August 2026 Salon Art Prize

The awards for the September 2026 Salon Art Prize competition were announced on October 31st. The selections were made by judge, Diane Waterhouse of Waterhouse Gallery. The overall and category winners will now be included in the judging for the 16th Annual Salon Art Prize being awarded in May 2027.

FIRST PLACE

A painting of a frozen lake bordered by a snowy shoreline, with jagged, snow-covered mountains rising under a cloudy sky. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Nikita Budkov, A Shimmering Light, Jackson Lake
Oil, 24 x 36 in.

SECOND PLACE

Jianwu Tan, Love Song
Oil, 43.31 x 25.59 in.

THIRD PLACE

Several fishermen in hats work with their boats and nets at the waters edge. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Ned Mueller, Tying Up-San Blas, Mexico
Gouache, 10 x 15 in.

CATEGORY WINNERS

Each category award winner is now entered into the Annual Competition. Judges will review all the winners from the 16th Annual Salon Art Prize monthly competitions, and we will award over $37,000 at the Annual Salon Art Prize held in May 2027.

An oil painting of blue and white hydrangea flowers in a blue and white patterned vase. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Impressionistic oil painting of waves crashing against rocky shoreline under a cloudy sky. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Painting of a calm, reflective stream winding through a forest with cypress trees and their knobby roots. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

An oil painting of the interior of a dilapidated barn, with light shining through gaps in the wooden walls. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Impressionist oil painting of a vibrant garden filled with clusters of yellow, pink, and orange flowers under a soft, hazy sky. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

An impressionistic oil painting of a rocky, sunlit coastline meeting the sea. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of waves crashing against a rocky coastal cliff. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Painting of a white fishing boat moored at a wooden pier alongside a warehouse building at sunset. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Watercolor painting of a rocky coastline with houses nestled among trees on a distant shore. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A glass pedestal bowl filled with colorful gumballs, with a swirled lollipop in a wrapper leaning against it and another round, striped candy resting on the table. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A western saddle resting on a patterned blanket, with a bucket of green apples, a metal milk can, and a vintage kerosene lamp nearby, against a wall featuring a 1937 rodeo poster. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

An Indigenous person wearing an animal pelt headdress kneels with one arm raised beside a campfire. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a rocky coastline at sunset with waves washing against the shore and cliffs in the background. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a yellow and blue striped circus tent near a waterfront, with people walking on a path in the foreground and a town with a church spire in the distance. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Watercolor painting of a white horse in a black bridle looking downward. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Close-up portrait of a man resting his chin on his hands. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Two red glass goblets and a red glass vase resting on a reflective surface against a backdrop of black and white striped fabric. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A cable car traveling down a hilly San Francisco street near a street sign labeled Bush. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a sunset over a valley with rolling hills, a winding river, and a cloudy sky in warm golden and blue tones. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

CATEGORY HONORABLE MENTIONS

The category honorable mention recipients are eligible to re-enter their paintings into future competitions.

A painting of construction workers in hard hats and safety gear working on a large metal escalator frame, accented by a bright yellow vertical stripe. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a white pickup truck with a surfboard in the bed, parked on a dirt shoulder next to a line of trees. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A pastel drawing of a sandy path leading through beach grass toward a sunset over the ocean. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a sunny outdoor patio with palm trees, a white wall, and a sign reading NICOS in the distance. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Watercolor painting of several fishing boats beached on a sandy shore under a moody, twilight sky. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Watercolor painting of several koi fish with white, orange, and black patterns swimming in greenish water. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

An oil painting of two small figures standing on a brightly lit patch of ground beside a dark, flowing river at night. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of people sitting at outdoor picnic tables in front of a tall, black and white striped lighthouse and an adjacent building. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A portrait drawing of a woman standing beside a horse with a white blaze on its face. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil portrait of a woman with short hair and cat-eye glasses wearing a small cross necklace. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A person seen from behind, holding three pink roses behind their back while standing before a large stone relief depicting a battle scene. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A woman standing in a dark room reaches out to touch a bright, white curtain covering a window. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Impressionistic oil painting of two cowboys in hats sitting on horses in a corral against a deep purple background. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Watercolor painting of white jasmine flowers in a glass jar sitting next to a white pillar. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a sunset over misty mountain ridges with pine trees in the foreground. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Oil painting of a moody, dark ocean at night under a sliver of moon breaking through thick clouds. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A plush toy dog with curly fur and a red collar lying on wrinkled fabric. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Impressionistic oil painting of a rural landscape with a dirt road leading toward a farm building under a cloudy, sunset-lit sky. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

A painting of a vast, golden landscape under a large, dark-topped cloud, featuring a dirt path winding through open fields and a small cluster of trees. 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition

FINALISTS

Each month all the entries are reviewed and scored by a judge. The paintings with the highest scores are juried in as Finalists. The awards for the monthly competition are selected from this group of finalists.

September 2026 Awards

FIRST PLACE

SECOND PLACE

THIRD PLACE

CATEGORY WINNERS

CATEGORY HONORABLE MENTIONS

FINALISTS

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