My Thoughts on Jurying

Today was quite challenging. As I'd mentioned yesterday, today I served as a solo juror for the first time today for the Pure Enjoyment exhibit in Springfield, Missouri sponsored by Brewer Science. A diverse selection of work was submitted and I feel very honored at having the opportunity to view so many great works of art. There were a lot of landscapes and still lifes, but there were some abstract works, portraiture and other pieces as well. I think that the resulting show will be quite nice and highlight several different techniques, media, styles and subjects.

I hated having to reject work, but not everything will fit in the space, both in regards to forming a cohesive show and in regards to the quantity of work submitted. To those who didn't get in, I would say to submit again in the future and try not to take it too personally. I have written about dealing with rejection before, and unfortunately this is something that all artists must contend with at some point or another if they are really pushing themselves.

One thing did stick out in my mind while jurying, and that was presentation. I know that I am guilty of not spending enough time on this myself sometimes, but I cannot begin to emphasize how important this is. You are doing yourself and your work a disservice when you frame it poorly bcause it really can lessen the work and decrease its impact immensely. Sometimes you will see beautiful artworks presented badly (either due to the choice of frame overwhelming or clashing with the artwork within it or because the means of presentation is cheap and poorly executed). This is such a pity - our artworks truly deserve better and ought to be showcased in ways that strengthen them.

I know that framing costs can be high, but not everything need be framed. It is acceptable to paint the edges of the canvas for example, but treat the entire canvas respectfully and paint the edges well - don't just slap some paint on them. If you are planning to paint the edges of your canvases as opposed to framing your paintings, please make certain to use wraparound canvases so there aren't any staples or frayed canvas peeking around the edges. And staples or other construction elements can be distracting to your work if you allow them to show without making them somehow integral to your design. So please take these elements into consideration when you construct or display your work so that it can really shine. You and your art deserve it.