2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Finalists share their success stories

It’s not just about winning; plenty of Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize finalists have also enjoyed a boost to their careers!

Each year, the Editor-in-Chief of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and the team review all entries submitted to the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. From here, 140 entries are short-listed as Finalists [25 per Award category: Digital Art, Photography, Sculpture; 50 from the Traditional Art Award category; and 15 from the Emerging Art Award category]. The esteemed Jury Panel, which changes each year, then reviews each Finalist’s work and practice, and casts their vote. From these votes the Winners in each Award category and the overall Grand Prize Winner are selected.

As well as being celebrated on our social media and website, the Finalists are also automatically entered to win the People’s Choice Award. This is the chance for you, our amazing community, to have YOUR say, and vote for the work that you feel deserves to win this prestigious Award.

Many entries and of course the Finalists’ works are shared on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine socials and website over the year – so don’t miss your opportunity to get your work in front of our Editor-in-Chief and see it shared with our 1 million + social media community – enter today!

$50,000 USD in Cash & Prizes to be won in the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize + plus receive global exposure for your practice!

Previous Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Finalists have shared their progress stories with us, and we want to celebrate these achievements. So why not take a few minutes out to discover what some of the 2022 Finalists have been up to since last year’s event.

Psyche Ophiuchus

“The visibility of my work has increased significantly and my art prints have been very well received. I won first prize in the Julia Margaret Cameron Alternative Process Competition and my work has been exhibited in Barcelona, Spain.

Finally, I had the great honor of being published by Taschen in their book: “Witchcraft. The Library of Esoterica”. So, I thank you warmly!”

Ksenia Buridanova

“Since becoming a finalist, my life has undergone a wonderful transformation! Projections of my paintings have been displayed in London and Belgium, and I have had the opportunity to collaborate with many talented artists, including Val Kilmer, Laurence Fuller, Jeremy Lipking, Henrik Uldalen, and Tania Rivilis. Additionally, most of my physical paintings have been sold. I am currently preparing for a solo exhibition, which is very exciting.”

David Seeley

“Having had two pieces selected as finalists definitely lit a personal and professional fire under my transition from commercial art to making paintings. “Ronin” was a Digital Art category finalist. It was for a game studio and was featured in Spectrum Fantastic Art, and is more in-line with where my career has been in prior decades. “Ronin” has brought me several new illustration clients. 

“Transcendent Chris” was a finalist in the Traditional Art category, and is a great example of where my art spirit is focused in recent years with gallery figure works. Both successes with the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize created great social media buzz and a ripple effect of exposure.

I know that this contributed to the success of my solo show at Abend Gallery, and I also exhibited at the annual IX Arts show in Reading, PA, where Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize finalist congratulations were non-stop.

“Transcendent Chris” created a great response within the LGBTQ community and was exhibited at the Bowersock Gallery’s Modern Male Show, and then at the Boston International Fine Arts Show, along with several others from me. I exhibited several more paintings from my “Transcendent” series at the Boskone Art Show last month, where I won the Best of Show. I already have many new pieces I’ll enter in this year’s competition, but there are several more I hope to finish in time to include. Thanks a ton for your commitment to art and artists!“

Virginie Gribouilli

“Since my sculpture, “Neehiba”, was selected as a finalist for the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award 2022, I have gained a lot of visibility on social media. I have more than doubled my number of followers on Instagram, and I have had a huge wave of support from people who were already following me and who have been supporting me throughout this year. This has allowed me to reach an audience from all over the world, and additionally, to sell works abroad.

I have also had another sculpture selected to be published in the 40th issue of the Beautiful Bizarre magazine. This is a great honor for me as someone who is just starting my artistic career!”

Dani Summ Art

“Since being a finalist last year, I have been contacted by companies like Collectionzz and Bottleneck Gallery, both out of New York. Through them, I was honored enough to create a venue poster for the Smashing Pumpkins 2022 tour, and to create a Lord of the Rings art print. I’ve enjoyed both immensely, and hope that this opens more doors for further freelance work. My piece being featured by Beautiful Bizarre has been invaluable, so thank you so much!!”

Olivia Jane

“Of course there was the initial shock of the news; I was so close to not submitting my work last year, but decided to in the last minutes before midnight. I cried a lot, happy tears of course, it’s very validating to be recognized by such an international publication as Beautiful Bizarre, and no doubt a long time dream of mine. The artist journey is a hard one, so these moments of recognition do make the tough times feel worthwhile.

Life since becoming a Beautiful Bizarre finalist has been full and deep.

I was also pleased that it was my painting of Alok Vaid Menon that was chosen. This painting took me 15 months to complete, and it’s important for trans and non-binary people to have representation and visibility, especially today when so many anti trans bills are being proposed. Since the art prize, I have had a couple of shows. The first in the Santa Fe Plaza with FaraHNheight Fine Art and then at the Surreal Salon in Baton Rouge.

I’m most excited however that the custom frame built for “Saint Alok” is finally finished. This piece is now complete and available to travel on. It’s my dream for this painting to end up in a collection where it can be seen by many trans and non-binary people, a reminder that each one of us is divine.”

Patrick Bergsma

“Last year I had the honour of being chosen as one of the finalists of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2022. Since then, the exposure on social media has led to a significant increase of followers on my Instagram account and overall, this year has been very good and busy for me, and I am very grateful to Beautiful Bizarre for this! My growth includes an increasing amount of sales coming from international collectors who bought directly from me. Additionally, I exhibited in the show “Content/Craftsmanship” in January with Duane Reed Gallery in St. Louis, and “This is the age of Destruction” with Franzis Engels Gallery in Amsterdam in February 2023. 

At the moment, I am doing the finishing touches on my work for the upcoming show “Bold II” at MUGA Museum in Heerenveen, Holland. In March, my Gallery Duane Reed will show my work at the Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary and in April at the Art Market San Francisco. Again, thank you Beautiful Bizarre!”

2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

Sinisha Kashawelski

“The time after becoming one of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize finalists brought some subtle changes in the understanding of my inner world. This subsequently influenced my new phase that I was preparing to flow into for a longer period of time. It was a switch that created a few pieces that resonated well with the audience around the world, bringing invitations to participate in exhibitions in Paris, Jakarta, Barcelona… Salute, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.”

Leigh Schneider

Since being a finalist in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2022, I’ve participated in multiple exhibitions – of which one was my debut solo show. I’ve sold my art, and had press, publications and speaking engagements. Overall, I was able to build a solid foundation as an emerging artist. Thanks so much!

Roxy Peroxyde

“Since I made it into the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize as a finalist, I exhibited at the Scope art show in Miami Beach, in Louisiana for several group shows, and in Toronto for Art Toronto art fair. Additionally, I am currently working on a solo exhibition (August) with Station 16 gallery in Montreal where I’m currently based. 

I have several group shows lined up for 2023 and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2023 will bring to the table. Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is one of my favourite art magazines and making it into the finals was a huge stepping stone in my career. I’m extremely grateful for the support and visibility it has brought me. I also have an editorial coming in the 10th Anniversary, June 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine!”

Julia Agnes

This past year has been a productive one! I’ve been able to scale back on freelance work and dive further into my art practice in a more full time capacity.

My work was selected for two group exhibitions in Munich, at the Støerpunkt Gallery. I’m also continuing to be represented by the Arta Gallery in Toronto Canada.

I had the wonderful surprise to find out that my work was reviewed internationally in an article for Info Mag, and urban subculture magazine, and did an interview with Monolith Volume magazine. I was also blown away to be invited to do a podcast interview with Polymer Week which came out a few days ago, and to do a live Q&A with them, just this February, which was a fantastic and humbling experience.

My work will be published in The Story of Fashion a magazine that showcases Canadian artists, designers, and creators this summer/fall. It’s all been very exciting and surprising to see how much my grannies have been moving and shaking. I’m also very excited to show some new pieces in the coming months!

Alex Peter Idoko (Winner of the People’s Choice Award, as voted for by the public out of all of the 2022 Finalists)

“The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize has been a major stepping stone in the advancement of my career. I’ve had a major of my pieces go viral on Instagram, Facebook like ISOKEN, getting up to 12 million views. I earned an ambassadorial deal with Severt-Ab, a Swedish company that manufactures burners for my work. Entering the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize earned me more visibility in the public. That has brought more collectors and aided me in the propagation and communication of my art and its technique.”

Interested in joining the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Hall of Fame?

US$50,000 in cash and prizes to be won

2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize