The Berkeley Arts Council announces the opening of the 10th Annual Eastern West Virginia Juried Exhibit, on display at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV until October 8, 2022.
The exhibit highlights the work of artists living in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and includes paintings, drawings, photography, and sculpture. A wide range of media are represented in the exhibit including watercolor and gouache, oil, and acrylic painting, pastel drawing, wood carving, basketry, fiber arts, collage, mixed media, and assemblage.
This year’s juror was Jenna Gianni (MFA), a ceramic artist and educator based in Maryland. She currently teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in ceramics at Hood College in Frederick, MD. Ms. Gianni selected 33 works by 21 artists from Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan and Mineral counties.
About her selections, she states: “There’s a quote by John Dewey that states, “ [art] is the authentic expression of any and all individuality…individuality in whatever form it appears.” As a juror, editing an array of talented individual expressions is a difficult task! Works in a mix of mediums and communicating a host of subject matters fueled by imagination and a clear commitment to individuality of expression were finally chosen among this year’s submissions.
Selected pieces balance an understanding of technique with the freedom to move beyond it, creating a fresh work that communicates a new perspective, generating content for the viewer to interact with, think with, and question. These works, whether depicting domestic moments and unique natural scenes, or capturing abstract concepts through a mix of medias, ultimately best exemplified the individuality, breadth, and diversity of the artists of the region. It was a pleasure to take part in this selection process, and hopefully, in the selected works viewers will find pieces to relate to, to enjoy, and to learn from!”
The Berkeley Art Works is open every Wednesday through Friday from 11:00am – 5:00pm and every Saturday from 11:00am to 4:00pm.