JUROR STATEMENT

I would first like to begin by complimenting the students who entered this year’s Annual Undergraduate Art Exhibition and Scholarship Competition. It takes tremendous effort on a student’s part to put forward their art, and their personal vision, to be critiqued and evaluated by an outside juror who is not familiar with your work, ideas, or progress as a student. I would also like to thank Rudy Kovacs for his invitation to jury this year’s exhibition and hospitality during my stay in Pocatello, as well as Amy Jo Popa and Ryan Babcock for their assistance in organizing and installing the exhibition.

While by their nature juried exhibitions are selective, and many students and works are not chosen for the final exhibition, juried shows are an essential part of the creative process and one’s growth as a professional artist. As a curator, jurying art exhibitions or residency programs have been an informative and inspiring process. It provides an opportunity to learn about the depth and variety of work being produced by a group of artists who represent new ideas, trends, and insights into contemporary art. However, jurying an art exhibition, especially a student show, is always a challenging endeavor. As you walk amidst the many entries, you are confronted with all levels of skill and experience, a variety of media, and an enormous breadth of vision. As a juror you ponder what criteria should be considered in determining an “accepted” work of art. Must the artwork communicate an original vision, or be purely technically accomplished? Should it have a dialogue with contemporary trends in art and use of materials, or should it reflect the community and region from which it has originated? The answer is “yes” to all of these questions.

Drawing upon my experience in studio art, art history and most recently, curatorial practice, I evaluated as many factors as possible for which artwork should be selected, and how these very individual works could come together as a strong and cohesive show. When reviewing the entries for this year’s student exhibition, I considered important criteria such as a work’s overall visual presence, technical accomplishment, innovative use of materials, message, creativity, and presentation. I would like to especially stress that presentation can determined whether or not a work of art was accepted. (Professional presentation is important not only for student shows, but for every show you will ever participate in during your career.) Entries were selected from students who I believed had successfully met these criteria in their work.

Although this show may be more selective than past annual exhibitions, it provides a focused review of the promising talent of Idaho State University’s art department students. I was impressed by several abstract paintings and their use of color and form to create dynamic compositions. Printmaking has an especially vital presence in this show, and it was refreshing to see this media (which has been eliminated by many other art programs) flourishing. Jewelry, ceramics, and textiles are also well represented and should be commended.

Of course jurying art – as the art world itself - is highly subjective. It is not meant to discourage students from entering future exhibitions, but rather encourage all of you to continue to work hard, constantly and consistently, to become the best artists you are capable of being. What you endeavor to do now as an artist will help build the community of art and artists of the future.

- Heather A. Ferrell, Executive Director, Salt Lake Art Center