Art BEAT's publisher, Lynne Kornecki, was honored to be the judge for Elmhurst Artists' Guild's annual members' winter show on display now until January 5, 2024 at the Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 S. Cottage Hill Avenue, Elmhurst, IL. Here Lynne points out why she selected Jennifer Myers' mixed media piece MISTY PINES as best in show. Scroll down for a better view of this work along with other winners...
More than 60-plus spectacular entries filled a brightly lit gallery at Elmhurst Art Museum
for the award ceremony Friday evening, December 8, 2023, recognizing the excellent work of the members of Elmhurst Artists' Guild.
Pieces ran the gamut from 3D to oil, mixed media, acrylic and colored pencil. If you can find the time to view this show, it is well worth it!
And, the winners are:
BEST IN SHOW: Jennifer Myers; Misty Pines
FIRST PLACE: Fred Moss; Cliffside View of Vernazza
SECOND PLACE: Marlene Vitek; Winter Sun
THIRD PLACE: Elaine Davis; Gravity
Honorable Mention: Ted Strandt; Sculpture -- Thing with Faux Kali Stick
Honorable Mention: Diana Leviton Gondek; Tweets & Tutus
Honorable Mention: Dalia Abdelaziz; Life's Blueprint
Here are the winning works, along with the judge's statements about each piece...
BEST IN SHOW: Jennifer Myers; Misty Pines; mixed media
Judge's remarks: "Wow! Such a fascinating piece rich with so much detail. I especially like the juxtaposition of the rugged, abstract, dimensional foreground that leads the eye deeper into a forest of shapely, realistic evergreens. And, above this textural landscape, is an incredibly alive sky with the eye-catching use of gold. There's an airy lightness to the swooping cloud layers penetrated by pinpoint rays of light. The overall effect is absolutely captivating."
FIRST PLACE: Fred Moss; Cliffside View of Vernazza ; oil
Judge's remarks: "I want to vacation here! The downward perspective overlooking this picturesque, beautifully situated town in Italy really draws in the eye. This overview reveals the rich multi-colored blue hues of the sea, the vibrancy of the pastel buildings in sun and shadow, embraced by such utter steepness of the cliffs. Its composition, architectural details, along with the distinctive rugged natural coastline make this such a realistic piece that it places the viewer right there -- feeling the sun, the wind and hearing the surf."
SECOND PLACE: Marlene Vitek; Winter Sun; colored pencil
Judge's remarks: "Talk about capturing a frigid winter day with the cold snowy ground, lengthy shadows, and low sunlight revealed through bare branches. The artist's palette choices illustrating the snow-covered ground along with generously allowing the paper color underneath to contribute to that wintry effect all combine for a beautifully rendered piece that brings winter to life. I was especialy impressed with the radiance of that realistic winter sunlight shining through the tree -- so realistic."
THIRD PLACE: Elaine Davis; Gravity; acrylic on plaster
Judge's remarks: "This subdued color palette brims with movement and is richly textured. The more you gaze at this piece, the more you can see all types of visuals deftly revealed deep within the design from faces to shoes to plant materials. It's bothmoody and engagine while still remaining mysterious and subtle."
Honorable Mention: Ted Strandt; Sculpture -- Thing with Faux Kali Stick
Judge's Remarks: "Such a beautifully balanced 3D piece crafted in both wood and in stone. I was impressed that the artist could work with both of those materials equally well. The hand holding the martial arts fighting stick appears very strong and in an angled position that is ready for battle -- you can feel the movement there. 'Faux' or not, the overall effect seemed very powerful to me."
Honorable Mention: Diana Leviton Gondek; Tweets & Tutus; oil on canvas; apologies for this too-dark photo!
Judge's Remarks: "I was drawn in by the amusing story here -- what is going on? Why are they all wearing tutus and on their phones? The artist has accomplished something very impressive here -- inviting the viewer to look more carefully at each figure and face and ponder what's happening. This is defnitely not a painting you'd walk casually by -- it is very engaging and invites conversation."
Honorable Mention: Dalia Abdelaziz; Life's Blueprint; acrylic and oil stick
Judge's remarks: "To me, this piece was all about mood and how well the artist conveyed a person obviously deep in reverie without even showing her face! The figure's position is beautifully rendered next to an unfinished chair and other unfinished elements. These props make me think that her life too, is somehow in transition and far from finished. It's a painting that begs the viewer to stop and look a little more closely absorbing the thoughtful details the artist uses to tell this woman's story."
MANY THANKS TO THE ELMHURST ARTISTS' GUILD FOR INVITING Art BEAT TO PREVIEW AND JUDGE THIS AMAZING SHOW!!!