Juror's Statement
THE JANUARY 2002
ALL-MEDIA MEMBERSHIP SHOW
Georgia Deal
Associate Professor of Art
The Corcoran School of Art and Design
Juror's Dialogue
by Pat Gerkin
Georgia Deal, Associate Professor of Art at The Corcoran School of Art and Design, jurored the January All-Media Show for The Art League. Ms. Deal has a background in printmaking and papermaking and is represented in a number of collections and museums. This was Ms. Deal's first judging experience with The Art League, and she said that she was surprised at the high level of quality work and the overwhelming number of submissions. "I knew that the printmaking was high quality, but I did not know what level to expect from the other mediums. I was very pleased to see that the majority were very competent works," she remarked.
"My selection process weeded out those works that had a generic quality to them. I looked for work that was not just technically competent but was seductive or compelling in some way. Many of the works were very good paintings but were not memorable images. They were works that I've seen so many times, particularly in the generic landscapes. Some works that I chose were not as technically proficient but they had a certain sensibility or wit about them that gives a sense of the voice of the artist(s)."
Ms. Deal stressed that the strengths of the show lay in the photography and the printmaking submissions. "I felt that the photography, particularly the black and white photography, was just wonderful, and the printmaking was also very good. The sculpture, on the other hand, was scant." An automatic knockout for a piece is one that is "stereotypical, cliché images, overly sentimental subjects, or poorly executed drawing or painting," she said.
Drawing: "While there were no outstanding drawings, some were good solid examples."
Printmaking: "This was an especially strong area. I saw experimental, mixed media prints, monotypes, collagraphs, and very interesting techniques used. In the 70s, the technical aspect of printmaking were very tight, flawless, high-tech, and a little soulless. Now, a lot of artists have loosened up and are allowing the printmaking techniques be a means to an end. I think that this is a much healthier attitude," Ms. Deal elaborated.
Photography: "Because I am not a photographer, I tend to judge these submissions on a formal basis. I looked for strong composition and content. I can't help wondering if a photographer might have made different choices based on techniques used. The black and white photography was by far the strongest. Many of them had real strength and resonance--some landscapes--even if you have seen the images before. For example, the gondolas might have been considered a tourist shot but it transcended that because of its beautiful abstract pattern. It was almost textile-like, or like interlocking puzzle pieces." (A. Wulff, silverprint)
Watercolor: "Watercolor was the strongest of the painting media. I am very appreciative of good watercolor because I know how difficult it is to do. Much of the subject matter was safe and traditional, and a lot of the landscapes were images from nature. But there was competency and beauty in much of the painting technique. One small watercolor looked almost like an altered photo, but it was this lovely, luminous watercolor. The light was heightened and it had a surreal quality to it (D. DeCesare)."
Pastel/Colored pencil: "This was not a strong suit. I was not taken by any of them. Some good traditional, solid drawings were among them, but not anything extraordinary, for me."
Collage: "What comes to mind immediately was a mixed media piece that worked on so many levels. The scale and weight of it transcended the materials. It had a piece of hardware attached to it, and it was an enigmatic and powerful image (J. McCarten). I almost gave it the top award. I was pleased with the collages."
Works on Canvas: "The painting was pretty traditional. Some of them had nuances and subtleties that were quite beautiful. I really liked the way the artist used paint in the piece of the reclining woman. It was an interesting and sophisticated use of paint (I. Gumb III). Another piece I liked particularly was the straight-on face in a mustardy color. It had so much life. The viewer can look at it and be completely engaged by the character of this woman (M. Keeler). And, there were little snippets of landscapes, like looking into a grove, that were very strong paintings (C. Rubin). Many lovely paintings were quite small."
Sculpture: "The sculpture was disappointing in how few were submitted. I didn't see much in mixed media, but I really did like the paper mache figure. It was so animated. It was very rough, but it had an honesty and believability and wit. Everything about it was right on target anatomically (L. Schumaier). I was disappointed that there were not any ceramics. I have worked in ceramics and have collaborated with ceramists, so I had hoped to see more."
Abstract: "I did not choose much abstract at all. We aren't seeing artists working as abstractly as we did 20-25 years ago, and I did not feel that the few submitted pieces were as good as abstract work could be."
Would you do anything differently the second time around? "In the beginning I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of submissions, and I thought it was going to be very difficult. But after I got into it, I simply trusted my instincts. At the Corcoran, we team teach and we are able to team critique with three teachers simultaneously, so I feel pretty competent about my ability to critique. I team teach with an abstract sculptor, and this keeps me challenged and fresh. It also keeps me fair-minded. On my second pass, I felt confident in my first choices. So, no I would not do things differently the next time around."
Advice to Artists: "It is great to submit work to a juried show. After school, there is no feedback. This is a good way to see your standing. Don't be discouraged if your work is not selected. Keep working, because your work will inevitably improve as you work. And remember, ultimately, you create art for yourself."
Advice to The Art League: "Keep getting a broad range of jurors. Get different, independent judges. I found the selections crew very helpful. They were so efficient that it was calming and helped me to reestablish my confidence in my ability to judge the show fairly."
This page was last updated 01/12/2002.