Award Winners

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Tatsuki Hakoyama, Where Do We Go from Here?, oil on canvas

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David Jackson, O's, photography on canvas

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Kim Kleinhardt, Pawn or Queen?, mixed media on canvas

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Lou Vallance, Tumbling Waters, acrylic with mixed media on canvas

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Jackson Wrede, Gillian, oil on linen

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Honorable Mentions

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Jay Constantine, The Whitmer Kidnap Plot, alkyd oil on panel

Justin Guild, Third, oil

Rosemary Hayes, Kimono lll, raku ceramics

Joyce A Recker, Haiku 2, mixed media - hardwoods, copper, roses, rocks

Rachael Tamez, Required Breakthrough, acrylic on canvas

Diane Zoellmer, Seed Diamonds, digital photography

 

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Juror’s Statement – Amy Fell

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I’d like to thank Lowell Arts for giving me the opportunity to serve as the juror for this year’s West Michigan Art Competition. Lowell Arts’ gallery is a beautiful space for showcasing art and I was honored to be involved. Although my work is representational and very realistic, I have a deep appreciation for all styles of art, as long as it moves me and is well done. 

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After receiving the entries electronically, I decided to initially view everything in a relaxed, non-judgmental way. I wanted to enjoy the art as you do when viewing a great art show, albeit online! After I went through the entire body of work, I closed up my computer for the day. But over the following days I looked at everything through a juror’s lens and made my decisions.

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Yesterday I had the great pleasure of seeing the accepted work in person. To see the work up close made all the difference. You can see something on a computer screen and appreciate many of the qualities of the piece. But to see it in the flesh, and be able to see the details such as brush strokes, or to be able to walk around a sculpture brings an even higher appreciation for the artists’ work. 

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I was looking for several elements present in the art. First, originality. This can be tough; creating something in a way that hasn’t been seen before isn’t easy. But I did see a number of works that were very unique and fresh. I was also looking for a strong narrative, a feeling or mood in a piece. I wanted to feel something, to have a visceral response when I viewed a piece, whether it was excitement, sadness or even uneasiness. Finally, I was looking for work that showed strong and interesting technique. It was key that the artist used their materials and methods in a skillful way.
 
So many of the pieces are captivating and interesting, but several particularly stand out to me. Jackson Wrede’s oil painting Gillian is strong on narrative, skill and technique. The young woman lying in a somewhat seductive pose on her bed juxtaposed with the stuffed animal behind her is so interesting and mysterious. David Jackson’s photograph O’s shows great originality, skill and cheeky attitude. Lou Valiance’s abstract acrylic-with-mixed media piece, Tumbling Waters, is beautifully painted with a lovely feeling of movement. Tatsuki Hakoyama’s, oil painting Where Do We Go From Here? contains a strong narrative and mood along with skillful technique. Finally, Kim Kleinhardt’s mixed media piece Pawn or Queen? is an engaging piece in which materials are used effectively and interestingly to raise important questions about the future for young women.

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I hope everyone enjoys the show as much as I did jurying it. Thank you again to Lowell Arts for giving me this opportunity to serve as juror.