Wednesday, April 24, 2024

55th REGIONAL EXHIBITION

The selected entries for the 55th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition & Sale are displayed below in each category. Winners will be announced May 15th.

A word from the Juror: Thank you for entrusting me with judging your show this year. I’ve enjoyed this process and wanted to share why I chose certain pieces for entrance into the show and again for awarding the show winners. All judges have their own criteria for judging shows, and with each judge there is often a different outcome. If you did not make the show or did not receive an award, I’d like to encourage you that the judging process is highly subjective, and the results should never discourage anyone from pursuing their creative endeavors. I’d like to encourage all participants to please continue to do what you love. Whenever I don’t get into a show or win an award, I always take the opportunity to ask myself some questions on how I can improve to become a better artist. Sometimes taking some classes with professionals is what is needed to gain insight on creating better paintings. Sometimes it is simply spending more time in the studio. Sometimes it is making sure you have a good photograph of the piece that has been sized and cropped. A piece that isn’t presented well cannot be adequately compared to a piece that has had all distracting elements removed. Whatever we choose to do to improve, the end goal in my honest opinion is to bring beauty, thoughtfulness, and creativity into the world in which we live, and particularly now, art can bring us together and not separate. As the late master, Mr. Richard Schmid said, “Gratitude Always…we save the world with Paint!” – RCAS 55TH REGIONAL 2021

2021 RCAS REGIONAL BEST OF SHOW
“Summer Braids” by Hebe Brooks, 14 x 11 Colored Pencil on Paper

Best of Show was chosen for its overall composition, value, drawing, color harmony, edges, and compelling subject.   I felt it had all the elements of a great painting or photo.  Best of Show tells a Story while showing a mastery of the chosen medium (colored pencil).  This piece had emotion, good composition with the subject placed in a nice position on the paper.  The piece is drawn well with the shoulders slightly cocked in a manner that a young girls would do and gives the feeling with the lips slightly ajar that she is bashful or playing with an object.  Her hair is tossed.  The artist handled her hair with skill.  The piece is sweet but not overly so and fits the name “Summer Braids”.  I thought it was well done, overall. 

RICHARDSON MEMBER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Judge’s Comment: I had a difficult time choosing the piece for the Member’s Award of Excellence.   I kept coming back to this piece because it is intriguing and has a story.  The drawing might be a tad off in areas (the right thumb might be a bit big) but otherwise very well done.
Cat’s Cradle by Sue Killingsworth

WATER MEDIA – RCAS 55TH REGIONAL 2021

Juror’s criteria: 1) Handling of Medium and Drawing skills; 2) Composition and Design; 3) Color Harmony; 4) Edgework; 5) Creative and thoughtful subject matter conveying a message or feeling, storytelling

ALL SALES ARE BETWEEN PATRON AND ARTIST. IF INTERESTED IN PURCHASING AN ORIGINAL WORK OF ART, CONTACT THE ARTIST.

OIL & ACRYLICS – RCAS 55TH REGIONAL 2021

Juror’s criteria: 1) Design, composition; 2) Value; 3) Drawing; 4) Color Harmony; 5) Edgework and shape; 6) Handling of Medium; 7) Creativity and compelling portrayal of the subject matter conveying a message, feeling, telling a story

ALL SALES ARE BETWEEN PATRON AND ARTIST. IF INTERESTED IN PURCHASING AN ORIGINAL WORK OF ART, CONTACT THE ARTIST.

PASTELS & GRAPHICS – RCAS 55TH REGIONAL 2021

Juror’s criteria: 1) Composition and design; 2) Drawing; 3) Edges; 4) Color Harmony; 5)Handling of Medium; 6) Creativity and compelling portrayal of Subject matter conveying a message or feeling, storytelling

ALL SALES ARE BETWEEN PATRON AND ARTIST. IF INTERESTED IN PURCHASING AN ORIGINAL WORK OF ART, CONTACT THE ARTIST.

COLLAGE & MIXED MEDIA – RCAS 55TH REGIONAL 2021

Juror’s criteria: 1) Compelling and eye catching composition; 2) Value contrast; 3) Color balance and harmony; 4) Technical skill in Drawing; 5) Creativity and thoughtful idea; 6) Good handling of chosen medium – i.i., wood, cloth, canvas, paper, other materials that went into the piece; 7) Edge, shape juxtaposition; 8) Subject matter conveys a feeling, tells a story, sends a message

ALL SALES ARE BETWEEN PATRON AND ARTIST. IF INTERESTED IN PURCHASING AN ORIGINAL WORK OF ART, CONTACT THE ARTIST.

PHOTOGRAPHY/DIGITAL ART CATAGORY- RCAS 55TH REGIONAL 2021

Juror’s criteria: 1) Must have a compelling Composition; 2) Value; 3) Display of Emotion and Storytelling; 4) Unique, one of a kind moments in time; 5) Unique lighting and color; 6) Interesting shape, creativity

ALL SALES ARE BETWEEN PATRON AND ARTIST. IF INTERESTED IN PURCHASING AN ORIGINAL WORK OF ART, CONTACT THE ARTIST.

AWARDS AND CATEGORIES
  • Best of Show (Purchase Award) $1500.00
  • Judge’s Choice Award $500.00
  • Oil/Acrylic on Canvas 1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM
  • Water media on Paper 1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM
  • Collage/Mixed Media 1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM
  • Pastels/Graphics 1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM
  • Digital and Photography 1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM

Cash Prizes in each category for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Honorable Mention will be $300, $250, $200, and $150 respectively. Merchandise awards will be distributed equitably among the categories at the judge’s discretion. There will be approximately $7,000.00 in cash and merchandise awards.

ELIGIBILITY
• DOWNLOAD FULL PROSPECTUS •
ABOUT THE JUROR, JUDY A. CROWE
Artist Judy Crowe
Juror/Artist Judy Crowe

I loved to draw as a child-mostly ladies in long beautiful dresses. I guess at one point in time, I thought I might pursue clothes design as a career. My mother passed away when I was 17 though and the social worker at MD Anderson helped me so much that I began to seriously consider social work as my college major. It wasn’t until years later after having children of my own that I discovered painting.

I began painting after a friend gave me a couple of oil painting lessons in her garage. I was hooked and began to take classes from various artists but it wasn’t until I moved to Houston that I began taking painting seriously. I did not grow up in a household that visited museums or art galleries so this field of work was entirely new to me. Those few visits to my friend’s garage opened up a whole world I had never dreamed of. I love the works of the Old Masters but the Impressionist painters are the painters I most admire for their vibrant use of color and their individual brushwork. As it did for the impressionists, everyday subjects inspire me. I love flowers and landscapes and appreciate the beauty of nature. It’s quite a challenge to capture the feel of a time or place on canvas rather than a photo representation.

I’ve been featured in several national artists publications and have won many awards but while those honors are nice, the best reward ~ for me as an artist ~ is when a collector purchases a piece of work. My hope and goal is to add lasting value to the world we live in and perhaps capture a part of God’s wonderful creation to canvas.

For more information, visit Judy Crowe’s web site: www.JudyCrowe.com