(Atlantic, Iowa) The finalists have been announced! Atlantic native Timothy F. Pross is amongst the world’s most celebrated and distinguished realism artists. The competition is organized by the Art Renewal Center, a New York-based non-profit educational foundation. This year celebrates the 17th ARC Salon Competition, which is the largest and most prestigious competition in the world for realist artists painting, sculpting, and drawing today. Eleven categories and thousands of works compete, culminating in a live exhibition of many of the winning works.
You may ask…what is a Salon Competition? Simply, it is an exhibition of works of art. The term began in the 1700s in France and is today widely accepted as a prestigiously vetted exhibition of art. The ARC International Salon is held every two years and is a competition dedicated to 21st-century Realism.
With over 5000 entries from artists in 87 countries, Pross is amongst stiff competition. Artists can enter into one of the eleven categories. As a wildlife artist, Pross found his niche in the animal category. Pross was notified in September that his Wintertide ─ Red-Tailed Hawk painting had made the cut and was named a Semi-Finalist. “In a competition of this caliber, being selected as a Semi-Finalist was a huge accomplishment,” says Tim. Then, just a short time ago, Pross learned the judges had moved his artwork into the distinguished list of Finalists in the animal category. This news renders him “both honored and speechless to be named a Finalist in such an illustrious competition.”
Beyond the accolades of participating and advancing in a competition of this stature, there are some pretty outstanding opportunities for artists who make it to the finals. The International ARC Salon is the largest in the world, and it has cash awards and international recognition through partnerships with prestigious magazines, galleries, and museums.
The 17th International ARC Salon winners will be announced in January 2025. Perhaps the most alluring of the prizes is being selected to participate in the culminating live exhibition of many of the winning works. The show will comprise approximately 100 best works from 17th and 18th International ARC Salon Competitions combined. The exhibition is planned to open at what will be Sotheby's New York’s new flagship, Madison Avenue location, in the summer of 2026, where the official award ceremony will be held. This awe-inspiring international event will have artists from all over the world present, showcasing the truly global nature and collaborative spirit in this area of Contemporary Art. Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s most significant and dynamic marketplace for art and luxury.
Tim’s captivating method of creating highly realistic renderings of wildlife is a labor of love. The level of realism in each of his artworks allows him to enter prominent and respected realism competitions such as the 17th International ARC Salon. Studying each animal’s physical attributes and understanding the creature’s connection to its habitat come from years spent in nature and a keen sense of observation. Pross is unique in that the subject of his artwork comes from his years of natural-world experiences and his creative mind rather than a photo.
While Pross has only been painting for a few short years, his unique style and meticulous craftsmanship have garnered recognition with merit, honorable mention, and finalist awards in national and international competitions. Drawn to creating from a young age, Tim states that he dreams of being a full-time artist. His love of nature and wildlife fuels his drive to paint.
Pross has fared well in competitions this year. He was also named a Finalist at the 96th Grand National Exhibition held at the prestigious and historic Salmagundi Club in Manhattan, New York, in November 2024. The American Artist Professional League hosts this event, and it is their most selective in-person show. Each piece was carefully juried, and finalists were selected for beauty, quality, and value. AAPL shares that this show represents some of the most talented artists in the country. The American Artists Professional League is dedicated to advancing traditional realism in American fine art by promoting high beauty standards, integrity, and craftsmanship in painting, sculpture, and graphic arts.
Pross is quiet and humble about receiving recognition amongst the best of the artists on a global level, saying, “I’m just happy to be able to paint.” As a young man a traumatic back injury left him unable to sustain a painting posture. After decades of working towards recovery, Tim is sitting at his easel and creating art with an enormous sense of gratitude. “The support and encouragement of so many wonderful people have helped me have the faith, patience, and perseverance to reach this point – it is not a journey I could have done alone.”
His studio walls are lined with sketches, some small, some full size, some in the initial phase, and other montages are much more developed. Tim likes the challenge and complexity of large-scale painting. Many of his paintings exceed the 3 ft by 5 ft range. The in-progress artwork is huge, nearly 4 ft x 7 ft, and features a fight for survival with a wolf pack and mountain lion.
What is the next step for Tim? He says, “My journey into the art world has only just begun. Beyond a stimulating visual experience, it’s the elusive, intangible qualities that evoke an emotional response I strive to incorporate into my art. I paint what I feel inspired to create.”
To view Tim’s work, go to www.ProssWildlifeArt.com.
(Press Release)
