Sponsored by The Florence Academy of Art

This category is intended to highlight works created solely from life without the use of any photographic references. This category is open to all subject matter and mediums, from drawings in charcoal to figurative work in oil done from live models as well as still life, sculpture, and animal art.

Working directly from life poses unique challenges to the artist. The natural world cannot be copied - it must be interpreted. In the absence of an intermediary, like photography, to assist in the translation of the subject, the artist is guided only by his or her individual exploration of the subject to create a uniquely personal representation of reality.