2009 Juried Show
Juror’s Statement
Wabash Valley Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition, 2009
Thank you for inviting me to be the juror for the Wabash Valley Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition. Within my role as the juror, I brought my experiences as a visual artist, arts educator, and gallery professional. I strived to curate a quality exhibition that shows the diversity of watercolor painting as a medium that may be fluid, transparent or opaque. I was mindful of paintings that showed well-crafted skills, but was particularly interested in discovering how well the intent of the artist was expressed visually. The “Best of Show” winner – Lorie Amick’s Nash’s Mustard: 1930’s – succeeded in bringing together concept with compelling imagery that revealed a touch of humor, nostalgia, and a nod to Pop Art.
Some works in the exhibition are quite set in the traditions of realism and show beautiful control of the watercolor medium, while others venture into surrealism and abstraction and more experimental applications – all equaling engaging. However, I have found that art sometimes needs to go past boundaries to find limits or to set new expectations. I was drawn to works that took risks with composition and perspective, such as the painting showing an overhead view of a box of chocolates and the painting with a cropped composition of a basket of vegetables against a rich background of eggplants.
I was struck by the overall quality of the submissions to the exhibition, and hope the display flows together as much as the paint itself -- moving a viewer from one place to another. Thanks again for allowing me to be your juror, and best wishes to all the artists who entered the exhibition.
Susan Watt Grade