Awards and Recognition - 2026 Back Bay Plein Air Art Festival
Winners of QUICK DRAW
1st place: Erich Neubert “Grey Morning on the Bay”
2nd place: Andrew Cortez “The Painters”
3rd place: Chul Shim “Back Bay in July”
Best in Category, Judges Award for Bravery!
Tuyen Chau “Kayak Practice”
Tuyen won Jeff Horn's "Award for Bravery," as Tuyen drove to another location of the Back Bay
and took on a very complicated scene, crafting it successfully in a minimal color palette.
Winners for the BEST OF OC PARKS and BEST OF THE BACK BAY
1st place: Chul Shim "Back Bay"
2nd place: Toni Danchik "This is the Way - Walk in it"
3rd place: Melissa Annis "North Star Beach"
Honorable Mention: Judith Nentwig "Hike of the Day"
Best Sunrise/Sunset: Sung Su "Morning at the Bluff"
Winner's Circle: Ronald Reekers "Path Walk Santiago Park"
Higbee Honorable Mentions:
Kevin Davidson "Morning Cliffs - Lower Back Bay"
Roberta Denny "Back Bay Beauty"
Mike Major "Bay Watch"
Denise Busony "Eucalyptus by the Back Bay"
Toni Danchik "Misty Morning Back Bay"
Robinson Award (Best of the Back Bay)
Mike Major "Baywatch"
Best of OC Parks Award
Al Carlson "Entry to Irvine Regional Park"