It was an honor to be invited to jury this year’s Mary S. Oakley and Lee Lindsay Artist Showcase. I was impressed by the quality of work submitted and enjoyed spending focused time with each piece through the jury process. With approximately 200 works to choose from, inevitably tough decisions had to be made. I want to thank all of the artists who submitted their work for consideration. Regardless of whether your work was included, I encourage you to continue making and submitting art to opportunities like this one.

For this Showcase, I included works for their technical merit, uniqueness, and/or interesting subject matter in any medium. Of course, any jury process involves the juror’s subjectivity, but I think that the work selected represents a nice cross section of mediums and approaches. I used the same basic criteria when granting awards. Some pieces stood out for their contemporary or innovative subject matter or approach. I chose others for being technically rigorous and lush. Still other works captivated my attention with a potent mood.

Looking at the exhibition as a whole, I noticed a preponderance of romantic approaches to landscape as well as an appreciation of beauty and the little things in life. I hope you enjoy perusing the works and considering the relationships that form among them.

Laura Bigger, MFA
Assistant Professor of Art, Printmaking, Tenure-Track, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO