The Artist Space Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the first Colors online Art Exhibition. Along with the selected artists, the jury selected award winners in the following art categories: painting, photography, and sculpture. The show displayed a variety of artistic styles and mediums: oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, crayon, photography, digital, ink, glass, steel, styrofoam. Out of all submissions received 83 artworks were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Best of Show
Michael Wagner
Short Biography and Statement
Born in Heidelberg in 1953, Michael Wagner used every free minute for artistic studies during his studies of social work at the Mannheim University, and then concentrated entirely on the fine arts after completing his degree. Since 1981 he lives and works as a freelance painter, graphic artist and photo artist (self-taught) in Heidelberg. While Michael Wagner initially worked in the representational field, depicting landscapes and people, he gradually developed an artistic conception that focuses on color and its manifold possibilities. On this path Michael Wagner opened up the world of the constructively concrete. Geometry joined color, became an equal partner and provided stability and continuity. Thus color was not given an expressive quality, but rather a purely visual meaning. It does not "jump" into the space, but it has a high presence, a great impact potential. Michael Wagner designs his works on this basis, trusting in the power of color and geometry. Works of art reflect the world. My works are also mirror images of today. However, it is not a reflection of the external appearance, not an abstraction of the mimetic world, but a reflection of the inner constitution. My works arise from sensations. They reflect the sense of time, so to speak, and represent ciphers for today. Thinking and feeling, geometry and color - between these poles I explore my artistic possibilities, although with all seriousness playful and poetic components are always involved. In this way I develop a visual world that has its roots in the strictness of the constructive and concrete, but at the same time is also based on individuality and spontaneous intuition.
wagnerpost@online.de
Painting Prize
Pernel Berkeley
Short Biography and Statement
The trajectory of my work has consistently focused on a desire to create a visual language which reflects a range of interests. A youthful fascination with the Bauhaus Artists exerted a lasting influence on my life as an arttist, as well as serving to inspire me to find my own path. Although the forms I choose continue to evolve, the use of color is absolutely fundamental to my work. Combined with choices concerning the impact and interactions of shape and form, I have attempted --and continue to attempt-- to produce an original and unique visual language. Over many years of work guided by this principle I believe I have found a means of providing a provocative and heightened visual experience.
Sculpture Prize
Mona Duggan
Short Biography and Statement
For many years, I was a practicing artist with an exhibition record that included a one-person show at Stanford Art Gallery, several group shows, and numerous juried exhibitions, where I amassed some 55 awards. I was represented by galleries in San Francisco and Naples, Florida, and undertook several commissions. I had a long career in the arts at Stanford University in the Department of Art, and later at the Cantor Arts Center, where I retired as Deputy Director. Since retiring, I have produced fiber art that has been featured in ten juried exhibitions over the last four years. My work most often begins with materials that fascinate me. Using my palette made up of endless color combinations of net, I wrap and overlap strips of net around cotton cording, which I then weave on the loom. "Inextricably Entwined IV," the first work submitted, is among works that focus on confinement. In the 2nd piece submitted, "Let it Be," I experimented with wrapping vinyl tubing instead of cotton rope. I particularly like the way the clear tubing allows light to come through the net. At first, I attempted to tightly structure the tubes, but then allowed the tubing to fall naturally into a form. There are also times when I just enjoy going to my loom and working spontaneously in tapestry. I experiment and explore, selecting wool from my storage baskets as I go, often weaving and unravelling until I find a direction. The 3rd work submitted, "Tapestry Pillow," was done on a simple wood frame. Once the piece was removed, I simply turned it into a sofa pillow, which I enjoy every day.
mduggan@stanford.edu
Photography Prize
Eric Renard
Short Biography and Statement
Eric M Renard (www.ericrenardphotography.com) is a Los Angeles based fine art photographer and creative director. Eric’s passion for photography was ignited at Tufts University in Boston, where he studied under Siegfried Halus. After graduating, Eric moved to San Francisco and worked as an architectural photographer before moving to Los Angeles. Eric’s unique exposure to both urban and rural life can be seen throughout his work, as he is equally at home in both settings. Usually working in black and white, his urban cityscapes and rural landscapes often reflect an eerie sense of peace and quiet, rarely portraying more than one or two people. Eric’s photography has been exhibited in galleries across the United States and Europe, receiving numerous awards. His work has been published in both books and photography magazines. He is also on the board of directors for several non-profit art organizations, helping to organize and promote art exhibitions. My photographic journey began almost 50 years ago documenting what I saw, my friends, my family and my neighborhood, but I didn’t embrace photography as a creative art form until much later. And now, I am still exploring light and shadow, with camera in hand, documenting my surroundings with the buildings, landscapes and occasion people in them. My images often consist of meanings and memories. They tell stories of things I have done and places I have visited. I am guided by the visuals which present themselves — a shaft of light screaming for attention, a deep shadow striving to conceal the details that are enshrouded within it, or a lone silhouette giving life to an otherwise stark scene.
Winners