Earlier this fall, I had the opportunity jury work into the Miller Museum’s 44th annual juried exhibition. The show opened Saturday and is, in my opinion, a fair representation of some of the artistic trends and tendencies in the NE corner of Wisconsin. It’s humbling and weird to jury a show– I’m usually on the other side of the equation: applying and hoping. Being on the juror side is a good reminder of how subjective these decisions are. For example, good pieces get cut because they’re not right for that particular show. Or because we’ve already seen a lot of abstract painting and want to have a diversity of media and approaches.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know and hear the thoughts of my fellow jurors (shown here): Nell Jarosh, owner of Edgewood Orchard Gallery and painter Emmett Johns. Painting carried the day, as it always seems to in these types of shows. The work submitted tended towards representational, towards a high level of finish, and towards more traditional subject matter. In light of these trends, pieces like Curtis Judd‘s abstract and loosely painted head– one of my favorites– stood out.
If you’re in NE Wisconsin, I encourage you to check out the show. If you do, please let me know what you think!
