Juror’s Statement:

Choosing works for a group show is, of course, particularly difficult. The variety of styles, media, subjects, and perceptions makes comparison especially challenging. My selections for awards are not intended to be interpreted as “best in show” or first, second, and third place. They are three works that stood out to me because of their quality, imagery, composition, and uniqueness in the context of the entire exhibition. One could say that they “spoke to me” although I would not necessarily use those words. Perhaps they were perceived by me as fine examples within the geometry of the space and among the juxtapositions to other works. The choices were made by a combination of both intuition (feeling) and analysis (thinking). First, I looked at all the works with no attempt to judge but to get an overall sense of the scope of work. Then I went through the work again noting pieces that struck a chord with my seeing eye. Next, I looked at those pieces noting those that set my thinking eye. Finally, from these five or six, I pondered with two eyes and chose three to award. 

Ronda Gewin’s “Golden Eyed Goldfish” (found objects) is a fun three-dimensional assemblage of mostly metal lids, utensils, and trinkets shaped into a somewhat abstract fish that, like a pointillist painting, becomes more realistic with distance. Floating on the wall it appears to be both moving and still. 

Christine Eagan’s “Lunch Counter” (pigment print) is a somewhat surreal, black and white photograph of a, not yet open, lonely diner, perhaps waiting for the morning (or lunch) crowd to come in, sit on the sleek stools and have a cup of coffee in a stainless steel, faux leather, subdued, people-less Hopperesque world. The image is both eerie and inviting at the same time. 

Oscar Nelson’s “Black and White #6” (oil on canvas) is a long horizontal abstract painting that appears to be a controlled chaos, a stochastic landscape perhaps evoking our stormy river with natural and human-constructed objects. It too, presents dual imagery, of tranquility and disturbance. 

I believe that the three pieces chosen for awards represent the variety of work of the talented AVA members and, along with the rest of the show, highlight the many creative artists in our community.