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................cleveland art sculpture.....................

National Juried Cup Show

        Who Pulled The Plug?

.
                                                 12th Annual National Juried Cup Show
                                               Kent State University Downtown Art Gallery
                                                    141 East Main St.    Kent, Ohio 44242 
                                                                    1-330-676-1549
                                                                 March 13 - April 20, 2013
                                                         Wed. - Fri. 12-5 pm   Sat. 10-4pm

                                                  
*Who Pulled the Plug?  -another glimpse at life through Humez-tinted glasses, takes a light-hearted look at how a much maligned sea creature might react if his proverbial cup became more than half empty.  With the oceans threatened, the octopus may well be asking, "Where do I go from here?".

Give it as a special gift to anyone in transition, or keep it for yourself and fill it with opportunity!  POR.
                                *See details and pricing at Gallery One in Mentor, Ohio...                


I originally called this piece Coming Out (since renamed for a second exhibit) because that's what I see in the wide-eyed expression of the octopus: he seems both excited and apprehensive about leaving the safety of his cup.  He's on the brink, clinging to the edge of a new experience.

Equally important in the choice of this title was the allusion to other sorts of coming out that we're all aware of: the debutante cotillion, graduation, and the gender identity closet.  Exiting is an eye-opening experience, even for observers.

Color choice was fun but a real challenge all the same.  I produced about a dozen full color drawings before I settled on what you see. Given the dark and proportionately large mass of the octopus, it was imperative to balance the remaining surface area with opposing bright colors that didn't clash.  Also, I wanted the colors to repeat both within the cup and on the outside surface.

Hope this work is as much fun for you to see as it was for me create. ................................................................................................................................

...........    
What a great opportunity this show offered to step outside my comfort zone.  Who ever would have guessed that my work would wind up in a cup show of all things, or that I'd be taking my favorite octopus with me on the trip.  I'd have guessed this sort of show is strictly for ceramists.  But is it?

Well, I guess not.  

Just between you, me and the lamp post, I inquired ahead of time to verify that my preferred material (Paperclay) would be acceptable, and I'm tickled to have had my work accepted. 

..............................................................................................................................................
A few words about rejection...

There are certain venues that repeat each year which have perennial appeal to me.  Over the years some shows that I've done purely out of habit have fallen off my list in favor of more exciting, better organized, and more prestigious challenges. Truth be known, discovering and creating work for an unfamiliar show is far more stimulating than proceeding as usual. It's how I stretch. It's part of the search to reach that glass ceiling which is sort of like water reaching its own level.

My work is usually accepted, but when it's not, I look for the obvious.  Since I'm really compulsive about producing perfectly finished pieces, I know to a certainty that an ill-conceived idea or sloppy presentation was not what kept my work from being approved by a jury.

I explore possibilities like, did I screw-up and not follow instructions?  If I can, I determine what sorts of items that did get into the show, and weigh the possibility that very limited space and lots of entries may have kept many worthy entries from being juried in.

What I don't do is pay a great deal of attention to the resume of a juror.  Just because he's a fiber art expert, or has a BS in duck-waddling doesn't mean that he's going to fill the gallery walls with sheepskin, ballgowns and flippers.  Neither do I follow a juror and enter work into his subsequent shows just because he's favored my work with an award in the past. 

The very best jurors, IMHO, approach each venue and observe work with an open mind. They reflect on individual merits: presentation (framing), technique, familiarity with and use of the medium, aesthetic value, finishing and appropriateness to the venue,  and then they weigh the merits of each piece against others. 

In the long run it's good advice to simply let rejections roll off; everybody gets 'em and the rejected piece —all else considered— may well find a warmer reception in the next outing with a different juror.
............................

                                                               ........................................................................................................................................................

Here's the slideshow.  There were two Runners Up and Best in Show which are the last  photos.  We visited this show the end of March and perhaps 50% of all the cups had already sold.  What a great success for the KSU gallery.  Thanks to all those behind the scenes who made it possible.