BOULDER, Colo. - The National Oil and Acrylic Painters of America had a competition for their 2023 Best of America Small Works Exhibition. It was held in Boulder, Colorado at the Mary Williams Fine Art Gallery. Lusk resident Carla Stroh entered her painting of a mountain lion running in water titled,' In Too Deep’ an 11 x 16 oil painting on canvas.

There were 1600 entries juried from across the nation and only 150 were accepted. Stroh’s entry was one of them. She and her good friend, Suzanne Green, from Custer, SD, traveled to Boulder on Wednesday, May 17 to spend the night and attend the artist's reception held Thursday, May 18. Though Stroh’s entry did not win an award, she still felt honored just to be accepted into the show.

The National Oil and Acrylic Painters of America Society offers Gallery and on-line shows each year to their members. The criteria is that artists submit examples of their work to the Society and the members jury it to see if an artist can even be a member. Artists must submit new work for each show or exhibition.

Stroh has been a member for 3 years. She has been in their on-line shows but this is the first NOAPS Gallery show that she’s been accepted into. The quality of work in this show was very impressive. It’s an honor to be a member of the society and even more to be accepted into a juried  competition.