PASADENA, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/06/06 -- A portrait of a homeless man who calls himself "Charles" and roams the streets of Santa Monica won the Gold Medal for Best Painting at the California Art Club's 95th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition at the Pasadena Museum of California Art.

Ryan Wurmser, the Westlake Village artist who featured "Charles" in his oil painting "Wayfarer's Retreat," received the Gold Medal for Best Painting from the Club's president, artist Peter Adams. Adams also announced to the more than 400 in attendance at the exhibition's opening reception on Saturday, April 1, that Tuan Nguyen, of Mission Viejo, Calif., was the winner of the Gold Medal for Best Sculpture for "Rendevous," his ethereal bronze sculpture of the human form.

Nguyen and Wurmser were selected for Gold Medals by their peers, the 119 participating artists in this exhibition of contemporary-traditional fine art, which continues through Sunday, April 23.

Wurmser's painting also received Southwest Art magazine's Award of Excellence, which was one of seven additional awards announced that evening. American Artist magazine presented two Emerging Artist Awards -- one to Jeffrey Ward of Alhambra, Calif., for his painting "The Contemplation of King Lamoni," and one to Amery Bohling of Aliso Viejo, Calif., for her painting "The North Rim."

The Best Western Genre Award from Art of the West magazine was given to Daniel W. Pinkham of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., for his painting "Sunlight Washed Coastline." Sunland resident Junn Roca received the Urban Lifescapes Award from Lifescapes Magazine for the painting "Candle Vendors."

Art-Talk magazine selected Ingat Ignatov, a resident of Reseda, Calif., for its Award of Excellence for the painting "Prague," and Fine Art Connoisseur magazine presented an Award of Excellence to Zhiwei Tu, an Out-of-State Member of the Club who lives in Illinois, for the painting "Morning Sun."

For more information on the Gold Medal Exhibition, contact the Club at (626) 583-9009 or visit www.californiaartclub.org. Presenting sponsors of this year's Gold Medal Exhibition are The First American Corporation, First American Trust and Majestic Realty Foundation.

Note to Editor: Photos are available of the exhibition's opening festivities and the award-wining artwork. Please contact Beverly Chang at (310) 472-9323 or beverly@brcart.com.

About the California Art Club

The California Art Club (www.californiaartclub.org), established in 1909 by early California Impressionists or plein air painters, is recognized as one of the oldest, largest and most active leading professional art organizations in the world. The mission of the Club, which is headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., is to promote traditional fine arts in the fields of painting, drawing and sculpture, to produce and promote art exhibits that foster understanding and interpretation of traditional art heritage and California history, and to furnish educational opportunities in fine arts.

Contact:
Beverly Chang
(310) 472-9323

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