Summer Salon

MADISON ART GUILD 2023 SUMMER SALON AWARDS

BEST IN SHOW

Cynthia Holzum     You’re Not the Boss of Me (Oil)

PRAY GRAND PRIZE FOR WATERCOLOR

Jack Kloppenburg      Goose Lake SNA

WILLIAM & MARGARET SCHMIDT MEMORIAL AWARDS

Gold: Jennifer Knollenberg     I’m a Big Fan of Green (Jewelry)

Silver: Colette Girard       Urban Architecture (Photography)

Bronze: Karen Faller                      Untitled (Mixed Media)

JUDGE’S AWARDS

First: Annette Knapstein        Bleeding Hearts (Photography)

Second: Jane Foos                     Urban Commute (Fiber)

Third: Gina Hawkins              Twilight Dance (Glass)

Rachel Durfee, MAG’s 104^th Annual Salon Judge, received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison and her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University. Her richly colored etchings, woodcuts and paper constructions symbolically explore how we can thrive in the gap between life as it is and life as it ought to be. In her work, the paradoxical architecture of existence is often populated with disappointment and resentment but also hope and purpose – with a dash of wit. Ms Durfee has exhibited nationally and internationally and her works are included in numerous private and public collections. She resides in Madison, WI with her family and a 30” x 60” etching press.

MADISON ART GUILD 2023 SUMMER SALON AWARDS

BEST IN SHOW

Cynthia Holzum You’re not the boss of me, oil

The use of materials and texture is what really draws me to this image of a mother crane watching over her two chicks. The ruffled feathered body of the mother painted with rough brushstrokes and scratches is contrasted with her more carefully delineated bright red face and tack-sharp watchful yellow eye. The use of blues and peach in the mother crane’s body give it interest and solidity. The chicks are a combination of pencil and brown paint hues which effectively suggests their immaturity and liveliness. The title suggests sibling rivalry, which is being played out as the siblings stare each other down. The taller bird takes on a superior posture, while the smaller bird looks angry and defiant, implying its rebellion against the domineering taller bird.  The artist beautifully painted the background using speckles, scratches and subtle color patches sparingly applied to a bright white field, to effectively create an open marshland habitat for these cranes.

PRAY GRAND PRIZE FOR WATERCOLOR

Jack Kloppenburg Goose Lake SNA, watercolor

This watercolor persuasively captures a bleak gray winter day in a marshy landscape. I am drawn to the way the artist has painted the spiky tufts of grass in the foreground. These textured tufts are further accentuated by the lighter and softer passages of grasses matted down by the winter winds.  The line of trees in the middle zone creates a wonderful cast of characters.  They are silhouettes painted in various states of health and verticality, indicative of trees that cling to life at the water’s edge. I find the simplicity of the dark gray, jagged-edged distant shore compelling as it rises above the thin line of pale blue-gray water and settles below the gray mid-winter sky.

WILLIAM & MARGARET SCHMIDT MEMORIAL AWARDS

Gold: Jennifer Knollenberg I’m a Big Fan of Green, jewelry

This necklace is well conceived and expertly crafted. The string of chrysoprase beads has a nice range of greens and a pleasing rough-hewn texture. The lovely turquoise clasp is a fine detail. The uniquely shaped pendant is adorned with a fan shape that is skillfully outlined with fine wire and filled with blue-green glass fused to the metal. The delicate fan valleys are punctuated by miniscule balls of gold. The pendant is topped with a contrasting deep blue kyanite stone set in silver. Trying on this necklace, I found that it hangs beautifully and is a perfect length and weight.

Silver: Colette Girard Urban Architecture, photograph

This photograph, with its graphic geometric forms, intriguing patterns and a surprising array of colors, kept drawing me back again and again. According to the description, it is an unaltered photograph, which makes me applaud the photographer for spotting the color, light and reflections in the scene and then composing the image into a powerful abstract composition. The choice of printing the image on metal was a good one, giving the photograph a crisp clean edge to complement the architectural theme and geometry of the piece. 

Bronze: Karen Faller Untitled, mixed media

I am drawn to the layers of color, texture and letterforms in this encaustic painting. A black bird with a striking red beak flies over land and water. This bird can be simultaneously read as the shadow of a bird being cast on the land below, since you can see the landforms through the wings. Additionally, the landscape reads as a map. The ochre land is pockmarked and contains hints of lettering, while the multicolored body of water is scratched with lines suggesting map contours. The viewer is hovering above the scene and, thus, given the vantage point of one who sees and remembers the value of place and the ways in which we inhabit place. The built up layers of color and wax leave the impression of cherished history and sacred memory.   

JUDGE’S AWARDS

First: Annette Knapstein Bleeding Hearts, photograph

I am drawn to the elegance of this piece, its composition, and its use of sepia tones. The clusters  of leaves open to the sun while the bleeding hearts dangle in a row, like laundry carefully arranged on a clothesline on a spring day. The sepia tones, in browns and ochres, add to the image, making it nostalgic and gentle. What I find most fascinating is that, on close inspection, the leaves and flowers lose their solidity and become translucent. The beauty of that vulnerable frailty is breathtaking.

Second: Jane Foos Urban Commute, fiber

I find the bold geometric pattern of this piece so compelling. The title, Urban Commute, suggests glass, steel and concrete. You can see impressions of these hard materials, yet this piece is sculpted with layers of fabric. The graphic black and white image, with a hint of tan, is interrupted by a bold red line. This striking red laddered form arrests your eye like a neon sign burning in a sea of gray skyscrapers. This geometric work of fiber art is so well crafted, with attention paid to each detail, each piece of fabric and each stitched thread. Even the signature of the artist is carefully stitched in between the cascading lines of stitches that fall like rain in this bold and slightly menacing landscape.

  

Third: Gina Hawkins Twilight Dance, glass

In this little gem, twilight is buzzing with life. In the foreground, grasses and plants burn with the ochres and deep shades of vermillion of the day’s afterglow. Meanwhile, in the lovely lavender blue sky, dragonflies and a luna moth dance with buttons of light suggestive of stars or lightning bugs. The luna moth is delightfully layered with a well chosen palette of greens.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS BY MEDIA CATEGORIES

OIL

First:   Barbara Vater   Zion Zings

Second:   Jason Hill   Lorenzo’s Song

ACRYLIC

First:   Karen Watson-Newlin   A Moment of Magic

Second:   Roann Mathias   Changing the Rules

WATERCOLOR

First:   Caitilin Stolle   We Doff Our Caps

Second:   Mary Reines               Endurance

PHOTOGRAPHY

First:   Marcia Getto   Soft Music

Second:   Steven Ralser   Trees in Snow

DRAWING, PASTELS

First: Mary Jeanne Martin           Sunrise in the UK (Pastel)

Second: Rebecca Brockman-Schneider  The Good Day (Pastel)

JEWELRY, METALS, ART GLASS

First: Tamaki Hasse           Jam Holder with Spoon (Metal)

Second: Norma Hove Persistence (Glass)

MIXED MEDIA

FIBER, SCULPTURE, COLLAGE, PRINTMAKING

First: Merikay Payne       Breaking Patterns (Printmaking)

Second: Aileen Musa       Cosmos (Mixed Media)

Honorable Mention: Beth Gullickson       Pavement Shadows (Mixed Media)

2023 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS BY MEDIA CATEGORIES

OIL

First: Barbara Vater Zion Zings

The tall vertical canvas was a good choice for this image, compressing the walls of the canyon to make it feel even narrower and tighter. The repetition of the pale purples and blues of the sky in the water and on the distant rock face draws your eye up and down through the gap in the canyon. The blues also create a frame for the browns of the rocky cliffs and greens of the trees. The paint is boldly layered in textures that are fresh. 

Second:   Jason Hill Lorenzo’s Song

The sweet warmth of a summer’s day is made sweeter by the dancing dandelion seeds in this painting. There are notable pairs in the painting, including a nestled pair of mice, pairs of figures, and pairs of acorns. This contrasts with the lone figure of a woman, smiling in a fond remembrance as she collects flowers in the meadow. Based on the title, I imagine that the tree is a stand-in for Lorenzo who appears to be absent. The light blazing through the tree falls on the woman’s back, like an embrace by the echo of Lorenzo’s song.  There is an array of textures, from the smooth leaves and sharp grasses nearby to the softer painted landscape farther away.   The woman is lovingly painted and her smiling face noticing the whimsical flight of the dandelion seeds make this painting delightful. 

ACRYLIC

First:   Karen Watson-Newlin A Moment of Magic

When I first looked at this painting I was standing close to it, taking in the myriad of fresh brushstrokes and the variety of colors.  When I took several large steps back to take in the whole piece, I discovered the vantage point from which this piece really sings – where the colored strokes coalesce into a stunning image of intense blues, oranges, yellows and greens of a wetland scene.  In this captured moment, the motion of the swooping Great Egret, which is just touching down, is transferring its momentum into ripples on the water.  The play between the alighting bird, with its peach under wing feathers, and its shadowed alter ego image reflected on the water, captivates my imagination.  The texture of the ripples on the rich blue water and the variegated foliage in the distance lend a delightful dance to this piece that is definitely a moment of magic.

Second: Roann Mathias Changing the Rules

This piece has wonderfully rich colors and textures. The paint is applied in layers that seem both built up and etched away. There is this mysterious web of letter-like forms that runs throughout the piece that I find completely mesmerizing.  That web creates a story in a forgotten language that has been buried by layers of sun, water, history and story. By creating a crisp horizontal line, the artist has turned this painting into a landscape.  That horizon line is a barrier only crossed by a single translucent ray of light. The deep blue, punctuated by purples and rich red letterforms feels like a vibrant underwater world. The upper part seems inhabited by cliff and sky. The sun is dazzling, creating a haze of peach tones that obscure the chatter in the world of the air. I wonder at what the artist means by “changing the rules” – is it the rules of painting between the upper half and lower half, or referring to the one white rectangle that clings to the line between the two halves, or is it the changing of the rules that happens when we leave the past for the present?

WATERCOLOR

First: Caitilin Stolle We Doff Our Caps

The artist has used a unique pointillist style in this watercolor painting. The dots and patchy color in this painting are what make it appealing to me. These dots and patches are contrasted against washes of color on the edges. Overall it has a fairly abstract feel that comes into clearer focus as you step back. The title and symbolism make you work harder to see what is going on in the painting. The use of deep colors and shadows gives this a strong three-dimension presence and composition.   

Second: Mary Reines Endurance

I am particularly drawn to the skin on this man’s face. It has a beautiful glow and smoothness in his cheek area, which gives way to his furrowed brow and expressively lined chin.  The artist has effectively captured the spirit of someone who has seen much and carries that wisdom with sorrow and compassion. His lopsided hat with its tattered band, complement the story his face is telling. The sharp rendering of his face and hat are contrasted by the soft glow of blues, greens and pinks around him. 

PHOTOGRAPHY

First: Marcia Getto Soft Music

Soft Music is a perfect title for this piece because it has a gentle sense of movement, harmony and rhythm. The layered and complex palette of colors is wisely cropped, giving the overall piece a strong composition.  This remarkable photograph has the richness of a painting and the softness of a pastel drawing. 

Second:   Steven Ralser     Trees in Snow

This photograph subtly captures the stark beauty of a winter landscape. My eye is drawn across the sparse stubble of stalks peeking out of the snow to the distant row of sentinel trees. The trees are a welcome line of characters, offering presence and silent companionship. The snow and cloudless icy sky are perfectly exposed, creating a distraction-free setting to explore the distinctiveness and posture of each tree.

DRAWING, PASTELS

First: Mary Jeanne Martin Sunrise In The UK  (Pastel)

The artist has delightfully depicted the personalities of this pair of sheep. They look like old friends welcoming another day together. The colors are laid down with a rich velvety texture. I particularly love the delicate tuft of wool on the larger sheep’s humped back. There is a wonderful understanding of light and color.  The dawn sky hues are picked up on the sheeps’ white woolen underbellies, providing depth, warmth and vitality. The greens of the grass are repeated in the tree trunk in the foreground, providing a counterpoint to the peach tones of the morning glow.

Second:    Rebecca Brockman-Schneider The Good Day  (Pastel)

This piece feels like a satisfying hike in the woods on a winter’s day. You can feel the stillness and imagine the crunch of the icy snow remnants beneath your feet. Your eye is drawn to the lowering light in the sky and the grove of trees in front of you. The attention to detail by the artist makes this piece. The snow feels like it is sitting in little crusty clumps on top of the grass and has depth and mass due to the use of blues and pinks. The grass has a fine golden straw texture. The rich contrast of deep and bright greens in the evergreens, frame the brown and gold passage into the woods, inviting you deeper in.

JEWELRY, METALS, ART GLASS

First: Tamaki Haase Jam holder with spoon  (Metal)

The remarkable spoon is hand crafted using the Mokume-gane metalworking technique. This ancient Japanese technique involves fusing layers of contrasting colored metals together and gives the spoon handle a distinctive “wood-grained” pattern. The base of the handle is uniquely divided and curled. The connection between the handle and the bowl of the spoon is sturdy and the bowl is a highly polished pleasing shape. The sheen of the silver bowl of the spoon contrasts nicely with the loop of shiny copper that forms the top of the frame that holds the spoon together with the jar. The copper frame is increasingly patinaed as you move down its surface. It is adorned with some sweet and whimsical copper vine embellishments. This set is an appealing, one-of-a-kind piece of design and masterful metalwork.

Second: Norma Hove Persistence  (Glass)

This is a well composed and skillfully crafted piece of stained glass. With a nod to Frank Lloyd Wright, the artist has made their own intricate pattern of colored glass orbs that float like bubbles, passing in front of each other and drifting out of the frame. Each orb has its own color palette and patterned composition. The glass pieces have been precisely cut and assembled using the copper foil technique, which allowed the artist to make these delicate circular forms. I am glad that this piece was hung several inches away from the wall, allowing you to see the light pass through the glass.

MIXED MEDIA

FIBER, SCULPTURE, COLLAGE, PRINTMAKING

First:   Merikay Payne   Breaking Patterns   (Printmaking)

This mixed media collage is full of backstory and intrigue. The base layer is a Simplicity clothing pattern, cut with pinking shears and glued in overlapping pieces. The small painted figure is wearing an old-styled dress and matching bonnet that have been embellished with embroidered flowers, taking them beyond “simplicity.” The larger painted figure’s strong and capable arms are also embroidered with flowers like tattoos. The arm says “IRON DAME,” which to me references a strong woman as well as a woman ironing cloth. Dame can be both a title of respect as well as a demeaning term. Mysteriously, the large figure holds a cell phone which is sending out a signal. The signal is magnified by the implied cell tower created by the marks on the Simplicity pattern. The small figure is anachronistically holding a cell tower which is also emitting a signal. These waves of connectivity are a more modern take on “patterns.” The whole piece makes me wonder about the strength of women who sew and create, who foster patterns of connection, and who are breaking unhelpful patterns by making waves. 

Second: Aileen Musa Cosmos (Mixed Media)

There is an enchanting universe orbiting in this small piece that drew me in to take a deeper look. On one level the image is of flowers in a vase, but the artist has modified this mixed media image so that the plant material has taken on a certain extraterrestrial quality due to the other-worldly tentacles of flowers. Layers of plant material are caught in an intricate web and the vase takes on the glowing qualities of a planet with rings. The whole object floats in a black field like an orb floating in the expanse of space.

  

Honorable Mention:  Beth Gullickson Pavement Shadows  (Mixed Media)

This mixed media piece captures those evening shadows that get cast on the sidewalk when the moonlight passes through trees. The “pavement” surface in the image is built up with layers of textured material and painted in cool blues and pinks that suggest distant leaves or the memory of clouds. Darker shadows cast by nearby branches animate the pavement.  It becomes all of a dream as one of the leaves emerging from a shadowed branch expands into an ochre green face with its serene eyes shut. The figure itself is mottled by shadows and embedded in the pavement shadows as one consumed by sleep.

MADISON ART GUILD 2023 SUMMER SALON

Show Statement by Judge Rachel Durfee

Congratulations to the members of the Madison Art Guild for the excellent work exhibited in the 2023 Summer Salon. It was a pleasure to spend time with the art. It was also a challenge to judge so many works of art across such a wide range of media. 

There are many highpoints in this exhibit that were a delight to encounter. My award decisions took into account my natural inclinations balanced with the following criteria:  the story or concept behind the work, effective communication of the story or concept, design and composition, mastery of the techniques required to make the work, the choice and use of materials, color and texture, and the ability of the work to evoke an emotional response.  All of the works represent many hours of imagining and effort. I celebrate with you these offerings of meaning, purpose and beauty. 

I wish to thank the Madison Art Guild for inviting me to be this year’s juror. I would especially like to thank Colette Girard for your organization and coordination, and Martha Fitzmier for your patient assistance and helpful insights.  It is always an honor to see the possibilities of creativity brought to life by my fellow artists.