Juror: Maggie Van Sciver
Juror’s Statement: This exhibition brought together a remarkably diverse group of artists working across a wide range of mediums, each contributing a distinct voice, perspective and method of expression.
One of the most challenging aspects of the jurying process was the necessity of holding such a broad spectrum of artistic practices in dialogue with one another, works that differed not only in technique and material, but also in intent, cultural grounding and emotional register.
It was evident that each artist had invested considerable time, thought and craft into their practice, resulting in works that were consistently compelling, often surprising, and frequently moving.
As a juror, it was a reminder that a summer exhibition of this kind is not meant to be assessed quickly or superficially, but rather encountered with patience and openness.
Ultimately, the experience reinforced the value of community art centers like this, spaces where difference is not only present but essential, and where the careful attention of viewers becomes part of the work’s life.
It was an honor to engage so closely with such a strong and varied body of work, and to witness the dedication and imagination that each artist brought to the exhibition.
Awards
Best in show: Silently Seen, acrylic by Diana Ganju
This whimsical and captivating painting, draws the viewer in with the artist’s unexpected and bold use of saturated colors. The unconventional palette creates a riveting visual tension, while the cow’s direct gaze provides a sense of intimacy. The doorway acts as a frame within the composition, emphasizing both the enclosure and our bovine friend’s curiosity.
4 awards
Juror’s Choice: His Background, mixed media by Jory Mason
This painting portrays a nude male torso seen from behind where expressive layered colors define the contours of the back. The artist uses unexpected hues to capture the changing effects of light. The result transforms the familiar human form into an exploration of light, texture and perception.
Juror’s Choice: A Kid, fresco by Richard Pawlak
This piece feels almost narrative although it’s telling several stories at once. The artist’s restrained palette is used in a way that feels surprisingly compelling. It’s fascinating how the meaning shifts the longer you spend with it. This canvas holds the viewers’ eye and invites multiple interpretations.
Juror’s Choice: Wellfleet Stillness, oil by Janet Atkinson
This realistic depiction of a statuesque bird seems almost sculptural against a dreamy background. The scale of the piece enhances its quiet majesty, making the bird’s image feel both intimate and iconic. The overall mood is serene, sophisticated and timeless.
Juror’s Choice: Another Salt Marsh, fiber by Sue Colozzi
This composition is incredibly intricate without feeling overwhelming. The layering of the fabric adds to the visual depth, and the quilting stitches contribute as much to the design as the fabric itself. The eye keeps discovering new details the longer you look.
11 Honorable Mentions
Black-necked stork, fiber art by Cathy Williamson
This piece beautifully combines the texture of fabric with the graceful elegance of these striking birds. The artwork celebrates the beauty of nature while showcasing creativity, craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Birder’s Day Out, ceramics by Ellen Adams
The wonderful sculpture conveys a playful sense of curiosity and adventure. The careful detailing brings each birder to life, making the scene feel like a charming day out full of observation and discovery.
Wading In, oil by Susan Sigel
The painting of a man wading into the water with a net in hand captures a quiet moment of focus and anticipation. The rich textures and colors of the medium enhance the scene’s atmosphere, highlighting the stillness of nature against the man’s purposeful movement.
Flamingo, mixed media by Megen Krohn
In this canvas, a large-scale flamingo neck and head is built from layered paint, collage materials, and textured fragments to give it depth and dimension. In the background, obscured and partially hidden text subtly emerges through the surface, adding a sense of mystery and narrative beneath the vibrant bird.
Gardiens de la Paix: the Peacekeepers, oil by Linda Collins
This painting depicts an observer standing alone at the edge of a road, quietly observing two stationary jockeys mounted on powerful horses. The perspective of this piece invites the viewer to join the scene as a watchful presence the moment before the action begins.
December Sky, pastel by Lisa Daigle
This small pastel painting is a gem. It unfolds in soft layers, where the sun hangs over a quiet yet dramatic scene. This composition is saturated with many shades of purple, blending twilight and emotion into a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.
Twilight Walk, acrylic by Claudia Doherty
This small acrylic canvas captures a solitary woman, her figure softened by loose impressionist brushstrokes. Her clothing is suggested by color and motion rather than detail, evoking a moment of evening calm or possibly exhaustion.
Windy Day at Chapoquoit, oil by Anne Tcherepnin
This painter is generous with their use of paint to skillfully capture a windy, storm-lashed ocean with robust waves crashing on the beach. The scene is charged with motion and salt spray. In the foreground, a female figure, emerges from the surf with a calm, almost defiant presence against the turbulence of the sea.
City Blues, mixed media by Betsy Payne Cook
The artist has utilized mixed media in this composition to expertly suggest the exterior of a quiet house at night, illuminated by a soft street lamp. Two figures sit outside on nearby benches, their stillness and distance evoking a reflective, melancholic mood beneath the dim urban glow.
Shoot the Moon, oil by Scott Murphy
This canvas captures a cluster of waterfront buildings, their forms rendered in rich, textured brushstrokes that emphasize light and shadow. The calm water below mirrors the architecture with soft, slightly distorted reflections, doubling the scene in a quiet, luminous symmetry.
Surf’s Up, pastel by Marie Shanahan
Pastels have been expertly employed to depict a wave exploding against the shore in a surge of white foam and violent churn. The water’s motion is captured in chaotic strokes, mid-collapse, where froth and spray blur into the sand in a restless, luminous swirl.
All Accepted Works:
Congratulations to all accepted!
| Ellen | Adams | Birder’s Day Out | clay sculpture |
| Nicole | Almeida | Low Tide Findings | oil |
| Christine | Anderson | Listening for Whispers | fiber handmade book |
| Janet | Atkinson | Wellfleet Stillness | oil |
| Gary | Boehk | Downwind Tack | oil |
| Susan | Bunbury | Woodneck Beach side | acrylic |
| Catherine | Cetta | Cedars | acrylic |
| Linda | Collins | Gardiens de la Paix: the peacekeepers | oil |
| Marian | Colman | Left Out | watercolor |
| Sue | Colozzi | Another Salt Marsh Egret | quilting |
| Betsy Payne | Cook | City Blues | mixed media |
| Lisa | Daigle | December Sky | pastel |
| Claudia | Doherty | Twilight walk | acrylic |
| Herb | Edwards | West Falmouth Dock | oil |
| Susan | Fornaro | Best of All Worlds | acrylic |
| Beverly | Fuller | 9 Under Pear | colored pencil |
| Diana | Ganju | Silently Seen | acrylic |
| Arleen | Graham | Summer Sunday | watercolor |
| Meredith | Howard | Winter Marsh | graphite |
| Betty | Jameson | Forever Love | pastel |
| Jill | Joseph | Clamming | oil |
| Stephanie | King | Tangled Serenity | mixed media |
| Mark | Koenig | Jar #1 | raku fired ceramics |
| Megen | Krohn | Flamingo | mixed media |
| Barbara | Lunn | Belle | watercolor |
| Jory | Mason | His Background | mixed media |
| Carole | McClintock | Whisper of Dusk | oil on linen |
| Andrea | Moore | Prairie Ironweed | woodcut |
| Scott | Murphy | Shoot the Moon | oil |
| Alice | Nicholson Galick | Standing Alone | woodcut |
| Linda | Okun | River View at Great Meadows | watercolor |
| Jack | Olson | Faces | acrylic |
| Marilyn | Pageau | Water Street View to Onset Sunset | acrylic |
| Richard | Pawlak | A Kid | fresco |
| Tatiana | Riabukhina | Old Mirror | watercolor |
| Hugo | Rizzoli | Paper Petals, Rusted Stars | mixed media |
| Robert | Scutt | Silence | Ink |
| Marie | Shanahan | Surfs Up | pastel |
| Arena | Shawn | Ruby and Gold | oil on card |
| Susan | Sigel | WADING IN | oil |
| Claudia | Smith-Jacobs | Celie | ink and acrylic |
| Sherri | Starr | Red Flag Warning | oil |
| M. | Sydney Osborn | Pride | pastel |
| Anne | Tcherepnin | Windy Day At Chappaquoit | oil |
| Wendy | Vogel | Top Shelf | oil |
| Elizabeth | Wilder | Abstract with Swirls | acrylic |
| Cathy | Williamson | Black Necked Stork | quilting |
| Annellen | Zalis | Salty Kisses | oil |
| Lawrence | Zalis | Friday Art Group | oil |
