Art Show: The Abyss
Prospectus and Entry Instructions
Exhibit Entries accepted from 12/1/2004 to 12/31/2004.
Prospectus
The Deep Blue Sea. The Primordial Depths. Davy Jones Locker. The Abyss.
What resides in the deepest, darkest, coldest reaches of the ocean? Sea Monsters and mermaids living in forgotten shipwrecks? Russian and American submarines cruising silently? Unusual and beautiful organisms flitting through the dark? What do you find when you visit the abyss? Is it fear or fantasy? Are you captivated by the creatures that live in sea? Or is it the water itself that fills your mind. Dive into the deep and show us what you find.
All entries must include a description that not only informs the viewer about your piece but what motivated you to create it.
This is a Juried Show
Juror: Alyson B. Stanfield
Juror's Statement
When I was a child, I spent a lot of time swimming in the warm waters of Lake Eufaula (Oklahoma) with my brother and cousins. We had a good-sized boat dock we would jump from and even hide underneath. While the waters weren't terribly deep there, I never wanted to touch the bottom. The murky, red-clay-tinted lake hid too much that was unseen and, therefore, unknown. And I never have liked surprises.
That's what The Abyss is to me. But I certainly enjoyed viewing the wide variety of interpretations by EBSQ artists--from the personal stories of Melissa Wotherspoon and Tau to the more universal themes of Amanda Hone and Marina Owens.
My Juror's Choices are as follows:
Linda O'Neill, "Submerged"
For me, this truly feels like an abyss. Linda captured the reason so many people fear water. Yes, it's a life force on which we depend. But the unknown and untested can harm and even kill us.
Guy David, "Back Alley Fish Gallery"
I loved Guy's humor! Or is it really funny? He has placed his own art in the abyss, which is where so many artists feel their work has ended up.
Windi Rosson, "Abyss"
I enjoyed Windi's personal story, which imbued her painting with great meaning. The verticality of the canvas emphasizes the depth of the ocean; dark colors, referencing the water's vastness, symbolize loneliness; yet the brief reference to ocean-floor formations (lower left) quote nature in what is otherwise an abstract painting.
About the Juror
Alyson B. Stanfield is an artist's advocate and coach, has been advising artists since the early 1990s. Prior to 2002, when she started ArtBizCoach.com, she counseled artists in her position as an art museum curator and educator. Ms. Stanfield has devoted a great deal of time to writing about art. She has a regular column in Sculptural Pursuit magazine, and writes a weekly, motivational business newsletter for visual artists. Her work as an artist consultant has resulted in the Visual Artist's Kit and Effective Newsletters & Mailing Lists.
Ms. Stanfield received her master's degree in art history from the University of Texas at Austin.