A Cape Coral resident who has been painting since she was a child recently won a first place in the Utrecht 60th Anniversary Online Competition for her painting “Rounding the Bend” (Myakka River).
Jeanette Chupack, who moved to Cape Coral six years ago, was selected from more than 12,000 entries by 5,200 artists throughout the United States. The entries included email submissions of oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media categories.
The American Artists Magazine jurors chose a total of 13 artists who received a prize from Utrecht Art Supply.
Chupack said she won a $1,200 certificate to buy art supplies.
“I am very honored to be chosen to win first place for acrylic painting,” she said.
She said since coming to Florida she has been inspired by the rivers and the sceneries she sees while kayaking.
Chupack brings a small waterproof digital camera with her when she goes kayaking, so she can capture what she sees on film, since she cannot paint and kayak at the same time.
“If I see something that would make a good painting, I photograph it from various angles,” she said.
When she gets home, she downloads the pictures on the computer, so she can make a decision of which pictures are going to be painted.
She said she is always gathering new ideas from being out on the water. She explained that sometimes it is not all about what she sees on the water, it also includes the variety of birds and animals that surround her.
“I think it is very important to get out there and paint and draw and do anything you can from the real situation,” Chupack said.
Chupack received her masters degree in Fine Arts from Indiana University.
She currently has two of her paintings displayed at the Annual Painting Exhibit at Rookery Bay Gallery in Naples where they will be until Jan. 31.
Chupack will also be in the Paint the Cape plein-air painting event, which will be held on Jan. 3-5, with a reception following on Jan. 8 at Cape Harbor Pavilion.