Newburyport Art Association
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August 20 – September 19, 2004 Jurors: Ron DiRito and John Giordano Show opens: August 20 Pick-up work not accepted: Fri., Aug. 20 & Sat. Aug 21 11am – 5 pm Reception: Saturday, Aug 21 , 7-9 pm Pick up work accepted: Sunday, September 19, 4 – 7 pm Monday, September 20, 12 pm – 4 pm Juror's Comments Ron DiRito’s comments regarding the photography: The Submissions overall were very strong and quite varied. It is always a difficult and daunting task knowing some works must be eliminated. The approach I took was to establish criteria based on the following: vision, craft and presentation. Vision includes composition with an adherence to a strong formal sensibility. Moreover, the elements must come together to communicate something beyond the obvious. How was the subject interpreted is always more intriguing than a simple recording of likeness. Does the photograph demonstrate a controlled use of the camera and materials? How is the photography presented? Lastly, does the photograph, its formal elements, content, craft and presentation come together in a unified whole? The show, I believe, represents a fulfillment of the criteria and is a testament to the extraordinary depth and range of talent of the members of the Newburyport Art Association. Ron DiRito is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Photography Dept. at Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA. He received his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BA from Metropolitan State College in Denver, CO His photographs have appeared in periodicals around the world, including: Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, L'Espresso, Paris Match & The World & I. John Giordano’s comments regarding the sculpture: I am impressed with the range of materials, techniques, ideas and subjects the artists explored in the sculpture submitted to the N.A.A. exhibition. From traditional ceramics to fabricated steel, from realistic subjects to abstract compositions, the works represent many personal interpretations of three-dimensional form. What strikes me most is that so many of the artists found unique ways to represent human and animal forms. Some are quite realistic and others are merely suggestive of the symmetry of the body. Overall, the sculpture shows a high degree of technical skill and mastery of materials. John Giordano is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at Massachusetts College of Art. He coordinates the Community /Museum art education track and teaches interdisciplinary portfolio classes, community education and museum education. As well, he works with Master of Science in Art Education students who are preparing for their thesis exhibitions. Additional Juror’s Comments: As judges we had concerns around the presentation of many of the photographs: matt board color, frame profile and signatures. Sometimes the matt and frame combination were so visually distracting that they overwhelmed an image. Consider the two reasons for matting and framing a photograph: to preserve and present. It is problematic when presentation (matt and frame) pulls the viewer’s eye away from the actual work. The signatures were another concern. If signing on the front, use a pencil rather than a sharpie; sign in the border rather than in the image. Consider signing on the verso of the print and include all the pertinent information: title, process, date and copyright. Let the exhibition label inform the viewer about the artist. John Giordano & Ron DiRito Click on thumbnails for larger view.
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