The West Alabama Juried Art Show is currently exhibiting this year’s selection of diverse artwork from local artists and UA faculty, students and alumni.
Sponsored by the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa, the annual art show allows artists to submit up to three pieces of their work to be judged. This year, Ruth O’Connor judged and juried the art pieces to be presented in the show and selected the competition winners.
Kevin Ledgewood, publicist for the Tuscaloosa Arts Council, said this year has been very successful with 43 participating artists and 76 pieces in the exhibit. Five cash awards were presented to the winners, ranging from $100 to $750.
“It’s hard to compare this event to others throughout the state, however what I find unique about this show is the variety of artwork,” Ledgewood said. “You have work ranging from still-life, sculpture and abstract. It’s always interesting.”
Artists must be 18 and older to submit their works and live in Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Pickens or Tuscaloosa County. Multiple UA faculty and students submitted work and won awards for the show.
Kelly Parvin, a graduate student majoring in studio art with a focus in printmaking, will be displaying three of her prints in the exhibit. Parvin said she recently moved to Tuscaloosa and was excited to be eligible to submit her work to the competition.
“I create a lot of mixed material pieces and try to allow myself to use everything as potential for inspiration,” Parvin said. “Currently, my work is based on everyday objects that allows the viewer to see the object in a new way.”
Parvin has been creating art since the 7th grade and became interested in printmaking through one of her teachers.
“It’s a gratifying process for me,” Parvin said. “You create the image, and then the final step is to move the image to paper or fabric. I like working hard to create the image then having the final moment of transfer, it’s different than the feeling of painting or sculpting.”
In addition to Parvin, UA Associate Professor of Art Sarah Marshall won the Purchase Award for her lithograph titled “Lagniappe!” Marshall teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in printmaking and has had her work shown in national and international exhibitions.
“My prints and drawings reference the physical world through plant forms, animal forms and the figure,” said Marshall in a personal statement on her Web site. “Repetition is at the heart of printmaking, but my attraction to the multiple comes from the possibility of infinite variation as much as infinite repeatability.”
Art Professor Sky Shineman, alumni Bethany Windham and John Tilley, and graduate student Claire Lewis Evans also have works featured in the gallery.
“It’s important to take time to get to know other artists in the community and see what they are doing,” Parvin said. “It’s good to support their creative endeavors, and keep the creative energy flowing.”
An opening reception was held on Nov. 20 to honor the winners and artists selected to participate. The exhibit is on display in the Bama Theatre’s Junior League Gallery Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. until Dec. 14.
For more information call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org.
