EDGEWATER GALLERY HOSTS FIRST NATIONAL JURIED SHOW
FORT BRAGG, CA >> This month, Edgewater Gallery in Fort Bragg is exhibiting curated art pieces entered in the gallery's judged show. On February 1, the final set of national entries was viewed and judged in person by Spencer Brewer and Esther Siegel, two artists in Redwood Valley.
On February 2, the monthly First Friday event for Fort Bragg galleries, the judges announced Best of Show first, second, and third place winners to the crowded gallery via Zoom. Some of the artists were present at the event. Others lived in other states, too far away to appear in person.
The guidelines for the juried show established a theme of “Reflections: Now and Then.” Artists were directed to enter three pieces to represent the theme and their work style. Approximately 32 pieces were selected, and artists were notified if any of their pieces would be shown.
According to Alexis Moyer, one of the gallery's founders, the idea of a national juried show arose from realizing that it had just marked its 20th year. “I had been looking for something different for us to do,” said Moyer.
She added that a number of the collective members of the gallery have exhibited nationally. “It's always fun to get your work into a different gallery in a different place in the country,” she explained. “Why not be the host of that?”
Moyer noted the importance of selecting judges who were not associated with Edgewater Gallery. Esther Siegel and Spencer Brewer are well-known artists in Redwood Valley, and Moyer described other reasons for bringing them in to judge the show.
“They have a very broad background,” she said, “and we thought
they were good choices to judge the show.” Moyer referred to other aspects of the judges' lives besides their Assemblage artwork.
The two artists recently published a book about Assemblage, and both have careers outside their art. Brewer is a long-time musician in the area, and Siegel is a psychotherapist. They have also belonged to collective art galleries in the past.
According to Siegel, acting as a judge “was challenging.” In the Zoom meeting on February 2, the two artists carefully detailed the winning elements in the three art pieces they chose to award a ribbon.
The third-place winner was “Elements” by Elena Mukhina. The piece is designed as a large concentric circle composed of colors representing life's basic elements.
The artist described the piece made of layered patterns of cut leather and beads as representing “ancient Vedic teachings” that believe human bodies are “like a mini-version of the whole universe.”
Muhkina explained that the teachings say that “everything, including us, is made up of five main things: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space.” Every part of the body is also connected to the larger universe.
In speaking about the third-place winner, Judge Spencer Brewer commented, “We were quite struck by what you wrote. It's quite meaningful.”
He pointed to the art's “beauty of symmetry” and “the reflection going inward and coming back out.” He added, “We were quite impressed by how much energy and focus you put into this.”
The second-place winner was “Navarro Beach” by Karen Bowers. The painting shows a view of the Navarro River sweeping out into the ocean. The view is expressed entirely in earth tones. The painting is on display in the gallery's window.
Siegel explained that the piece “resonated with me in the show's title. You see a lot of reflections—a general reflection of the earth, in a way.” Brewer added, “I love the fluidity of the lines, how soft they are, and the light playing off it.”
The first-place winner was “Hope Dies Last” by Robin Bernstein. The piece is laminated wood with a design made from thousands of cut threads in a wax base. The patterns are richly colored and intricate, like a tightly woven rug. The top and bottom of the piece display words representing the best and worst of the human experience.
Almost adrift on top of the piece is a haloed newborn. On the wall above the art piece floats a rosy cherub. The artist described the piece as “the powerful human desire for hope in the face of logic.”
She explained, “It contains the hopes and fears of many people as they reflect on their children's future (and the future of humankind.)”
Brewer remarked, “Esther and I both loved this piece.” Siegel first described it as “made of thread and wax on a laminated piece of wood.” But then, she described why the piece captured her.
“It's a very rich piece around humanity,” she said. “It reflects, I think, how we are in the world. The idea and the originality of the presentation was phenomenal.”
A few pieces received Honorable Mention awards. These include “Dugall,” a painting by Tamra Whitney; “Dying Gods,” a photograph on metal by Bridget Algee-Hewitt; and “Fading Out of Reach,” by Priscilla Adams, a cyanotype photo series taken over time recording a friend's failing health.
Edgewater Gallery is now conducting a competition for the “People's Choice Award” among the officially juried pieces. Throughout the month of February, visitors to the gallery can contribute a vote for their own favorite showpiece. The winner will be announced at the end of this month.
Chris Hagie, another founder of the gallery, remarked on the success of the juried show. She described a “crowded gallery with lots of excitement” when the Zoom meeting began. She added, “It was so successful we have already decided to hold one next year.”
The Edgewater Gallery is located at 356 North Main Street in Fort Bragg. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and displays various art genres.