"To be able to use their resources and my energy strictly to pursue my work and not to struggle financially is a liberty that's really exquisite," said Ortner, 50.

　　His entry, "Open Water No. 24," is a 19-foot-wide oil painting on canvas depicting the swelling surface of an ocean. The painting is so realistic that skeptical viewers often get within inches of it to check for brushstrokes.

　　Tracy Van Duinen, an artist from Chicago, placed second and won $100,000; Eric Daigh, an artist from Traverse City, Mich., won $50,000 for third. The remaining seven finalists each received $7,000.

　　The event featured works by 1,262 artists from 41 states and 15 foreign countries.

【编辑：张瑜】