Founded 1943

Juror's Statement

Jurying this show was far more difficult than I imagined it would be. Many images looked vastly different from their digital version. The incredible variation in the artistic style of the members is a credit to the strength of the club and made it harder to objectively assign awards. It’s also important to note that any artist not selected for inclusion or awards should not be disheartened by my choices. A colleague of mine at The Art Supply Depo was viewing the exhibition images with me and her favorites were many of the pieces I chose to exclude. She would not have included many of my favorites, a few of which won awards. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

I normally jury exhibitions based on Composition, Content, and Craftsmanship. Does the piece look well-planned? Could anyone have created the work, or does it have a specific voice? Does the work appear finished in terms of materials and stand alone as a complete thought from the artist?

More recently, Charm was added to my list of criteria. David Rankin, the Juror for Red Bird Sylvania’s Plein Air competition, noted that many great works of art contain charm, defined by David as some characteristic of the work that made a viewer want to keep looking. The difficulty in narrowing down my selection to eight available awards led me to add a fifth criterion that felt especially meaningful for the Portraits, People and Pets Show: Connection. Did I feel a deep connection to the subject matter by looking into the eyes of the subject?

Best of Show is awarded to Sorting it Out by Teri Utz Bersée. The painting includes all five of my criteria as well as a solid understanding of human anatomy and a delicate handling of realistic flesh tones. The composition is excellent, and I feel a deep connection to this small child in the painting. I wonder about the past, present, and future of this child. The title also reinforces the content of the painting which is rare and admirable. Well done, Teri.

First place is awarded to Rex Russell for Ground Control to Major Tom on account of the content, composition, craftsmanship, and charm of the work. I love this painting for technical reasons, and because of the rarity of the content in the scene. I doubt you’d stumble into any gallery and find another painting of this image. This painting was in no sense of the word an accident. All aspects of this work were carefully composed and constructed. It also displays a glorious use of color.
Well done, Rex. 

Second place is awarded to Hunting Partner by David Pett. The composition, charm, and delicate handling of the medium used are to be commended. All works submitted by David for this exhibition stand out for the precision and delicacy of handling the respective mediums used. David is a consummate draftsperson and I’d like to recognize the countless hours of perfect practice it must have taken to develop those skills. The gentile touch of highlights on the cheeks “Toni” are glowingly beautiful. Well done, David.

Third place is awarded to Bruce Watrol for Rebecca. The composition moves the viewer’s eye around and around. I’m captivated by Rebecca’s glance and the position of her hand. I’m not sure what she’s feeling, her age, or what decade she’s from. She’s displayed confrontationally but contains mystery. The paint is loose yet precise in its placement of shadow and flesh tone. The color palette is subdued but packs punch. The painting, like the sitter, seems simple - but contains multitudes. Well done, Bruce.

Honorable mentions are awarded for the following in no specific order:

• Clint by Christine Canham. Exceptional softness and handling of material, with a deep connection formed with the viewer of the portrait. The richness of color enhances the deep mood of this portrait. This is very touching, Christine.
• Queen Everyday by Bren Clixby. This painting unifies colors and styles of paint handling which should be fundamentally opposite. Interesting use of paint pouring, typically thought of as a craft technique, to create a background for a fine art portrait. Commendable use and understanding of color. Soft delicate blending in some places contrasts with bold color blocks in other areas. Well played, Bren. 
• Posing with Lucy and Cooper by Clifford Ott. This piece seemed to be a quintessential image for an exhibition named People, Portraits, and Pets. This scene feels very familiar and displays a balanced composition and nice paint handling. I’m sure any dog owner would feel a deep connection to this work and scene. Well done, Clifford.
• Franciscus Aetatis Suae IV by Anastasia Wagner. This painting elevates the common house pet to the position of royalty, which is of course, how all pet owners feel about their furry friends. The substrate choice, the delicacy of paint handling, composition, framing, and title reinforce the intent of this work beautifully. This is wonderfully charming, Anastasia. Well done. 
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Sincere thanks for the opportunity to jury this show.

— Jules Webster | July 2023

Proprietor of The Art Supply Depo

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AWARD WINNERS!