Closing in on a major landmark anniversary, the American Artists Professional League (AAPL) will present the 98th Annual Grand National Exhibition at the historic Salmagundi Club in New York City from November 17 through December 4. Staged in the prestigious Skylight Gallery, the exhibition brings together more than 100 member artists from across the country for a celebration of contemporary and traditional American realism. The exhibition will feature nearly 150 artworks, including a small selection of sculpture, and paintings in oil, watercolor, pastel and drawing mediums, with many of the pieces available for purchase.

“The Grand National Exhibitionis the flagship event of the American Artists Professional League and a celebration of excellence in realist art,” says AAPL vice president Jess Bell. “For nearly a century, the exhibition has brought together accomplished artists from across the country, making it AAPL’s most prestigious show of the year.”

Karen Burns, At the Flea Market, oil on linen, 24 x 24 in. 

At the Flea Market, a tightly rendered aerial view of well-used cooking tools by artist Karen Burns, is among this year’s juried works. Burns is a representational classic painter with a twist. She especially enjoys showcasing vintage pieces and everyday objects that have been worn by time, often placing them in a more contemporary composition. It is the history of an item that holds her attention.

Carolyn Latanison will present the watercolor Climbing the Structures, Bethlehem Steel,an ode to the blast furnaces that loomed high above the city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. “Catwalks and ladders surrounded them, used by the many people who worked in this environment,” explains the artist. “Growing up within blocks of the massive structures, they became a visual presence in my life. When the corporation closed, I decided to begin a series of paintings dedicated to the structures that I saw every day.”

AAPL’s 98th Annual Grand National Exhibition returns to the Skylight Gallery at the historic Salmagundi Club in New York City.

What inspires Luisa Gabriela Guzman is the dramatic quality of natural light, “its beauty draped on a subject from my everyday life, a delicate dance between the light and shadow challenging me to react,” she explains. Guzman’s show piece Wonder is a pastel portrait of her son. “While attempting to capture that moment, he sat next to cool blue flowers in his blue camouflage shirt, which were the perfect contrast to his golden, glowing skin,” she says. “He settled into that posture and drifted off into a child’s inner imagination, reminding us of childhood experiences.”

Surf Patrol is a prime example of Christopher Forrest’s dynamic depictions of sea birds. “The painting combines two subjects that provide me with endless fascinating challenges,” shares the artist. “I thoroughly enjoy studying the ocean surf and lately the opportunity to depict it from an overhead perspective…My second interest: costal birds and particularly terns in flight. They are renowned for their grace, aerial acrobatics, beauty and, above all else, their ability to dive and catch fish in the surf.”

Carolyn Latanison, Climbing the Structures, Bethlehem Steel, watercolor, 21 x 21 in.

Kathleen Erin Lee’s juried oil Embrace depicts the artist’s mother embracing her dog and captures the mutual affection between them. “My work often focuses on these quiet, intimate moments that are part of everyday life,” shares Lee. “I’m drawn to portraying people honestly, without idealizing them, and capturing the humanity and meaning in moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed.”

Patsy Lindamood is a self-taught graphite artist whose subject matter now spans a diverse range of “scapes”—from rugged workboats and wading birds to grain silos, abandoned homesteads, and architectural landmarks such as courthouses and cathedrals. Her featured work, Cathedral Window, looms over the entrance to the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City. “Suggestive of the Fibonacci spiral, the window serves as a focal point among the many magnificent details and textures of this cathedral’s neo-Romanesque architecture,” explains Lindamood. “Rich with pattern, contrast and intricate surface detail, this architectural subject is especially suited to graphite. Graphite’s subtle range of values lets me emphasize form, texture, and design, revealing the enduring beauty found in both natural patterns and human craftsmanship.”

From top: Luisa Gabriela Guzman, Wonder, pastel, 20 x 16 in. Christopher Forrest, Surf Patrol, oil on panel, 18 x 20 in.

While continuing to focus on baseball-related subject matter, Matt Savaiko’s NY Yankees Behind the Pinstripes represents a new chapter in the artist’s work. “As I arranged the composition, I noticed the baseball glove extending beyond the edge of the frame,” Savaiko explains. “The illusion was so convincing—so naturally trompe l’oeil—that I knew I had to paint it. That unexpected moment inspired me to push the boundaries between the painting and the viewer, creating the feeling that the glove could actually reach out beyond the canvas.”

As a rider of horses and an artist, Suzanne Nielsen paints what she is passionate about. After working in animation for several years, Nielsen combined her study of painting techniques with her understanding of movement and anatomy. “These studies blend with my unique compositions and view of the relationship between horse and rider,” explains the artist. “Working mainly in oil and charcoal, my aim is to share the grace and beauty that I see in these amazing animals, as well as our connection to them.”

Top: Max Savaiko, NY Yankees Behind the Pinstripes, oil on linen, 40 x 30 in. Kathleen Erin Lee, Embrace, oil on board, 40 x 30 in. Bottom: Patsy Lindamood, Cathedral Window, graphite on board, 36 x 24 in. Suzanne Nielsen, Learning To Fly, oil on panel, 20 x 16 in.

Britt LoSacco conceived of The Most We Can Offer in a moment of grief after a tragic event that “like all the others before it, would be unlikely to spur any real change,” says the artist. “The mourning dove and prayer plant symbolize thoughts and prayers, respectively. It often seems that this is the most we are willing to offer when meaningful, active measures are what we truly need.”

I.C.E. Picks — Abundance by Brian McClear is part of a series of paintings that examine immigration through the familiar language of still life. The artist explains, “Abundance considers the quiet dependence of American agriculture on migrant labor at a moment when that workforce is increasingly disrupted—a still life of abundance at risk.”

Britt LoSacco, The Most We Can Offer, oil on linen, 20 x 40 in. 

Michael Guinane’s peaceful city scene Morning Touch-ups was inspired by a morning walk through Paris. “The streets were quiet as shops would be opening and the rising sun would shine through the narrow corridors creating a beautiful juxtaposition of shadow and light,” recalls Guinane. “As I walked down this shaded street toward a roadway blanketed in sunlight, I came upon a man painting the trim in the doorway of his shop. We [exchanged greetings], and I continued on my morning journey.”

Top: Fang Sullivan, Periwinkle, pastel on paper, 26 x 18 in. Marcia Klioze, Brody, oil on canvas, 16 x12 in. Bottom: Michael Guinane, Morning Touch-ups, acrylic and watercolor on panel, 12 x 16 in.

“The look on Brody’s face just spoke ‘tween’ to me,” says Marcia Klioze about her juried portrait Brody. “He modeled for my portrait class, where I was doing a demo,” Klioze explains. “I was fascinated with the interplay of the delicate colors on his face and hoped to capture his mood as well as his likeness, which I later finished from photos. I strive to go beyond mirroring physical features and to capture my subject’s essence as well.”

Fang Sullivan believes a portrait is a reflection of how she, as an artist, sees and experiences the model. “I was drawn to her soft gaze and elegant, innocent presence,” she says of the subject of her pastel Periwinkle. “Her periwinkle dress became essential to the composition, creating beautiful contrast against the warm background. A signature member and instructor of the Pastel Society of America, Sullivan adds that the medium “allows me to capture fleeting moments while exploring abundant color and subtle shifts in temperature.”

A public awards reception for AAPL’s 98th Annual Grand National Exhibition will take place on Friday, November 20, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Internationally recognized portraitist Michael Shane Neal served as this year’s juror of awards, and will present more than $35,000 in prizes at the event.

Brian McClear, I.C.E. Picks — Abundance, oil on canvas, 60 x 40 in.

Beginning November 17, in addition to the in-person show, artwork by the finalists and an additional 36 semi-finalists will be available to view and purchase online through the American Artists Professional League website, where you can also find a full schedule of demos, talks and other events surrounding the exhibition.

“What makes this show special is the high quality and range of work,” says Bell. “Every piece was selected through a competitive jury process based on technical skill, composition, craftsmanship and emotional impact. The exhibition brings together highly established artists, giving collectors an opportunity to discover exceptional realist art in one place. Whether you are an experienced collector or simply looking for a piece that speaks to you, the online exhibition is worth exploring because the work has already passed a meaningful standard of artistic quality.” —

American Artists Professional League: 98th Grand National Exhibition 
When: November 17-December 4, 2026
Where: Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Information: www.aaplinc.org 

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