A canvas of bright green pears with twined purple vines lies in a room lined with portraits, abstracts and sculptures in the Durham Art Guild’s carpeted gallery. Artists empty the room of its contents one canvas at a time, looking rather nonplused as they remove the pieces not selected for exhibition in the Guild’s Fiftieth Annual Juried Art Show.
“These artists have had works selected for the show,” Lisa Morton, the Guild’s gallery director, explained with a smile.
Juried shows are commonplace in art communities, attracting attention to both the venue and the artists who submit works. The Guild’s art show is similar to others; artists submit two never before viewed works created within the year for judgment by a juror or board of jurors. A number of artists are then selected to participate in the show, with some awarded monetary prizes and one or two guaranteed a solo exhibition.
“Judging” seems anathema to a mode of expression with as many stylistic manifestations as visual art. “At the end of the day, jurying is subjective,” Morton said, quickly adding that jurors do not arbitrarily choose winners—jurors are steeped in the art world and know an effective piece when they see one.
That’s not to say there are no methods for evaluating art. The ways artists balance and proportion color and texture, Morton explained, offer starting points for determining what should be included in the show. Still, jurors’ reasoning behind selecting a particular piece of art can be abstract.
“It’s all about the paint” or “I couldn’t get it out of my mind” are phrases Morton said she hears often to explain why a piece stands out as a winner.
The prestige of the show and the excitement of artists is often fueled by the presence of “rock star jurors”—well-established artists, curators, or other figures in the art world. Sculptor Willie Cole and Fay Gold of Atlanta’s Fay Gold Gallery are past jurors whose renown has helped to establish the Guild show’s reputation. This year’s juror, curator Carrie Pryzbilla of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, continues the tradition of buzzworthy jurors.
Understanding the importance of such jurors, the Guild doesn’t shy away from pursuing big names. “I’ve been turned down by the best,” Morton said.
Being turned down by the best may be no laughing matter for some artists. “It always feels worse when you don’t get selected,” said Morton, a regular applicant to other juried shows.
Artists unfamiliar with the process may imagine jurors standing before a work “making wretched noises saying ‘Why is this person even doing this?’” Morton said. Yet juried shows often offer more than a stamp of validation for artists. For Michael Davis, juried shows provide connections to other artist. “It’s always good to have another line on one's resume but much more important than that are the friends I will make,” he said. “The most helpful thing for an artist's career is other artists.”
For artists like painter Peter Connelly, the requirement of submitting new pieces keeps work fresh and ever-evolving—though Connelly offered another reason for participation. “It gives me a good excuse for not finding a day job,” he said.
With about 90 pieces on display, the Guild’s show offers a substantial amount of eye candy, but photographer Louanne Watley hopes that the viewing will be more than just saccharine. Viewers can use the show to learn more about artists. At the very least, Watley said she hoped that attendees will view the works and “read the possibilities.”
The Durham Art Guild’s Fiftieth Annual Juried Art Show. Nov. 12 – Dec. 16. Hours: Mon–Sat, 9am–9pm; Sun. 1 p.m.– 6 p.m. Free admission. The Guild is located at 120 Morris Street, Durham.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.