also noticed Lee’s use of the quilt as a
near-abstract background. “It’s a quiet but
powerful painting.”
FIFTH PLACE
Yusong Tong
“This portrait is carried by the emotion
the artist so successfully captured,” says
Nguyen of Yusong Tong’s prizewinner,
Pamir Eagle. “The eyes of this model caught
my attention, and I also liked the ¾-pose
in chiaroscuro, which reminded me of the
work of the Old Masters.” In fact, it was the
striking eyes of Tong’s model that inspired
the artist’s title choice. “His eagle-like eyes
instantly touched me,” says Tong.
The artist, of Xi’an City, China, found
his model during a trip to the western
China portion of the Pamirs Plateau, a
place known for its ethnic autonomous
regions, the historic Silk Road and its
beautiful scenery. “The unique plateau
scenery made me linger,” says Tong, “but
what made it even more unforgettable were
the Tajik compatriots who have lived there
for a long time. I created Pamir Eagle with a
sincere reverence.” PJ
McKenzie Graham is associate editor of Pastel
Journal, Artists Magazine and Watercolor Artist.
LEFT
A Life Well Lived
(14½x16) by Bev Lee
BELOW
Pamir Eagle
(29½x20)
by Yusong Tong65