Founded 1943

Juror's Statement

Thank you for inviting me to be a Judge for Awards for the TAC People and Portraits Exhibition. I want to congratulate everyone for having the courage to submit works. It was my honor to jury select the award winners for this exhibition in my region of Ohio. Special congratulations go out to the award winners; these were truly excellent works. To everyone who did not win an award, remember this: Thick skin is important. Most applications result in disappointment. As an artist, if you are successful at 10 percent of your applications to various opportunities, you are doing well. Cultivate patience. Perseverance is the most essential attribute in finding success.

The words “people and portraits” feel unfamiliar as we slowly emerge and begin to regain our individual and collective might, edging toward a post-COVID world. Time spent in isolation will inform each encounter or experience from hereon as we take stock in the restorative qualities of a home-cooked meal, the sights and smells of nature, the comfort of a favorite piece of clothing, and the luxury of a haircut. We have been deprived of our most meaningful ways to connect, which has triggered a desire, even for just one moment, put down our pandemic baggage and throw caution to the wind.

Now, more than ever, art has taken a nucleic role in our everyday lives as a place for reprieve and expression. A feast for the eyes, these forty-seven artists working across media blur the boundaries between the familiar and the unconventional, resulting in a selection of works that reveal a narrative steeped in personal experience and the importance of self-care. It is about the luscious glow of the sunset against the sky after a hard rain, a bit of chatter with a friend you are missing, and the delicious savor of the first holiday shared with extended family in a great, long while.

As a cornerstone of our very existence, faces have always held a meaningful role in our social and cultural lifestyles. Thus, it is no surprise that it is also central to the works submitted to this exhibition. While the depiction of humans in art spans human history, it represents more than just us ourselves. It embodies themes of community and acceptance, serving as a symbol of memory, emotions, power, and fragility. These ideas, woven throughout many of the selected works, unite to form a compelling narrative of abundance, joy, and perseverance.

—Mille Guldbeck

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
AWARD WINNERS!