Show me the art!

Juror’s Comments

The jurors appreciated the opportunity of being part of the adjudication process for this year’s exhibition of the Markham Group of Artists. The sheer volume of quality production submitted for consideration commented on the visionary breadth and creative vitality in the community. In turn, this made for a challenging job for the three jurors. Distilling the submissions to form a well-balanced and dynamic exhibition was a process which elicited lively discussion throughout the afternoon. The majority of works which entered the final exhibition were made by consensus by all three jurors. The works of nearly forty chosen artists demonstrates a wide gamut of material, experimental and conceptual range. Albeit diverse, each of the short-listed works share a formal rigour and artistic sincerity reserved for the finest examples of cultural production. In considering the day we met to review the works, I can recall the several standout moments that remain, not only for myself, but surely for the other jurors as well.

For instance, the two figurative works (one of which earned Best in Show) resonated with art historical references such as Degas and also had contemporary relevance. Equally memorable are the Juror's Choice and Best Interpretation of the theme "In Transition". The intimate portrait and the abstract, respectively, conveyed a strong sense of colour and the exuberance of painting. The four Honourable Mentions further attested to the range of expression and high calibre of skill in this year's exhibition.

Greg Murphy, Dean, School of Media, Art & Design, Durham College Todd Tremeer, BA, MFA
Olexander Wlasenko, Curator, Station Gallery

“Thank you for the opportunity to gather in Unionville yesterday. I'm not alone when I say that we all enjoyed the discourse and evaluation of this year's submissions.”  -Olexander Wlasenko

 “I enjoyed it as well. It was a great opportunity for the three of us to re-unite for a few hours of serious conversation about a wide range of very interesting work. Congratulations on a well run process and an impressive exhibition.”    -Greg Murphy

“The calibre of all the artworks submitted was very high.  After revisiting the show again via your website I feel you must have one of the stronger juried shows around.” -Todd Tremeer