The artists Sharon Sprung and Dan Thompson have served as the guest jury of awards for Salmagundi’s current exhibition, the SCNY New York Figurative Exhibition. Sprung and Thompson bring decades of experience as working artists and highly sought instructors. In this conversation, we’ll consider what elements are valued in selecting an award winning painting, and how these artists, poised in the center of our creative community, see the contemporary state of figurative art. This talk will be moderated by Salmagundi First Vice President, Patricia Watwood.

Sharon Sprung is known for her official White House Portrait of Michelle Obama, is represented by Gallery Henoch, and is an instructor at the Art Students League. Dan Thompson currently leads the Continuing Education program at New York Academy of Art, and is an instructor at the Art Students League. They have a combined 60 years of teaching and creating in figurative art in New York City. Dan and Sharon’s work can be found in public and private collections throughout the world.