Late fall brings color to our outside views and, in the regional art world, color and form to the York Art Association's “Open Juried Exhibition.”

This year's annual exhibit, the association's fifty-first, was curated and juried by Jennifer Thompson, known for her work with the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum in the same city. Three hundred and twenty-three works were submitted, with one hundred and one selected.

The "Best of Show" award was won by Benjamin LaDieu's graphite pen and ink work, Watcher of the Wood. "Awards of Excellence" went to Kate Cramer, Sandra Desrosiers, Beth Fowler, Claire Stoner, and Linda Williard.

Thompson's technique of jurying works includes three or more rounds of review, focusing on originality, technical skills, and a sense of ambition. Association board member Suzanne Stoltenberg summarizes the juror's notes on each:

Originality

"Upon the first review, if a work of art is particularly striking, it's often because it isn't like all the others. Thompson looks for artwork that is full of creativity and appears to reflect the artist's individual voice, making it stand out as highly original. It may be personal interpretation or style. An original artwork, by its nature, is hard to quantify, but she says you usually know it when you see it by the way it forces you to stop and look."

Technical Skill

"A top-notch work of art demonstrates that an artist has excellent command over their chosen medium. They have explored that medium, substrate, or material and know how to use it to the best effect. In the case of paintings, it may be the use of color, texture, line, or composition. With realist artworks, it could be drawing skills or the ability to suggest space and model forms. An abstract work done with technical proficiency has a substantive richness and depth. With photography, it may be how the subject is framed, the chosen depth of field, or the crispness of the image. Signs that an artist struggled with the medium are often apparent." 

Sense of Ambition

"Even though a work stands out at first glance, will it continue to intrigue the viewer the following day and for days to come? When deciding what pieces will make it into an exhibit, Thompson looks at everything the first time, highlights a few, and then looks afresh at every submission several more times. The artworks that draw her in over and over, the ones in which she finds herself discovering additional nuances each time, are likely to get in the show. She appreciates it when an artist knows their level of competency but pushes the envelope, reaching beyond their current comfort level. This sense of ambition, while risky, can result in a highly successful artwork."

The exhibit runs through December 18th, 2022.

York Art Association
220 S. Marshall Street, York, PA
M-F, 10 AM - 3 PM
Sunday, 2 - 4 PM
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Thanks to Suzanne Stoltenberg for her help and lead in this article.

All works copyright the artist, the York Art Association, and/or Andrew T. Smith