A Personal View of the 2^nd Annual RiverFest Juried Art Show

by Arnold Sauther

Out of the Ordinary was the theme for this year’s RiverFest Juried Art Show. The exhibit opened for viewing on September 9. The fifty five entries will be available for viewing until October 14 at NCCC’s Malone Campus. A variety of media, styles, and subjects are evident in the imaginative responses of thirty-one artists. Paintings predominate, but there are also examples of photography, sculpture, drawing, and glasswork. The apropos style of fantasy is most evident although realism and abstraction are present, too. The high quality of the entries presented Meg Bernstein and Ken Wiley, this year’s jurors, with a worthy challenge. I found merits in each of their choices for the awards.

The selection that won Best of Show is a large watercolor entitled The Portal by Valerie Patterson. It is a tour de force technically and conceptually. The image is a New York City street scene perhaps reflected on a curved surface. The clever distortion and flowing figures lead to and away from an arched focal point. To me it suggests an urbanity that invites the viewer in but also may swallow the viewer up. Of course, all interpretations are affected by each person’s cultural background and expectations, so there will be many points of view. It is a fascinating endeavor to appreciate complex pictures like this, and the artist has created a context with many symbols to aid the public in its efforts.

The First Place Award went to Suzanne Maisonneuve’s selection entitled Eagles and the Fox. This acrylic painting has a spectacular impasto surface. The visual and tactile effect comes from its neutral colors overlaid into a rocklike pattern. A hint of purple gives a jeweled effect with black indicating shapes that relate to each other. The composition is very unified with a smooth surface area at the top that both compliments and provides a definite contrast. Hidden within this sensuous surface are animals that suggest a unity of nature’s forms.

The Second Place winner is a small but impressive acrylic titled Sun Spot by Barbara Ida. Her painting shows a close up of two birds drenched in yellow sunlight. The deep blue of the birds and their shadows creates a mood of tranquility. Another possible reaction is that the bottom shadow serves to create tension. The simplified shapes and adept placement of the subjects make for both a pleasing composition and an evocative design.

The Third Place winner is entitled The Gorgeous One, an oil painting by Sylvie Brunet. At first glance, the painting looks as if it is from a children’s book. Upon further analysis, I found a sophisticated and sentimental portrayal of children gesturing toward an elegant house. Of interesting note is that this Canadian artist chose a house in Malone to use as the focal point in the painting. There is a certain charm to the stylized figures painted in lively colors on a black background. In a larger art context, the painting reminds me of how the categories of fine and commercial art are blurring in our postmodern world.

The Honorable Mention painting is one of my favorites in the show. Jeanne Danforth has chosen a whimsical title for her subject of a goat, The Mona Lisa Smiling in June in Ellenburg. Her tongue-in-cheek attitude is reflected in the medium and the message. Her goat is painted in a free and spontaneous manner that captures a human expression. Her close up view of the goat shows a technical mastery along with an intimate knowledge of animals. Subtle details in the mouth, eyes, and hair epitomize the essence of goatness and a certain elegance at the same time. The humor in the representation speaks of both truth and beauty. This image is an animal lover’s delight.

Two of my other favorites are Nancy’s 6 Leaves by Charles Atwood King and Artistic License by Sandra Hildreth. I like the former for its gusto and bold design along with the technical virtuosity in the use of mixed media. Sandra’s image is very accomplished in a more exacting manner. The subject is interpreted in a way that makes a meaningful statement about an artist in the Adirondacks.

Overall, each work in the show holds aesthetic value. I will be curious to see which piece wins the People’s Choice Award. The voting will go on until October 14. I am hoping that many will take the time to visit NCCC to view this exhibit as well as vote for their favorite work of art.