"10 Ways to Peel an Orange," by Qicheng Kuang. Oil on Canvas, 2014.
This year’s annual fall juried art exhibition from the Ohio Art League will feature 100 pieces by 60 different Ohio artists.
From Sept. 8-Oct. 15, the Ohio Art League will present the exhibition at the Fort Hayes Shot Tower Gallery. Mary Gray, director of the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery, is this year’s juror.
Gray viewed the work of more than 75 artists in a blind online registry, examining up to three images per artist to determine which pieces should be selected in the exhibition. The number of pieces showcased is up to the juror.
“Since I knew that the Shot Gallery at Fort Hayes is very large, I wanted to make sure there
"Leave-Vine Forms," by David Stichweh. Cyanotype, March, 2015
were enough pieces that it was a robust show and would fill the space,” says Gray.
The exhibition includes a wide array of pieces, such as ceramics, paper sculpture, photograph, prints, paintings and quilts. Gray says it was important for her to include as many mediums as possible.
“The way I always describe selecting work for exhibition, there has to be something in a piece that speaks to me: subject matter, new use of medium, interesting palette, or unusual size. At the end of the day, I have to have some sort of connection with it.” She adds, “Certain pieces will hit all the points ... you have this intensely visceral experience.”
The exhibition does not contain a unifying theme, but contains everything from abstract to narrative, traditional to contemporary, she says.
“It speaks to my personality, I guess,” she says.
Juried exhibitions are the backbone of the Ohio Art League, a nonprofit organization that supports member artists throughout their careers. The organization facilitates connections between patrons and artists, provides studio space and opportunities for exhibition, and holds professional development workshops and other events. The goal of the organization is to cultivate and support local talent in the visual arts.
Admission to the exhibition is free. Hours are Monday-Tuesday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Wednesday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The public is also invited to attend the Opening Reception from 6-8:00 p.m. on Sept. 11., as well as an Artist Panel from 1:00-2:00 p.m. on Sept. 24.
