Mr. Pillsbury chose an oil painting, The Woman, by Connecticut artist, David Schulz to start the month of July. “She’s out there,” he said. Mr. Pillsbury’s other Curator’s Choice nominees are: the strong pastel, State of Mind, by Tai Lin of New Jersey; an intriguing mixed media piece, In To The Light, by Terry Hinkle of St. Louis, MO. (“I like the effect of the blue on the black; it pops,” he said); an oil, Absent Friends, by Brooklyn artist, Daniel Maidman (“Tremendous and impressive”); and a watercolor, Head in Hands, by Roberta Goschke of Waldoboro, ME. "I like the looseness and authority,” he commented.

Two artists are making their Barebrush calendar debut in July: Roberta Goschke of Waldoboro, ME and Lauren Rinaldi of Philadelphia, PA.

Four artworks are retiring with this calendar, having been selected for three calendars under our unique retirement program which is designed to keep the Barebrush contests fresh and lively for the art-viewing public. The artworks which are retiring are: Be Alive by Taehyub Lee; Eric by Bill Foote; Honey Bee reenacted with bunny slippers by Gretchen Mahnkopf; and Primal 1 by Kathy Ostman-Magnusen.

Barebrush is an international monthly art competition with Barebrush artists from 37 states and 25 countries. In addition to the localities already mentioned above, artists in this calendar come from California, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, Canada and Croatia.