Author: Anthony Waichulis

The Art Renewal Center® is pleased to present the winners and finalists of the 18th ARC Salon. The ARC received approximately 3,500 entries from 72 countries; 40% of those, 1,970 works, have been selected as semi-finalists. Our finalists comprise a select group of the very top-rated entries, 816 works in all, or approximately 23% of entries. Both finalists and semi-finalists have been published on the ARC website. ARC has acquired nine new works for the ARC collection, including six ARC Purchase Awards and three MacAvoy Purchase Awards, totaling $75,850. Our highest award, Best in Show, a $25,000 prize generously donated…

Bradbury and the Soft Machinery of Cultural Control Over the past year, I found myself in quite a few conversations about the meaning and boundaries of censorship. Some centered around the Maryland Institute College of Art’s revised expression policy, others focused on the Smithsonian’s quiet shelving of Amy Sherald’s American Sublime, or Denver artist Madalyn Drewno’s claim that History Colorado had censored her politically charged painting from the Big Dreams in Denver’s Little Saigon exhibit in late 2025. Still others reflected broader concerns about the current U.S. administration’s posture toward the arts and journalism. In each case, the word censorship…

The term crutch gets tossed around in visual art discussions with remarkable frequency—often used to dismiss a technique, tool, or strategy as somehow illegitimate. But when pressed for clarification, the defining factors for what constitutes a crutch are usually vague, contradictory, or simply pejorative. So what is a logically consistent way to define what is—or is not—a crutch, especially in the context of art training and performance? Here’s a clear and functional definition: Crutch: A tool, strategy, or process that compensates for a skill deficit by bypassing essential perceptual, cognitive, or motor work. Crucially, whether something functions as a crutch is not inherent to the tool or…

RYB and the Question of Pedagogical Validity It’s been a while since I’ve publicly addressed the utility of the RYB (red–yellow–blue) color model. A recent conversation on social media, however, prompted me to revisit the issue, not only for its utility as a powerful heuristic in early education, but also as a valuable tool for professionals working in complex practices. My hope is that what follows will help clarify some common misconceptions about my position and highlight what the RYB model is (and is not) in many contemporary scenarios. In recent decades, artists and educators have shown a growing interest…

Image Shown: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (detail), Pablo Picasso, 1907, oil on canvas, 244 x 234 cm; (arguably the first cubist painting.) Modernism, as it emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, marked a decisive rupture with the representational conventions and aesthetic hierarchies that had long defined Western art. It was not merely a stylistic evolution, but a radical reimagining of art’s purpose, structure, and cultural role; a dismantling of inherited norms in favor of conceptual inquiry, perceptual experimentation, and aesthetic risk. To many artists trained in traditional, representational methods, this shift felt less like evolution and more like…

Disclaimer The following discussion is for educational and informational purposes only. It reflects an analysis of publicly available case law and commentary within the context of art, copyright, and expressive representation. I am not a lawyer, and this material does not constitute legal advice or establish an attorney–client relationship. Artists, educators, and organizations seeking guidance on specific legal questions, including questions about copyright, trademark, right of publicity, or fair use, should consult a qualified intellectual-property attorney licensed in their jurisdiction. Recently, a friend and colleague reached out after encountering a familiar issue: a piece she submitted to an exhibition was…

During our late November Artist Roundtable, we discussed a comment an artist had made on social media, stating that, in her experience, sable brushes often outlast synthetics. While it seemed to me right away that this would not be the case (based on what we know about the materials involved), several other artists quickly echoed her sentiment. As such, I thought I should take a closer look at what was going on here. Synthetic filaments, such as polyester (typically PBT or polybutylene terephthalate, a polyester thermoplastic commonly used for durable, solvent-resistant brush filaments) and nylon, resist chemical degradation, tolerate abrasion,…

We are thrilled to celebrate ÀNI Artist Mitchell Bagnas, whose work has been honored in the Best of Drawing Winter 2026 issue. Mitchell earned First Place in the Strokes of Genius drawing competition for his piece Mourning Swan, a recognition that highlights both the strength of his vision and the rigor of his training. As part of this achievement, Mourning Swan and Mitchell’s processes are showcased across four pages of the publication, an exceptional feature that underscores the impact of his work within the contemporary drawing community. Please join us in congratulating Mitchell on this outstanding accomplishment! His dedication exemplifies the spirit of the ÀNI Art Academies, and we look…

Join Justin Wood for a Still Life Workshop in New Jersey image shown: Apples in Wood Bowl by Justin Wood, 37×46 inches, Oil on Canvas, 2025 Join artist Justin Wood for an amazing in-person Dutch Still Life Workshop this June 15–19, 2026, in Lebanon, New Jersey (not to mention two online workshops listed below!). “I am hosting an in-person still life painting workshop reminiscent of the 17th-century Dutch tradition in my hometown in beautiful Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Over the course of five days, I will lead the group through the entire picture-making process from composing and drawing to the…

As we close out the year and look toward the work ahead, I wanted to offer something useful for anyone refining their drawing practice or striving to become more deliberate in how they build visual skill. For this month’s issue, I’m sharing the full 60-minute Drawing Considerations Clinic that I presented at the 2024 Realism Live event. This session brings together both new and long-standing resources from our program; tools designed to strengthen perceptual calibration, support more intentional mark-making, and shed light on the mechanisms that drive representational performance. Rather than focusing on stylistic preferences or inherited studio traditions, the…