On display in the Betty and Art Robins Group Gallery at the Columbia Art League
July 23 - September 5, 2024
Reception: July 26, 6 - 8 pm
Ribbons will be given out at the reception at 6:45 pm.
Celebrate the richness and vitality of the natural world, from lush forests to blooming gardens. Mother Nature offers us healing and connection through her landscapes, foliage, and beautiful petals, a wonder we challenge artists to capture for this exhibition.
Lush is a juried show open to all artists 16+ years old, all media welcome.
Congratulations to the ribbon winners! Thank you to our Juror, Zoe Hawk! Keep reading to see Zoe’s Juror Statement!
1st: Colleen Smith - Squash Circle Seance
2nd: Kathryn Mitter - Crape Myrtle
3rd: Megan Steinlage - Nude Sunbathing in Nature
HM:
John Fennell - Vision and Hope: The Color of Early Morning
Greg Brockmeier - Kimono Dragon
Sydney Marquardt - Green Reflections
Jane Mudd - Piece of Prairie
Dave Walker - Where Seldom is Heard
Juror’s Statement
“I am honored to have been asked by CAL to jury Lush, an exhibition celebrating the natural world. While Lush is a particularly verdant show, the works also offer sunset hues, vibrant florals, snowy whites, and rich blues depicting water and sky. Some pieces capture the beauty of untouched landscapes, pruned gardens, and grand vistas, while others offer us an intimate look at the smallest leaf, petal, or wing details. Figurative pieces in the exhibition explore our human relationship with nature, situating the body within these living spaces, sometimes to the point of allowing leaves and vines to envelop them.
By depicting the natural world in art, we investigate our relationship with the earth, both the good and the bad. We are enthralled with its beauty, and awestruck by its wildness; we attempt to capture and dissect it and examine our inner nature and vulnerability as human beings. The three selected winners of the exhibition demonstrated exceptional technical skill—rich use of color, harmonious composition, and expert handling of material—but I was also drawn to layered elements of mystery, metaphor, and luxuriant beauty present in these works that I felt embodied the depth of our relationship with nature.”
