Life, Judging and Art

Please forgive me for not posting. I do appreciate all the emails of concern. Today I woke to a winter wonderland, only it's suppose to be spring. It feels as if this winter will never end. My dad continues to decline. His end is slow, painful and messy. I would not wish this on anyone. He remains alert and hopeful.

I did make it to the opening of Clay3 at the Warrenville Public Library. As with all exhibits, some pieces spoke to me and others did not. I did question the juror and judge, Kurt Weiser, on his selecting multiple pieces by the same artist. Of the fifty-one pieces in the show, there were only 36 artists represented. I understand that more than 100 artists entered. I know the work of two who were rejected so my thought was "laziness?" Two of the pieces look like they were done by the same person but were not. I am told that they are very typical of a plate coming out of a soda kiln firing. I was thrilled that my friend Viki Dracopoulos got in. She began creating pottery six years ago at the age of 16. In just the short time that I have known her, I have watched her grow. She was like an excited little kid at the opening and it was a joy to watch.

I am a lover of hands and Jamie Bates Slone of Kansas City, Missouri, work was interesting but I did not think it deserved first place. The blue one is titled "Degenerate II"(the winner) and the aqua one is "Degenerate I." The artist statement which can only be found in the catalog did move me. "My work is an examination and reflection of the memories, emotions, and anxieties caused by my family's history with cancer with an emphasis on the relationship between human biology and human emotion."

If I had been the judge, I would have chosen Vijay Paniker's "Pan Co Safety Can" as the first place winner. Unfortunately, the lighting and crowds made it impossible to get a decent photograph. I encourage you to visit his website. You will not be disappointed. Vijay makes his sculptures look like they have been manufactured by machines rather than by an individual. It just goes to show how subjective judging can be.