Harlow Gallery announces winners of Art2016

Woolwich artist Martha Miller awarded third place
Wed, 05/18/2016 - 9:15am

Story Location:
160 Water Street
Hallowell, ME 04347
United States

The Harlow Gallery has announced the award-winning artists for Art2016, the 21st annual juried art show on view at the Harlow Gallery at 160 Water Street in Hallowell now through June 18.

This year's juror was Bruce Brown, a true leader in Maine’s art world who served as curator at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport for 20 years. He is currently a partner of Portland’s PhoPa Gallery specializing in Maine photographs and works on paper.

Of his experience jurying the show Brown wrote, “I am honored to be the juror for “Art2016,” the Harlow Gallery’s 21st Annual Juried Show. That a record 141 artists submitted 387 works speaks both to the importance of the Harlow Gallery and the vitality of the visual arts in central Maine.

“I was impressed by the overall professional level of the entries and particularly by the serious content, a preference for brooding darker palettes and a sense of mystery present in many works of art,” said Brwn.

Prizes were awarded to the following at the opening reception on May 13: Best in Show and a $500 cash prize, sponsored by Levey, Wagley & Putman and Eaton Peabody, was awarded to Ronald Frontin of Rockland for his oil on canvas entitled “As I Am.”

Second Place, with a $250 cash prize sponsored by Mendall Financial Group, was awarded to Amy Peters Wood of Georgetown for her egg tempera entitled “What Lies Above the Pulpit.”

Third Place, with a $150 cash prize sponsored by Karen Johnson, CPA, went to Martha Miller of Woolwich's “Good Friday, Self.”

Of the work Brown stated, “'Good Friday, Self' in various mediums suggests a self portrait in which the artist, depicted by a single contour line and facing back to, reveals more of her psychic rather than physical self. Hints of private thoughts are suggested by partial shapes of objects left over from her barn that burned down years ago, which emerge from a dark background partially highlighted in color-related yellows, oranges and browns. Her mysterious contemplative mood is skillfully rendered. “

Juror’s Choice Prize, and a $150 cash prize sponsored by the Maine Film Center, was awarded to Kathleen Florance of Rockland for her mixed media entitled “Wasp Space #23.”

The $50 cash prize for Best Photograph was awarded to C. E. Morse of Cumberland Center for his photograph entitled “Finnto #73.”

The following artists were awarded Honorable Mentions Nancy Bixler of Hallowell for her graphite/mixed media entitled “Invisible Cities I;” Charles Laurier Dufour of Belfast for his black and white photograph with archival pigment print entitled “Apparition;” Michelle McCutcheon of Winslow for her mixed media including pine needles, iris leaves, Kennebec Valley cordgrass, Japanese knotweed leaves, maple and walnut seed entitled “Autumn Joy;” Abbott Meader of Oakland for his oil over acrylic painting on 100 percent rag entitled “Springtime Insists;” Howard Solomon of Bowdoinham for his found object assemblage entitled “Plunge;” and Jamie Wiggin of South Thomaston for “Ascent” an oil on canvas.

During the exhibition at the Harlow Gallery, visitors are asked to help determine the winners of the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a $100 cash prize sponsored by The Animal Wellness Center of Augusta to be awarded by popular vote at the end of the exhibition on June 18.

Art2016 can be viewed at the Harlow Gallery Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For more information, call 207-622-3813.