The artists highlighted in Oil Painters of America’s The Virtuosos of the OPAshow are known as the “best of the best.” This prestigious showcase brings together original artworks by the organization’s top Master Signature and Signature artists—nationally and internationally acclaimed painters who have undergone a rigorous selection process. Approximately 40 works will be on view by artists like Edward Aldrich, Albert Handell, Michael Situ, Jing Zhao, Aimee Erickson, James E. Tennison, Calvin Liang, Ann Kraft Walker and many more. Acclaimed artist Daniel J. Keys, protégé of master artist Richard Schmid, will serve as this year’s Juror of Awards.
Davis Perkins, OPA, High Tide at China Camp, oil on canvas, 24 x 24 in.
Among the superb paintings in the show is a floral still life titled Dance of the Dahlias, by OPA Signature artist MaryBeth Karaus. The painting depicts a vase of white and deep crimson dahlias in Karaus’ painterly hand. “Found at a church fall market, this red and white Chinese vase was quite a find,” she says of the piece. “Across the way was a booth selling flowers that complemented the vase perfectly. I wanted it to be dramatic, but lively. This painting celebrates ordinary treasures made luminous.”
A painting of a pair of ballet slippers by Master Signature artist Scott Royston has also found its way into the 2025 show. “I wanted to make this piece a trompe l’oeil,” says the artist. “I added the white frame around the piece along with deep shadows and brilliant highlights, accompanied with some of the elements coming out of the frame to achieve this. I chose the wallpaper for a Victorian flair to go with the color and look of the slippers. I wanted to bring another layer of depth with the ripping of the paper, exposing the immediate wall surface to add interest.” The slippers feel as though one could reach out and actually pick them up.
Scott Royston, OPAM, Pointe, oil on linen panel, 20 x 10 in.
California-based landscape painter Davis Perkins’ High Tide at China Camp is a square composition of a boggy scene filled with vibrant greens beneath a dramatic sky. “China Camp is near my home in Marin County, California, bordering San Francisco Bay, and home to many egrets. I often paint here in plein air, and this painting is derived from several of those studies,” Perkins says. In the lower righthand corner of the painting is a great white egret in flight.
MaryBeth Karaus, OPA, Dance of the Dahlias, 2025, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in.
The Virtuosos of the OPA exhibition is on view at Ballard’s Fine Art Gallery in Sheridan, Wyoming, through December 15. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To inquire about available works, contact the gallery at (307) 763-7681 or ballardsfineart@gmail.com. —
The Virtuosos of the OPA
When: Through December 15, 2025
Where: Ballard’s Fine Art Gallery, 23 S. Main Street, Sheridan, WY 82801
Information: (815) 356-5987, www.oilpaintersofamerica.com
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