Jurors and Guest Jurors

Laura Medvedieva discovered art by chance. At 34, while changing careers, she began painting as a hobby. Within two years, she knew she had to dedicate her life to it. Earning an MA in Fine Art confirmed something she already felt deeply: it's never too late to follow what you love.

Chris O’Dell-Ferguson was born and raised in a rural area; it was that lifestyle which gifted her with a love of nature, and all of its forms. It has been an inspiration that has led her on a lifelong artistic journey. She works in several different mediums, including acrylics, watercolors, mixed media, and several forms of sculpture.

Janet Rawlings is a professional, self-taught, award-winning fine artist who has had a love for creating art throughout her life. Her artistic interests grew into a career as a Technical Designer / Drafter for ten years, which ended prematurely in her early forties due to health issues. It was then that Janet dove solely into fine art, and has done so for more than 25 years. Soft Pastels are her primary medium and she enjoys timed figure drawing in Charcoal (a great brain-to-

The natural world inspires the work of Kirsten Kainz. Her art captures the best of what is beautiful and helps us find a place of honor for it in our lives. She is known for her large iron animal sculptures and her paintings of ephemeral landscapes and bold horses.