6th Annual Holiday Extravaganza
On display Wed. Nov 26, 2024 to Dec 27, 2024
Thursday, December 5th; 5:00-7:00 – Holiday Extravaganza Opening Reception, Artful Holiday’s Party & Sale, and Holiday Pottery Sale.
Artists interested in submitting work please contact Sharla@herrigcenter.org.
The first show of the 2023-2024 season is Create, an open, all media, juried exhibit with high cash awards. The all media work will be displayed in all Galleries. Pick Up: October 7, 9 – 12 pm
Juror Statement: Katie Cundiff
It is always an honor and privilege to serve as juror of awards. I found this show of Herrig Center for the Arts’s to be just as much a challenge as any nationally juried show. The diversity in work, mediums, techniques and styles did nothing to make my job easier! There is so much talent here!
The main goal of the artist is to express their ideas, feelings, impressions, or beliefs through the language of art, being the drawing, modeling, coloring, etc., which are parts of speech enabling an artist to express themselves.
When judging art, skillful elements and principles pertaining to the language of art and painting must be observed and considered. Color and Harmony, Tone and Gradation, Light and Shadow, Perspective and Atmosphere, Values, Textures and Qualities, Drawing and Form, and Composition.
All these elements and principles must be considered when judging a work of art. However; for a work of art to stand apart from and above these technical elements, it should also express an idea, a feeling, or an emotion.
The technical skills of an artist are important and necessary, but for a work of art to be a “winner”, it must carry with it a thought, feeling, or emotion that is remembered more than the technical skills of the painter. It must be a painting that will excite and enliven the senses of the viewer, and will be remembered for the uniqueness of its creation.
So, it is with that final thought in mind that I gave awards to those artists whose works were not only superbly executed, but those I will carry in my emotional memory.
Thank you, Herrig Center for the Arts, for entrusting me in the arduous task of placing the awards in this exhibition, and to all the incredible artists whose expert work I had the honor to view, and enjoy.
Respectfully “Staying in the Paint,” Katie Dobson Cundiff, OPA • AIS • AWA
First Place – J. Taylor – “Peggy’s Cove #4”
This artist had three paintings that were all beautifully executed in colored pencil, adding to the already difficult task of selecting an overall “winner”. The drawing, composition, and color harmony reflected in this award-winning painting are all spot on. There is a stillness, or quietness about this artists’ work that is intriguing, pulling in the viewer in for a closer look at the subtle textures between the elements of wood, rock, and water and the underlying abstract quality of design.
Second Place – P. Robertson – “Florida Before the Invasion”
I am in awe of the simplicity yet complexity of this work. Every element is given a unique texture and design, with intentional mark-making. The control of the watercolor medium is evident. Strong vertical elements and symmetry of design are broken up with diagonal pathways that lead the viewer beyond the edge of the shoreline to the far horizon.
Third Place – M. Dunn – “There’s a Lesson in This”
The composition, colors, and drawing are expertly painted in oils. Most of the children are engaged with the adults on how to brush their teeth, and then a small child near the center of the group glances over toward an onlooker (of the scene). Three older children also look directly at the viewer, but a child at the far right seems to stare with an expression of mystery and wonder. This not only tells a story, but there is a lesson here!
Merit Award – P. Paris – “Wanna Be Gazers”
This beautifully painted landscape in oils captures the atmosphere of the day and statuesque figure of a bare tree in an otherwise lush and lively scene dotted with architecture and wildlife, expertly guiding the viewer through the painting.
Best of 3D – R. Meredith – “Ebb & Flow”
The intricate details, textures, and scalloping on the edges on this large ceramic bowl are enhanced and the theme echoed with the use of color and variance in the glazing. As the title suggests, one might catch the rhythmical pattern of water as the tide rises and falls.
Honorable Mention – D Devera – “The Gathering”
The abstract and graphic nature of this acrylic painting will grab your attention from across the room. The use of light and color, along with rhythmic movement in the reflections on the water create a lively portrait of these four pelicans, probably waiting a handout from a fisherman’s catch.
Honorable Mention – J. Keeling “Sunlight Through the Sideuyard”
A simple subject is brought to life in this painting. It is only a moment, a glimpse of an ordinary scene, and one that might be easily passed by. This oil painting tells us a story and gives us a glimpse into a more private passage of a garden.
Honorable Mention – S. Kutna – “The Dancers”
The images created in this piece of fused glass are of three dancers. There is a moment captured here of figures that are but caricatures resembling the work of Degas, Lautrec, or Seurat, evoking a mysterious and luminous quality brought out further with the fused glass medium.
Heartbeat of Humanity by Sheri Wright
All Galleries
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 29, 5-7 pm
Pick up: Aug 10, 9-12 pm
Community. We are all part of one, whether that means a community of artists, friends, families, neighborhoods, or nations; the most common factor is that we are all human, we are all one. We all have wants and needs and in today’s divisive culture now more so than ever we need to come back to embracing the sense of community, of seeing each other as human beings. Artists are asked to share their vision for what community means to them, putting all labels aside and showcase the truth that we are all one.
Juror: Joanna Coke
Statement: The artwork chosen for awards showed strong unity of the elements, coming together, connecting and intertwining, such as the honeycomb shaped images and the abstract with large brush strokes twisting like a DNA form. Our humanity of sharing, embracing and helping others are the feelings that were selected to represent the theme of this exhibition.
| 1st Place | Sheri Wright | Heartbeat Of Humanity | Collage |
| 2nd Place | Gary LaParl | Sag Harbor | Mixed Media |
| 3rd Place | Maria Ortiz-Haynes | Salsa | Stained Glass Mosaic |
| Best in 3D | Gregg Wilkins | Collette Cossette Purveyor Of Sea Bottom Trinkets Extraordinaire | Mixed Media |
| Best in Jewelry | Judy Beaham | Ribbon #2 | Steel, Aluminum & Pearl |
| Merit | Bea Dreier | Walk As One | Acrylic |
| Honorable Mention | Leslie Trettau | Homeless – Before And After The Generosity Of Strangers – Melvin & Rusty | Photography |
| Honorable Mention | Kris Peterson | Shadow Family | Mixed Media |
| Honorable Mention | Martin Dunn | A Conversation In Cordoba | Oil |
| Honorable Mention | Carla Rudolph | White Robes | Acrylic |
A New Frequency by Corin Finnie, 1st Place
Opening Reception: Thursday May 25, 5:00-7:00
Kaleidoscope of Color is an open, all media, juried exhibit.
There are a multitude of descriptors for the word kaleidoscope: motley, psychedelic, multicolor, particolored, polychromatic, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, variegated. Artists were encouraged to play up the color in works for this all media open juried show.
The work selected for the exhibit displays a knowledge of color and design, whether presented representationally or in abstract form. When selecting the pieces for the exhibit, my choices were based on: consideration of the color theme, completeness of thought, composition, skill and understanding of the materials used, and a uniqueness that speaks to the creative thinking of the artist. Congratulations to all of the participants for the beautiful work submitted and my wish is that you continue creating.
Pick-up: Jun 24, 9:00-Noon
April 25 – May 19
Kellogg Gallery
Opening Reception April 27, 5:00-7:00
Women Contemporary Artists is a regional organization of more than 100 creative women actively engaged in the visual fine arts. WCA’s mission is to provide visibility, support and inspiration to women artists. Founded in 1984, they are based in Sarasota and Manatee Counties.
Juror: Danny Olda, critic and curator
| Award | First | Last | Title | Medium |
| 1st | Janice | Newman | Morning Mist | Acrylic |
| 2nd | Judy | Kramer | Kaleidoscope Façade | Photography |
| 3rd | Susan | Turconi | The Couple | Akua Ink |
| Merit | Alice | Harrison | Garden Of The Sea | Acrylic |
| Merit | Judy | Lyons Scnheider | The Mighty Oak | Callograph & Collage |
| Merit | Betty | Gerich | I’ve Got Your Back | Watercolor |
| Merit | Marsha | Ouimette | She, Her, They, Them | Clay |
| Merit | Jana | Millstone | Weave A Cloth Of Now | Mixed Media |
Juror’s Statement
It was a privilege and pleasure working with this exhibition. I’m grateful that I was unrushed and allowed to spend as much time with each piece as it demanded – the experience was a delight. However, the sheer density of high-quality artwork submitted for this exhibition made judging italso very challenging. While a cursory glance makes clear that each artist in the exhibition takes their work very seriously, a deliberate pause with each piece reveals more.
For example, Morning Mist by Janice Newman depicts a colorful forest mist snaking through a clump of bare trees. The scene is set quietly but with a bold color palette. With efficient brushwork Newman adds visual depth to the scene that transmutes into a conceptual depth, a reservoir of the unknown just ahead. The scene vacillates between feeling serene and unsettling. I found the scene and painting moving, as if I had happened serendipitously upon the landscape on a morning run.
Judy Kramer’s photograph Kaleidoscopic Facade is another such example. The photograph rewards a slow look with an abundance of textures that seem to unfurl the longer your eyes travel the piece. These textures are paired with a near perfect compositional structure that is not the product of a painter’s careful hand and intent, but somehow searched out and found existing wild in the real world. The piece is split in half and further into thirds, the patterns of tiles setting a steady visual rhythm that sends each viewer’s gaze up, across, and diagonally back down to begin again.
Finally, The Couple by Susan Turconi depicts two minimally detailed bodies beside each other, seperated by a cloudy bruise-colored negative space. The vertiginous height of the shoulders that figurative painting stands on is exceeded only by the claustrophobic weight of its own history. That Turconi’s treatment of these two bodies feels so timeless – as classical as it is contemporary – underscores how deft her skill is. The understated size and rendering of the figures requires a haiku-like efficiency of expression that Turconi delivers on.
These, of course, are only three pieces in this exhibition. I suppose, then, what I hope to
communicate is this: take your time with this exhibition. Give each work of art a thoughtful look and the exhibition will certainly return the favor.
Pick up is May 20 9:00-Noon
Animals & More Exhibit
An open, all media, juried exhibit
April 25-May 19
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 27, 5:00-7:00pm
Online entry by April 14, 4:00pm
In-person entry April 22, 9:00-Noon
Pick up May 20, 9:00-Noon
And join us for free family fun on April 29 from 10-3 for Art & Animals & You!
Thank you to Herrig Center for the Arts for inviting me to juror “Animals & More”. Herrig Center for the Arts never fails to draw artists with a strong mastery of skills and imagination. When choosing awards I chose first those that addressed the theme, my next criteria were skill and mastery of the media chosen as well as an imaginative view of presenting the theme. It was a very challenging process due to the excellence of the pieces. All work showed the beauty of the animals that the artists chose to portray and our relationship to them. If your work was not included please do not be discouraged. This was a competitive show to jury. Continue to create!
Being an animal artist myself, I was moved by the work and excited to see how our animal friends were depicted by the talented artists.
Juror: Evelyn McCorrister-Peters
“As a painter I derive inspiration from the environment. By depicting its value to others we can continue to cherish what is left of our diverse ecosystems. As an artist I have the opportunity to record these remaining places in a manner distinctive to my experience. This process advances the artistic language of my work as well as expands the conversation and consideration for the wild among my viewers.”
Evelyn is originally from New Jersey and Delaware, and has now lived in the Sarasota/Manatee county area of Florida for over 25 years. She received a Bachelors Degree from the University of Delaware and has also attended The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Ringling College of Art and Design.
In 1984 Evelyn began exploring the world, visiting 48 of the 50 states as a scenic artist with Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. She now focuses on the educational and conservation efforts of the family business Squalus Inc who is partnering with the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature to establish a critical care center for Manatees. Evelyn’s travels throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico and Canada along with a year residency in Japan have shown a wide diversity of life and given her the opportunity to share experiences through art.
Evelyn’s work is represented by Art Uptown Gallery in Sarasota, Florida and held in private collections throughout the US, Canada, Australia, France, Spain and the Netherlands. Evelyn has received residencies and fellowships from Weir Farm National Historic Site, Zion National Park, Jentel Foundation, Dorland Mountain Arts Colony and The Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts. She is a member of the Petticoat Painters, one of the oldest, continuously exhibiting women’s art groups in the United States. Evelyn serves on the governing board of Myakka River State Park with a dedication to bring artists and nature together.
Evelyn shares her 12-acre home Barking Dog Ranch, with her husband Philip, their Boxer Hank, visiting horses, sharks, sea lions and now manatees. Her life is a menagerie of the people, places and happenings of a distinctive south Florida experience.
Online entry is no longer available. In-person entry is April 22, 9:00-Noon at Herrig Center for the Arts.
Yairiel G-L Grades K-2, Elina O Grades 3-5, Finn D Grades 6-8, Max R Grades 9-12
Herrig Center for the Arts Welcomes the Annual Manatee County Schools K-12 Exhibit
April 4-April 21, Opening Reception Wednesday April 5, 5-7pm
Herrig Center for the Arts joins with the School District of Manatee County to showcase the work of K-12 visual arts students. In Manatee County, we’re fortunate to have a school system committed to teaching the visual arts in its elementary, middle and high schools. By partnering with Herrig Center for the Arts, that commitment is furthered by giving these young artists a ‘voice’ – three museum-quality galleries – where their work can be professionally displayed and where the artists can receive positive recognition by a wider audience.
According to the National Arts in Education Association, learning to paint, create a website or design an energy-efficient home requires mastering skills which are often invisible to the naked eye, but are developed through a strong visual arts education.
For many students, it will be their first experience in preparing their work for display. And certainly, for pricing their work with an eye to selling it. For most students it will also the first time they have ever been to an art gallery. The experience will give students real world experience in the process of preparing artwork for exhibit, and the lessons they learn will stay with them throughout their lives.
Awards donated by Carolann Garofola in memory of Ralph Garafola.
Jurors: Carolann Garafola and Tim Cunninghan
International Watercolor Society Florida USA
February 28-March 31, 2023
$5 Admission
Opening Reception March 2, 5:00-7:00
Herrig Center for the Arts invites you to attend the second biennial exhibition of the International Watercolor Society Florida USA. This prestigious exhibit features 25 watercolors from artists in 11 countries. From the colorful abstract work of award-winning German Artist Christine Berlinson Esser to the lively painting of Italy’s Maximo Damico who captures the mood and energy of the city in his plein aire painting, this exhibit is a wonderful guided tour of diverse watercolor from around the world.
The International Watercolor Society (IWS) has chapters in over 110 countries, and gathers together one of the largest and most diverse groups of watercolor artists and art lovers alike. IWS provides a unique platform for the continual development of the art of watercolor. In addition to the exchange of ideas between artists, it advocates and supports the next generation of artists with events and exhibitions This is the second biennial exhibition of the Florida USA Chapter which was formed in 2020 by Herrig Center for the Arts.
IWS Images: From the IWS and ACM Logos, In the Middle of Prague by Maximo Damico, Italy, Flower Game by Christine Berlinson Esser, Germany, Mouve by Boonkwang Noncharoen, Bangkok, Flag Girl In Waiting by Donna Morrison, USA, Antique House by Dilesh Hazare, India.
About the International Watercolor Society
The International Watercolor Society (IWS) is a non-profit organization which was established in January 2012 with the objective of promoting the world’s oldest and most deeply rooted painting technique; the art of watercolor. IWS was founded by Mr. Atanur Dogan. Their goal is to promote peace by the use of art; the common language of all the people of the world. Their activities involve bringing watercolor artists and art-lovers together.
Herrig Center for the Arts has partnered with the International Watercolor Society (IWS) to create a Florida Chapter, one of only five branches in the United States. We are part of their worldwide network of over 100 branches, galleries, and education centers.
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