UNT on the Square, Denton, TX
July 24 – August 15, 2018
Juried by Lynné Bowman Cravens
Visual Arts Society of Texas (VAST) sponsors an annual event to offer its members an important opportunity to enter their work in a juried exhibition that showcases members' artworks. This exhibit provides an excellent venue for the North Texas community to appreciate the high quality and diverse nature of art produced by area artists.
Juror Statement: As an artist and gallery manager I am constantly looking for pieces that are surprising and new. I am excited by innovative uses of materials, observing how artists take something simple and mold it into something special. I love when an artist can draw the viewer into their ideas and show us a contemporary perspective on the world. I feel fortunate to have spent my time at graduate school in North Texas. Not only was I surrounded by mentors and colleagues that push the boundaries of their mediums, but I was embedded in a community that valued innovation and diverse ideas. I feel the artworks presented in this year’s VAST Juried Members Exhibition demonstrate the range of skill, media, and experimentation I have come to admire about the North Texas artist community.
After viewing all of this year’s submissions, I started to make connections between different themes and aesthetics present in the works. I was drawn to the bright color pallets and the use of the mundane as subject. I was also drawn to the many different fiber and watercolor pieces. It is refreshing to see such a resurgence of these two mediums in our community. It was an honor to have the opportunity to view all the works from VAST members and award prizes to fourteen of the participating artists, though I would not say it was an easy task. The exceptionally high quality of work made my job difficult, which I always hope for when jurying exhibitions. I would like to thank VAST for inviting me to be this year’s juror. I would also like to thank Deanna Wood and Mindy Faubion for guiding me throughout the jurying process. Thank you to all the VAST members who submitted work to this year’s exhibition, and for their continued support and participation in the North Texas artist community.