Art in the County jurors honour works that connect to the community

Jurors Jan Allen, Linda Jansma and George Walker with the Jurors' Award winners for the 2011 Art in the County exhibition and sale.

“Exquisite craftsmanship”, “anthropomorphic quality”, “sensibility of space and place”, “subtle tone with soft mood” and mouth-watering flavour are among the words used to describe winners of this year’s Art in the County Jurors’ Award winners.
Art in the County’s 18th annual premier art show opens Friday, June 17 in Picton’s Old Town Hall, (above the Picton Fire Hall, corner of Ross and King streets).
The exhibition and sale displays the highest quality of work from County artists and artisans. The artwork on display was chosen earlier this week by three professionally qualified jurors.
The show is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until July 3.

2011 Art in the County Award Winners with jurors’ comments:

1. Bill Reddick -2 cups and saucers
The exquisite craftsmanship set these works apart. The contrast between the delicate celadon glaze and the highly mat saucer enhance the effect of the fine sensibilities of texture and form. They beg to be touched.

2. Florence Chick-Lau – Que Sera Sera
The jury was struck by the anthropomorphic quality of the characters. The hares’ expressive sculptural stance and attitude of wit bring this piece to life.

3. Aidan Haley – The Precariousness of living on the Rock
The composition echoes a sensibility of space and place bringing the viewer into the scale and atmosphere of the East coast. The sense of colour and perspective lend a charm that draw us into the ambiance of the scene.

4. Martina Escudero-Wolf – Life Savers #2
Jan remarked, “this painting makes my mouth water” summing up the flavour that the artist evokes with the use of colour and its generous application and purpose. The balance and texture work together to draw the viewer into the experience.

5. Elizabeth Hutchinson – Near Picton
This small painting was notable in its use of subtle tone and soft mood. The sheep look out from the painting frame in expectation and aniticpation. The artist demonstrated a delicate handling of tone and hue with a balanced composition.

HONOURABLE MENTION

1. Tammy Love – Untitled
The jury felt that the integration of materials and paint were fused with an expert subtle handling of surface and colour. The overall impact of the painting was one of depth and imagination with a mysterious aura of temper.

2. Sharon Kennedy – Victory March
A surreal magic envelops this work by Kennedy. The mysterious character seems to bleed from a green /blue world that is both in decay and metamorphisis.

3. Danielle Reddick – Blue Sailors’ Chicory & Birdsfoot Trefoil
The delicate colours in the threads have both movement and tension at the same time. A beautiful presentation that is sensitive to the contrast of materials that combine to suggest pastoral space. The jury found it a brilliant fusion of method and concept.

4. Judith McLure – Northern Lights
The gradation of colour combined with the skill of execution is balanced and refined into an elegant work of fibre art. The beads add a certain whimsy to the piece that is accentuated by the title, Northern Lights.

5. Carol Pattrick– Floating
The jury admired the striking evocation of emersion – a summer bliss. The crisp rendering of line and form is a convincing representation of the figure suspended in water.

The 2011 Jurors:
Jan Allen is Chief Curator/Curator of Contemporary Art at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University, Kingston.
Linda Jansma has been the Curator of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery since 1994.  She completed an Honours BA at Queen’s University and a MA at the University of East Anglia.
George Walker is a wood engraver, book artist, author, illustrator and educator who has taught courses at the Ontario College of Art and Design since 1985.
JURORS’ STATEMENT:
It was a great privilege to jury this exhibition. We extend our warmest congratulations to all who participated in this process. It was a pleasure to see such a rich offering of work, we especially appreciate works that connect to and grow out of the community. The range of materials deployed and subject matter depicted give the resulting exhibition a deep and engaging texture.