Photography, Mixed Media, Print Making, Sculpture & Fine Crafts

The Newburyport Art Association presents The 2007 Annual Members Fall Juried Show Part 1 from August 24 to September 16. There were 222 entries from 126 artists, 154 works were selected.

Jurors:

For Photography, Mixed Media & Printmaking: Paula Tognarelli
Ms. Tognarelli is the Executive Director and Curator of the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA. Ms. Tognarelli holds a M.S. in Arts Administration from Boston University, is a graduate of the New England School of Photography and is a current candidate for her Masters in Education at Lesley University as a Visual Arts teacher. Prior to her position as Executive Director of the Griffin Museum, Ms. Tognarelli held the position of Deputy Director and Assistant Curator at the Griffin Museum over the past five years.

For Sculpture & Fine Crafts: Michael & Maryse Searls McConnell
Mr. McConnell has an MFA in Sculpture from Ohio University. He is currently Associate Professor of Arts at The University of New Hampshire Department of Art & Art History. He teaches sculpture courses. His Works in public collections include: Butler Institute of American Art (Ohio), and Currier Gallery of Art (NH).

Ms. Maryse Searls McConnell Has an MFA in Ceramics from Alfred University. She is currently Associate Professor of Arts at The University of New Hampshire Department of Art & Art History. She teaches ceramics and sculpture courses.

Recent exhibitions for both: Moses Kent Invitational Sculpture Exhibitions (Exeter, NH) and Mill Brook Gallery & Sculpture Garden (Concord, NH) .

Juror's Show Overall Comments:

Paula Tognarelli on the Photography, Mixed Media and Printmaking...
"I was very impressed with the quality of the submissions to the NAA's Fall Juried Show. I found the work sophisticated and indicative of current trends in the art world. As a juror, I was looking for unique articulation, work that was narrative in nature, work that was representational of a community, and work that was crafted well. While creating the total body of work I consciously chose pieces that worked together, echoing themes or personal responses.”

Michael McConnell & Maryse Searls McConnell on the Sculpture and Fine Crafts...
“We were impresses by both the range and quality of the submissions. The sculpture presented evidence of a clear understanding and value for traditional materials and techniques, often coupled with contemporary aesthetic concerns. The narrative sculpture is particularly strong as highlighted by the whimsical “Step this way” bronze by M. coon and the cerebral content of Barbara Haack’s “Our Current Descent into Hades”. Also of note are the biomorphic alabaster abstractions by Anne Beaulieu. We found both carvings thoughtfully conceived and finely crafted. The Fine Crafts work submitted demonstrated a firm grasp of technique and sensitivity to materials. More importantly, the artists have shown a freedom and propensity to move beyond historical references to a more personal, contemporary vision. “Feathers”, a wonderful carved gourd by Susan K. Burton is a fine example of how a number of small but important decisions can build together into a finished work that is beautifully executed. “Yet Another Year” by Douglas W. Johnson is an extraordinary work that challenges the viewer to consider the constant “random” color within each square as they hang against the next square, permeating the next field in a pointillist frenzy. Clearly Sculpture and Fine Crafts are alive and well, and flourishing in Newburyport.”

Click on thumbnail for larger view.

Mary Alice Arakelian Memorial Award for Best of Show: $100
Fernando Martin, Winchendon, MA
Photograph titled “Flower Child”
“I chose this piece for the Best of Show piece, because of its intimate perspective and narrative nature. As the viewer, I am invited into this woman’s world. I became enthralled by the subject’s bold colors, her exotic tattoos and whimsical back drop. Immediately, I begin making meaning out of this very visual story.” Paula Toganarell



Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation Award for Photography: $70
Sue Anne Hodges, West Newbury, MA
Digital Archival Pigment Print titled “Boatscape #1”
“I was drawn first to Sue Anne Hodges’s Boatscape #1 because of the shapes and planes and the overall contrast of the image. I felt that I was viewing the ocean. I was aware of its movement, but the water was deconstructed in some way leaving me with fluidity of the waves and the heaviness of the ground or bottom of the piece. After seeing the title Boatscape #1 I tried to refocus to find the boat in the image. Perhaps I found it as an overall reflection. Perhaps I didn’t. It doesn’t matter because it was the abstractness of the piece that I responded so strongly.” Paula Tognarelli


Newburyport Five Cent Savings Bank Award for Mixed Media: $70
Paula Estey, Newburyport, MA
Mixed Media titled  “Woman in Red Headdress”  
“Ms. Estey utilizes a number of materials out of which she shapes character where there once was none. Out of molded paper she carves folds in the red head dress that mimic the age lines of the woman’s face. The folds are severe. The face and features are grave and gray. The large red buttons and beads, and a backdrop of green leaves add a layer of lightness offsetting the overall mood of the piece.” Paula Tognarelli


Newburyport Area Industrial Development Fund Award for Sculpture: $70
Marilyn Coon, Kingston, NH
Bonze titled “Step this Way”
“Well modeled. Excellent composition / implied movement. Excellent patina.” Michael McConnell & Maryse Searls McConnell







Strem Chemical Award for Printmaking: $70
Mary Pollak, Ipswich, MA
Monotype titled “Shifting, Changing”
“I chose this piece for the printing award because of my personal response to the work. The image evoked motion and movement…perhaps of water. The play of lights and darks made me shift my focus back and forth from foreground to background, positive to negative space. The serene nature of the blue contrasted rhythmically to the splashes of orange punctuation points. The bold black strokes of letter-like marks pulled me around the piece as if I were trying to decipher a language I could not understand.” Paula Tognarelli


Sam Sargent Award for Fine Crafts: $70
Susan K. Burton, Ipswich, MA
Carved Gourd titled “Feathers”
“Superior conceptually regarding design & execution. Beautiful surface quality & colorization.” Michael McConnell & Maryse Searls McConnell




Laura Coombs Hills Award for General Excellence: $70
Douglas W. Johnson, Newburyport, MA
Seed Beads titled “Yet another Year”
“Inventive use of beads as points of color. Conceptually interesting.” Michael McConnell & Maryse Searls McConnell


Leslie E. “Bud” Atkinson Award: $50
1924 – 2007, Fellow Photographer & Friend of NAA
Jurgen Kedesdy, Newbury, MA
Digital Photo – Archival Ink Jet Print titled “On the Road to Matlache”
“I hope Bud Atkinson would have agreed with me that this piece is delightful. The photograph is narrative in nature, yet at the same time it evoked a feeling of “fancy”. I found my self asking what is going on here. Each corner answered me. Everywhere I looked I was drawn in to the photo, hung out a bit and then worked my way around the photograph. The wide bright red mouth brought me in, bringing me up to the lizard lying on the couch, and over to the basket of sandals down to the tender pink rose with thorns and back to the itsy bitsy, teeny weenie orange polka dot bikini. What fun!” Paula Tognarelli


Honorable Mention
Joanne Neary Morris, Newburyport, MA
Ink Jet Print titled “Niagara Perspective”
“I think this small piece is so elegant. It communicates a lot in such a small area. Converging lines move the viewer through space and into this beautiful expanse of blue sky.” Paula Tognarelli



Honorable Mention
Beth Reiter Blanchard, Ipswich, MA
Laser Print titled “Looking at You”
“I liked the smallness of the piece and the irony of the fact that the subject reached out to me, the viewer and said, “Come back here. Don’t pass me by. Here’s looking at you.” Ok, you got my attention.” Paula Tognarelli





Honorable Mention
Anne Beaulieu, Newbury, MA
Italian Alabaster titled “Fragile”
“Beautifully lyrical forms. Excellent use of alabaster as a translucent material” Michael McConnell & Maryse Searls McConnell


Honorable Mention
Linda Siwak, Topsfield, MA
Acrylic on Canvas titled “Thistle Floor Cloth”
“Beautiful colorization and use of media. Lovely inventive composition.” Michael McConnell & Maryse Searls McConnell



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