Courtesy Image Alpena artist Erwin P. Lewandowski’s colored pencil drawing, “Oceanside V,” seen above, recently won the First Place Award at the Connecting the Lines Winter Exhibition, sponsored by the Colored Pencil Society of America Boise Chapter in Idaho.

ALPENA — Artist Erwin P. Lewandowski of Alpena received the First Place Award at the Connecting the Lines Winter Exhibition last week. The online event is sponsored by the Colored Pencil Society of America Boise Chapter in Idaho.

“I decided to enter this colored pencil competition for a couple of reasons,” Lewandowski said. “First, the event allowed for artwork entries that could include a small mix of other mediums. In my case, almost all of my artwork includes a percentage of permanent pigment ink liners and graphite pencils. Second, the competition was open to any standing member of the Colored Pencil Society of America national organization. This point alone suggested to me that there would be some excellent competition for the awards, and this proved to be the case.”

His entry, “Oceanside V,” is from a shoreline setting in Maine.

“The piece was one of 11 drawings that were created for a new series that I started over a year ago,” the artist said. “I must admit to being pleased with the response by collectors, agents, fellow artists and the consumers. I also enjoyed reading the judge’s comments about the drawing.”

The judge’s comments are included below.

“With exceptional rendering, this artist captures water’s movement through strong value contrasts and organic forms. Rich textures add depth, guiding the eye to discover something new with each pass,” said Beth Trott, an award-winning illustrator and national fine artist.

Additional judge’s comments included the following:

“This artist demonstrates exceptional skill in capturing movement through detailed rendering. The strong contrast in values creates a dynamic sense of water in constant motion, while the organic shapes of the dark rocks subtly echo the fluid forms within the waves. Lush textures and intricate details beautifully differentiate the surfaces, showcasing a deep understanding of value, shape, and composition. The artist’s command of colored pencil is evident. My eye never settles, mirroring the movement of the water as it glides through the artwork, discovering new and mesmerizing details with every pass. It really is just an outstanding drawing.”

In other news, the artist received word that a new art agent has agreed to represent him. This spring he is expected to have artwork available at the Lucy Clark Gallery and Studio in Brevard, North Carolina.

The artist and his wife reside along the shoreline of Lake Huron in Alpena. To learn more about the artist, visit his website at erwinplewandowski.com.