An update from the M S Rezny Gallery…
M S Rezny Studio/Gallery is pleased to announce the finals in the national juried art competition Firmly Rooted 2016, addressing our ongoing symbiotic relationships with plants. Artists from 28 states submitted over 290 artworks of botanical interpretations in a variety of mediums. This year’s juror Stuart Horodner, Director of the University of Kentucky Art Museum, selected 29 artworks to be in the exhibit. In making his selections he “tried for some diversity of approach and simply responded to things that had a solid skillful or conceptual approach, favoring things that went a bit further than simplest of ideas.” Cash awards will be presented at the artist’s reception. The public is invited to vote on their “people’s choice” award.
Firmly Rooted is the gallery’s annual juried national art competition. Each year the gallery selects a different juror who is well respected in the artist community to select the finalists from a blind jury process. To get the word out about this small arts competition the prospectus was distributed to all the State Art Councils and listed on several national artist list-serves, places where artist go to find information about upcoming exhibits. We were assisted locally by notices in the local papers and through LexArts artist registry. Nearly half of the finalists are regional artists which fits the demographics of the entries submitted.
Of his selection for the exhibit Mr. Horodner stated “Artists have for centuries have used nature to inspire them, and have found innumerable ways to represent it. In jurying this exhibition, I tried to recognize a diverse range of approaches and media, acknowledging solid skills and conceptual rigor. My hope is that the accumulated works offer lively encounters for viewers of all ages and backgrounds.”
A First Prize award of $500 and three $100 Honorable Mentions will be presented at the artist reception, July 15th, 5-8pm. To help with prize money, the gallery has the generous support of several local sponsors. A People’s Choice Award will be presented at the end of the exhibition where winning artist receives monies collected from votes placed at $1 each.
Gallery Hours are Tuesday-Friday11am-4pm,, Saturday 1-3 and by appointment.
Hosted by M S Rezny Studio/Gallery, Lexington Distillery District, Lexington, KY
Juror: Stuart Horodner, Director of the University of Kentucky Art Museum
