a question

we take work shops to learn new approaches to painting. so many of the art looks just like the instructors. A lot of these people win prizes but yet they are not unique. They just paint like the unique painter they learned there craft from. Now should these painters - that are outstanding like there instructor- do you think they should win prizes or should we be giving prizes to artist that learned to be unique while using some of these approaches?

Please Let me know what you think !

12x16 oil on hard board

 This is one of my most recent work I have done. I was painting my BFF Judy Vars and she was painting at the time and in deep thought. I love how it came out. I want to do more portraits in the future. Look for it at the Alaska Sate Fair.