A portrait of a young local boy by Svetlana Cameron has become one of the top five prize winners in the ‘Portrait/Figure’ category of the Pastel 100 annual competition held in the USA this summer. The competition, which received more than 2000 submissions from artists worldwide, has been running since 1998, and ‘Daniel’ will be featured in the American art magazine ‘Pastel Journal’ in March 2013.
 
Sayle Gallery Artist Svetlana was commissioned by a local family to draw ‘Daniel’ in pastel, charcoal and conte as a special birthday present for the boy’s father.  Daniel’s mother, who is originally from the Ukraine, chose the clothes he is wearing in the portrait as link to her country and its heritage – the beautifully embroidered shirt is from a traditional Ukrainian design.
 
‘Daniel’ is the second of Svetlana’s portraits to have been successful in International competitions this year after 'Emily' was a finalist in the 'figurative' category of the Art Renewal Center's 2011/2012 International Salon. 
 
“2012 has been a wonderful year for me, with both 'Emily' and 'Daniel' being recognised internationally, and my work selected to be included in three US publications,” says Svetlana. “I am delighted that  my work is being appreciated not only locally,  but also on the national and international levels”.
 
As well as exhibiting at the Sayle Gallery (‘Daniel’ featured in the ‘Face to Face’ exhibition in May 2011, ‘Emily’ in the 2012 Summer Exhibition) Svetlana has had her ‘Speakers’ Portraits’ exhibited at Tynwald this year and her ‘Attitude’ was exhibited in the Pastel Society UK’s ‘Love Pastels’ at the Mall Galleries in London in February 2012.   In 2011 her work was selected for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition in London.
 
‘Emily’ had pride of place in the Sayle Gallery’s summer exhibition as an international winner, but another of Svetlana’s drawings, ‘Elizabeth,’ was voted both the winner of the competition for the work considered of the highest standard, and the public’s favourite, out of nearly 100 works submitted for that exhibition from artists across the Island. 
 
Chairman of the Sayle Gallery Roger Phillips is proud of the Gallery’s association with Svetlana:
 
“Svetlana’s work stands out both in its beauty and for her talent and skill in what is a very traditional medium.  The portraits she exhibited in both the ‘Face to Face’ exhibition and this year’s summer exhibition were breathtaking, and it is always a joy to spend time looking at her work.  The Isle of Man is lucky to have such a talented artist working here and I speak for everyone involved with the Sayle Gallery when I say we are honoured to be able to regularly exhibit Svetlana’s work.”