in their respective areas of expertise.

As you can imagine, this is NOT an easy job with so many exceptional entries in all categories! Stay tuned for the big reveal soon.

2023 Award Categories

Timeframes & Deadlines

  • 7 – 13 August 2023: Judging
  • 15 August onward: Shortlist of 140 Finalists [25 per Award category: Digital Art, Photography, Sculpture; 50 from the Traditional Art Award category; and 15 from the Emerging Art Award category] announced
  • 24 August [AEDT, Australian Eastern Daylight Time]: People’s Choice voting opens
  • 31 August [AEDT, Australian Eastern Daylight Time]: People’s Choice voting closes
  • Week of the 11th of September: Winners announced
  • 11 Sept: Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Founders’ Emerging Artist Award winners announced
  • 12 Sept: Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Winners announced
  • 13 Sept: INPRNT Photography Award Winners announced
  • 14 Sept: iCanvas Digital Art Award Winners announced
  • 15 Sept: RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Winners announced
  • 16 Sept: Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Grand Prize Winner, Honourable Mentions & People’s Choice Winner announced
  • 4 November – 3 December 2023: Beautiful Bizarre curated exhibition ‘Serendipity’ opens at Haven Gallery in New York, USA. (Note: Winners of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will be invited to exhibit a work in the ‘Serendipity’ exhibition in November 2023. Winners may exhibit their prize winning entry if it was created within 12 months of the entry date, and not hung in any other exhibition or prize previously. Work already exhibited or hung in a Prize will not be accepted to the ‘Serendipity’ exhibition. If the prize winning work is not eligible to be exhibited in the exhibition, or if the artist chooses, they may create a new work for the exhibition.)

Until then, enjoy some of the wonderful entries below…

Alex-González-Gallina
Alex González Gallina: “Ouroboros eye” (watercolour and gouache on hot-pressed watercolour paper)
Dave-Arredondo
Dave Arredondo: “The Nomad” (Macbook Pro, Wacom One, Adobe Photoshop)
Misael-Urquico
Misael Urquico: “Hierophant Sun” (Graphite and ink on paper) (Emerging Artist)
Luna-Charlotte
Luna Charlotte: “Utopia” (acrylic on board)
Thomas-Campi
Thomas Campi: “Memory of Love” (Wacom Cintiq /Photoshop)
Paola-Idrontino
Paola Idrontino: “Coral” (Photomanipulation, hand made sculpture/photography/discord/Photoshop)
2023-Psyché-Ophiuchus
Psyché Ophiuchus: “Galatea” (digital photograph). Model : Psyché Ophiuchus, Body Painting : Yoann Lossel
Jacob-Reese
Jacob Reece: “Unstated Prophecies” (Graphite and Pastel on Paper)
Jonas-Munkesø-Loft
Jonas Munkesø Loft: “The Oil Oasis” (Oil, acrylics, paper, and metal leaf on canvas) (Emerging Artist)
Daniel-Jay
Daniel Jay: “Hand Stand Man” (Polylactic acid (PLA), G/flex epoxy, acrylic paint, cement)
Hannah-Tjia
Hannah Tjia: “Wolf Song” (Oil on wood) (Emerging Artist)
Xatshe
Xatshe: “Capricorn” (Photomanipulation)
Chiachen-Wang
Chiachen Wang: “Never have I Ever” (oils)
Kaysha-Siemens
Kaysha Siemens: “Artemis of the Spears” (Oil and 16k and 22k gold leaf on panel)
Erica-Catherine-Matthews
Erica Catherine Matthews: “Pieta In Technicolor” (Photography, Emerging Artist)
Marilyn-Morrison
Marilyn Morrison: “Chicken Hut” (Polymer Clay, mixed media)
Arthur-Mavros
Arthur Mavros: “Venus” (digital photograph)
1-Kirsten-J-STINGLE
Kirsten J STINGLE: “Entangled Gaze” (Hand built porcelain with ceramic finishes, hand rusted and hand dyed silk fabric, vintage beads, saguaro boots, vintage lace, dollar bills, vintage change purse, vintage comb, peacock feather, vintage silver thread, glass pins, eyelashes, paint,pastel, wax)
1-Kelly-McLaughlin
Kelly McLaughlin: “A Controlled Temperature” (Stoneware, wood, oil paint, varnish)
William-Paquet-2
William Paquet: “I am” (Bronze)
Desiree-Crossing
Desiree Crossing: “The Night Commute” (Oil on Canvas)
Jen-Yoon
Jen Yoon: “Pygmalion” (Adobe Photoshop)
Renee-Pepion
Renee Pepion: “Solamente Una Vez” (air-dry paper clay, air-dry polymer clay, Apoxie sculpt, wire, mesh, acrylic gouache, watercolour)
Ziyarat-Tavlueva
Ziyarat Tavlueva: “Lotuses” (cold porcelain)
Yusuke-Morita
Yusuke Morita: “Angelic conversation” (old paper,mineral pigment,Sumi,gold leaf) (Emerging Artist)
Theo-Polymorphos
Theo Polymorphos: “Caridox” (oil on stretched linen) (Emerging Artist)
1-Colin-Poole
Colin Poole: “the Twins Kythos – Gathering the Night” (bronze)
Paul-Garcia
Paul Garcia: “Smile” (Acrylic on Canvas)
John-sleepy-Moran
John ‘sleepy’ Moran: “The Hollowed Family” (blown and sculpted glass)
Dimitri-BUIRON
Dimitri BUIRON: “Reminiscence” (Oil on linen) (Emerging Artist)
Jenny-Richardson
Jenny Richardson: “Predator Paradise” (Digital Painting & Drawing, Wacom Intuos Pro, Macbook Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Digital Brushes/Textures)
Bruce-Naigles
Bruce Naigles: “Keepers of the Faith” (Bronze (steel and concrete construction)
Titus-Chan
Titus Chan: “Chaos Collection – Birth and Oblivion” (Body: polyurethane resin, strung with elastics, acrylic paint, suede, mohair, stainless steel hooks. Outfits: acrylic painted aluminium alloy) (Emerging Artist)