Artists, from miles around gathered at the Kenton Community Hall on Sunday afternoon, along with art appreciators and those who were simply curious. About 175 people were elbow to elbow, enjoying the art and conversation.
On display were 103 pieces of original art created by amateur artists, entries in the Arts West Juried Art Show. Part of the draw to this event was the fact that two adjudicators judged the works to select 20 pieces for the Arts West Travelling Gallery and Rural and Northern Art Show.
This show on April 28 was hosted this year by Mid-West Arts Council based in Hamiota. Emcee for the exhibition, and one of the hosts along with Harding artist Mary Lowe, was Hamiota’s Elaine Rawlings. Rawlings has been involved in the art scene for decades but could not recall a show with this level of enthusiasm.
She said, “People came early, they were lined up outside the door. They kept coming, they stayed! It was a great atmosphere.”
Lowe said this kind of an event holds special value for artists because of the feedback and ideas presented by wonderful adjudicators.
Rawlings agreed saying, “These jurors were extensively qualified, holding masters’ degrees, so to get an adjudication from them is very powerful.”
The crowd was encouraged to enter a secret ballot vote for a favourite piece of art. This year’s People’s Choice was Kerri Wilson, a former Kenton resident now living in Hamiota. Many will remember John Lennon’s photograph in the pages of the White Album. Wilson captured John’s demeanor with a multi-media piece.
Rawlings introduced the adjudicators and welcomed Ben Davis, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Visual and Aboriginal Art at Brandon University to the microphone.
Davis marvelled at the quality of work and at the welcome he and fellow adjudicator Leona Herzog received in the Kenton community and from their hosts, the Mid-West Art Club.
“It’s been a very special few days. We’ve been made remarkably welcome here,” he said. “The care and love and attention that has gone into this event is quite profound and quite moving.”
Lisa Hemrika of Brierwood Creek Cafe & Grill had been especially accommodating and on Friday night a Kentonite entered the hall gallery to invite them to the beef roast just downstairs in the Legion Hall. (It couldn’t be any handier.)
But it was for the art that they came, which Davis called ‘breathtaking.’ “It genuinely is. I’ve seen work from many different places and had the privilege of working with students and artists from many places.” He said adjudicating the pieces was a challenge. “It seemed almost impossible to decide about awards, about prizes… .”
Adjudicator Leona Herzog, a curator of the Buhler Gallery of St. Boniface in Winnipeg, described her own perspective in the selection of the 20: “In the exhibitions curated for the travelling show you will see oil and acrylic paintings, watercolour, pastels, pen and ink, drawings, multimedia, fibre and printmaking. Style will vary as well. You will see traditional work…as well as pieces that are really pushing the boundaries or art-making.”
Over the course of Friday through Saturday the jurors provided in-depth comments to each of the 103 pieces on show and selected pieces for the Travelling Gallery and Northern Art Show.
Best in Show winner was ‘Mid-Century Mule’ by Glenda Cairns Poirier of Sinclair.
From Virden, Joel Desjardins’ outstanding soft pastels, ‘On A Bike Ride’ was winner of the Theme category and captured travelling gallery honours.
Other local artists to become part of the travelling gallery were, Oak Lake’s Lesley Moffitt with 2D fibre art ‘Fantasy Woodland’, and Karyn Kowal’s acrylic, ‘Harmony’. Elaine Rawlings’ ‘Walking With Grandpa’ watercolour was also selected.
Although not chosen, in the youth category Eve Simard from St. Lazare entered a striking charcoal and chalk pastel, ‘Under the Mask.’
Other striking art entries came from Jacquie Beckett of Moosomin and Holly Dauvin of Maryfield, Saskatchewan. These could not be chosen for Manitoba’s travelling art show, but being members of (Hamiota) Mid-West Art Club they took the opportunity to have their work displayed and adjudicated.
In their brief speeches Davis suggested artists consider using their own photographs rather than copying the composition of others’ (often without copyrite permission), or better yet, work from live situations.
Herzog noted that finding the right frame was very important and for those submitting photographs in hopes of being selected to art shows, high photo quality is important.
Visits over dessert capped the afternoon at Kenton.
