meeting criteria

As I proudly reported in a previous post, my collage to the left was one of 60 artworks (culled from a total of 190 submissions) selected for the 35th Annual Juried Exhibit at the Durango Arts Center this month.






Since making this announcement, I've been able to get my hands on the juror's statement about his criterion for selecting pieces to be included in the show. The juror, Chad Colby, Associate Professor of Art at Fort Lewis College, explained that the process was both "intimidating and inspiring," and "not an easy task." He further described the key elements that informed his decisions about what to choose for the exhibition. I feel honored that I "qualified" for these criteria:

creativity- even if the subject matter is familiar, how original is the presentation?

technical refinement- notable skill with a chosen media, as well as a gallery-ready presentation.

play- something about the piece shows an artistic "spirit". This is the hardest category to quantify, and it transcends the mastering of skills. Artists should think of play as a serious undertaking that enables the freedom to discover new forms. This may seem like a contradictory notion- serious play- but it is the modus operandi of most artists I've known.

diversity- a final criteria; I tried to select a show that has variety both in form and content.