Lynette Cook’s painting Illumination has been selected for the Art Renewal Center’s international exhibition and curated sale at Sotheby’s New York, representing one of the highest-rated works from more than 8,500 entries worldwide.
DALY CITY, Calif., July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Art Renewal Center (ARC) proudly presents a curated sale of 47 award winners and honorable mentions from the 17th and 18th International ARC Salons. These works will be exhibited at Sotheby’s New York from July 17 through July 27, 2026, as part of the nonprofit organization’s 17th/18th International ARC Salon Exhibition, a large-scale presentation of 97 works representing artists from 20 countries.
This scene could never exist without the Sun; it is a symbiotic pairing of human creation with Nature.
The ARC Salon is the world’s largest and most influential competition for Contemporary Realism. Each salon awards more than $130,000 in cash prizes and provides international exposure through the ARC website, museum exhibitions, gallery partnerships and major art publications. The current exhibition represents the highest-rated works selected from more than 8,500 entries submitted by artists from 87 countries.
The works featured in this exhibition and curated sale demonstrate that Contemporary Realism remains a vital and evolving force in contemporary culture. These artists exemplify how time-honored techniques and exceptional craftsmanship continue to express subjects, ideas and perspectives that are both classical and distinctly contemporary.
Since 1999, the Art Renewal Center, together with the ARC Salon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, has promoted traditional realism and skill-based training in the visual arts.
Among the artists selected for the exhibition is award-winning California painter Lynette Cook, whose painting Illumination, a 30 x 48-inch acrylic on canvas, has been selected for the exhibition and curated sale at Sotheby’s New York.
Inspired by a moment of visual discovery on a San Francisco street, Illumination captures the fleeting interplay of sunlight, architecture and shadow. The painting explores the symbiotic relationship between human-made structures and nature. Warm sunlight animates the fire escape’s ironwork, while soft lavenders resonate within the cast shadows. Reflections of trees and a moon in the windows, together with the shadows of ravens passing overhead, quietly affirm nature’s persistent presence within the urban landscape.
“When I first noticed this San Francisco building, I was struck by the beauty of its architecture and the abstract cast shadow of the fire escape. To me, this piece is largely about the natural world. This scene could never exist without the Sun; it is a symbiotic pairing of human creation with Nature. This image is a fleeting moment in time, for the light and shadows will move and change as the afternoon arises, eventually disappearing when the sun sets or the fog rolls in.”
Cook’s selection for the Sotheby’s exhibition follows her First Place award in the Landscape category of the 17th International ARC Salon, further establishing her reputation as an accomplished contemporary realist painter. A former astronomical illustrator for the California Academy of Sciences, she is known for paintings that reveal unexpected beauty in the urban landscape through nuanced studies of light and atmosphere.
The 17th/18th International ARC Salon Exhibition will be on view at Sotheby’s New York, 945 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10021, from July 17 through July 27, 2026.
A public opening celebration will be held Saturday, July 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature participating artists from around the world, reflecting the exhibition’s international scope and the collaborative spirit of Contemporary Realism. Admission is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required.
About the Artist
Lynette Cook is an award-winning painter whose luminous urban landscapes explore the transformative effects of light on the built environment. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her paintings are held in public and private collections throughout the United States and internationally. She lives and works in Daly City, California.
Instagram: @lynettecookart
Facebook: lynettecookart
Media Contact
Lynette Cook, Lynette R. Cook, 1 4156996937, lynette@lynetteinthestudio.com, https://www.lynetteinthestudio.com
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SOURCE Lynette R. Cook
