Oil Painters of America will be holding its 34th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oilsat the tail end of May. The prestigious month-long exhibition showcases the finest in representational artwork created by nearly 200 juried artists—some of the very best in the country—as well as many esteemed Master Signature OPA artists across North America. It’s a celebration of talent and passion for the traditional art of representational oil painting, with a vast range of artists’ work on display for collectors to explore.
Chris Kling, Into the Surf, oil, 24 x 36"
Exhibiting artist Barbara Coleman brings a mountainscape titled Morning’s First Touch to the 2025 show. “The morning light over the Sandia Mountains stirs a quiet awe," Coleman shares. "As the sun begins to rise, it backlights the peaks, casting canyons into soft lavender shadow. In the foreground, an arroyo winds through golden chamisa and dusky green juniper, their colors glowing in the crisp desert air. This fleeting hush of morning—where light and land breathe as one—inspires me to paint, to hold onto that moment when the world feels newly awakened and wholly alive.”
Aimee Erickson, Sunlight in Winter, oil on canvas, 40 x 30"
Aimee Erickson’s figurative work Sunlight in Winter depicts a woman sitting at a table with a child in her lap. “Sharon and I are sitting at the table, talking about something. Jonah is on her lap, playing with a stamp. He presses it into his hand repeatedly, then hers,” says Erickson. “The winter sun casts crazy bright light onto them. Mother and child, a popular theme in painting. The shadow from the window looks like a cross. It occurs to me that religious paintings show us something about ourselves. The exalted is in the here and now.”
“I saw this young boy wading into the surf, unafraid, as he showed the unbridled joy of seeing the beauty and hearing the thunderous power of ocean waves as he was drawn toward its rhythmic song,” Chris Klingsays of his juried work. “It was captivating to witness, and you remembered your own delight to smell the salt water, feel, see and hear the waves for the first time. It fills your senses.”
Debbie Mueller, Drug Store Vibes, oil on linen, 24 x 24"
Debbie Mueller is inspired by mid-century artwork and Edward Hopper’s everyday scenes of New York. She brings a still life of several objects indicative of the 1900s. “I have a bit of a love affair with all things mid-century…The objects I included [in this painting] are very much about the vices of the day: Lucky Strikes, black coffee and whatever came in that pill bottle were someone’s idea of medicine, and could probably be purchased from the neighborhood pharmacy.”
Eliza Hoffman has always been drawn towards the vibrancy of Tibetan culture. “My goal with painting is to tell a story,” she says. “It’s rare to see such a rich culture and community in our daily lives, and people such as this woman who have dedicated themselves to a higher purpose. Whether it’s her artful smile, the prayer beads she clutches, or her colorful pangden, I hope that you are intrigued by her as much as I was.”
“Living on St. Simons Island, Georgia, we have spectacular natural resources that provide endless inspiration,” George B. Netherton says of the guiding force behind his oil The Lamps Are Lit. “There are abundant marshes that are constantly changing. We have miles of beach. I never tire of sunrises to the east and amazing sunsets to the west. These are the sources of my art.”
Clockwise from top left: Barbara Coleman, Morning’s First Touch, oil, 11 x 14"; Inga Poslitur, Ready For Winter, oil on board, 24 x 12"; George B. Netherton, The Lamps Are Lit, oil, 12 x 16"
Another exhibiting artist, Inga Poslitur brings a high-level of technical skill and aesthetic sensibilities to both her powerful landscapes and narrative-centric figurative paintings. She is best known for her strong compositions and unconventional use of color that evoke surprise and delight from viewers.
“I am overwhelmed by the beauty of nature, in particular the atmosphere of an environment. Atmosphere is revealed by how the light strikes objects, both natural and man-made,” says Jill Basham,who brings a painterly nature scene to this year’s show. “I particularly enjoy the mood of skies and expansive views. Inspiration can arrive anywhere, from a bustling street in Manhattan to an isolated marsh. It’s the ‘feeling’ of the place that inspires me…When painting a scene, I don’t have specific rules for myself. I prefer to let a scene and my feelings for it set my approach.”
Top: Leah Lucas, Ambiance – Black Dog Cantina, oil on board, 24 x 48". Bottom: Eliza Hoffman, The Buddha’s Blessings, oil on canvas, 36 x 24"; Jill Basham, Meet Me at the Water, oil on linen, 30 x 30"
Leah Lucas says that as an artist, she never knows what might captivate her. With this knowledge, she openly attends to everything around her, “awaiting the inner call that leads to action.” She continues, “Always there are surprises…I aspire to present what may be comfortably familiar in unique and sometimes startling ways.” Lucas brings a quiet interior scene titled Ambiance – Black Dog Cantina to the 2025 OPA show.
“My paintings explore how personal memories, cultural heritage and emotional landscapes travel with us, shaping who we are and what we experience across time and place,” says Ni Zhu. In Girl with Paper Dragon, the artist captures a burst of light, color and spirit from a Lunar New Year parade. “It speaks to celebration, resilience and the small moments that anchor us, no matter how far we journey,” says Zhu.
Ni Zhu, Girl with Paper Dragon, oil on linen panel, 16 x 12"; Tonya Burdine, Margarita Sisters, oil on linen, 20 x 16"
Sean Witucki’s still life Day Tripper came from an experience he and his family had while fishing on a northern lake. “Each piece I create tends to be driven by an experience, interest or time in history that intrigues me. I thrive on creating narratives that are personal yet allow the viewer to relate and contrive their own narrative within the work,” he says. “This shared experience allows for a connection from me, the painter, to the viewer and ultimately the collector.”
Sean Witucki, Day Tripper, oil on aluminum, 18 x 24"
Artist Tonya Burdine found inspiration in her neighbor’s prickly pear cactus for her show piece Margarita Sisters. “Especially when the fruits are in their various stages of development and color,” she adds. “In my mind, I assign them various personalities, which makes me smile as I paint them…Organic forms and rich colors are central to my work. Often, I find a sense of peace and focus from the process itself: pencils, brushes…and the act of applying paint to canvas to create a new thing that didn’t previously exist. Light and color can magically make ordinary subjects irresistibly beautiful, and I hope my artwork helps others see that kind of beauty.”
Oil Painters of America's National Exhibition National Juried Exhibition opens with a reception at the Herrig Center for the Arts on Friday, May 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at Stone Hall in the Manatee Performing Arts Center from 8 to 10 p.m. The show hangs through June 28. —
Oil Painters of America’s 34th Annual National Juried exhibition of traditional oils
When: May 30-June 28, 2025
Where: Herrig Center for the Arts, 209 9th Street, Bradenton, FL 34205
Information: (815) 356-5987, www.oilpaintersofamerica.com
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