Fall Member Show 2020 – Results
This show runs from October 2020 – February 2, 2021 at the Neighborhood Empowerment Center, 600 W. Maple, Lansing Michigan.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the artwork seen here, please send an email to midmichiganartguild@gmail.com.
Judge’s comments, October 20, 2020:
Robyn Bomhof was the judge for our Fall Show at the NEC. She spent well over 3 hours working on her choices for awards. Comments on the Show in general:
This is a truly delightful and powerful show. I established strong criteria for each award category. Each category was framed by different criteria with increasing demand toward mastery and definable brilliance.
Criteria 1: [1st, 2nd, 3rd] Fusion of concept/material/intent/risk taking/mastery [including scale]
Criteria 2: [excellence] Mastery of material/excellence in innovation/idea development
Criteria 3: [merit] risk taking/honesty of effort/no laziness or sloppy execution
Using Criteria #1:
First Place: “The Sky Ripples Away” by Andrea Jeris. Mature, close to total mastery in execution, concept and intent. Color use and forceful use of scale enhances a near flawless execution with almost no missteps in execution, intent and impact. One of the best I have seen in this area and genre.
Second Place: “Roses on the Vine” by Bobbie Margolis. Extraordinarily confident mastery of material and composition with perfect scale, and lovely execution. Materiality married subject- reflects the artist’s clarity of voice.
Third Place: “Contentment” by Steph Joy Hogan. Stunning marriage of concept, scale, impact and intent. Clarity of purpose married risk-taking and extreme economy of the hand, speaks directly and powerfully of original idea apart from befuddlement.
Using Criteria #2 – Awards of Excellence:
“Winter” by Susan Smith. Strong execution and mastery of materials with clarity of intent, holds its own within a traditional and sometimes overused style remains fresh and pleasing to the current culture.
“This Too” by Melinda Pope. The scale of this piece is paramount in relation to the clearly lovely marriage of idea to materials and intent.
“Got Bikes?” by Deb Drew Brown. Composition carries the process and scale of a piece that conceptually stands out and speaks to an immobilized culture. Subtle but strong content.
Using Criteria #3 – Certificates of Merit:
“Be Bold” by Katherine Erickson. This piece exemplifies the extraordinary power of “the gaze” over execution; the strong intent overpowers and comes close to negating execution.
“Apples on the Lawn” by Carolyn Texera. Scale and color masterly blend well with economy of hand. The space of the show does not do justice to the maximum viewing distance this piece deserves. [Robyn stood back about 12 feet to view this piece!]
“Lighthouse” by Nanette Mathe. Brave use of the materials marries risk-taking in a gutsy, compositionally strong piece that dares the viewer to examine the artist’s purpose in a perfectly scaled delight.