My awards for the 31st Tephra ICA Festival (formerly Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival)
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Now in its 31st 12 months, the Tephra ICA Pageant (formerly Northern Virginia High-quality Arts Competition) will take place on Could 20–22, 2022 and will emphasize more than 200 artists and artisans from across the country. Drawing upon a strong exhibitor and collector base coupled with Tephra ICA’s up to date artwork foundation, the Pageant has grow to be one of the region’s most anticipated functions, attracting about 30,000 people to the exceptional, outside environment of Reston Town Heart.
I juried this festival a couple of many years ago, and have participated in it a lot of periods over the years, maybe 25 or 26 times out of the 31 several years, and I have received a ton of awards above the many years - I applied again this yr and bought turned down, which is Ok, since there are new jurors each and every 12 months, and rejection is component of an artist’s everyday living.
It is a fantastic show!
This year’s jurors will choose the award winners when the competition opens - but as typical, I’d like to run by them on the net and award my possess awards.
You can see the artists below and make up your have awardees… my 1st observation is that (as normal), this clearly show is greatly tilting to the craft side - it truly is somewhat of a trademark for Reston, and considering the fact that the commencing it has added a lot more and additional jewelry, home furnishings, and so forth. at the cost of the fine arts. There are about 30 jewelers in the group! And they are all truly superior!
But, did I seem elitist or what? Sorry…
And the awards go to…
Finest Portray Award: Jill Banks - Booth 943 - A real case in point of the 10,000 hour rule Banking institutions is a learn and her do the job reveals it. Difficult class with 37 painters listed here - all seriously good with notable kinds such as the beautifully proficient Ann Barbieri, Jon Smith, Cassie Taggart and other people.
Very best Photography Award - Landscape images dominates, which is to be predicted, and (as I have mentioned for many years now) I tire of observing pictures of crumbling structures in Havana and old 1950s cars and trucks - remember to! Plenty of! If you wanna choose photos of Cuba, go somewhere else other than Havana! Possibly photograph some of the heroes who frequently take to the streets to protest the brutality of Communism!
James McArthur Cole is hoping tough to head in the proper direction, and he has some stunning Cuban pics, this sort of as the one under - but I deduct two factors for each individual photo of an outdated vehicle.
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| Cuba 60 by James McArthur Cole |
But John Deng - Booth 317 - stands out! His lovely photos are similarly adept at capturing immensely diverse landscapes as effectively as the diversity of the human species.
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| Honey Gatherers by John Deng |
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| Photo by John Deng at Tephra 2022 ICA Competition |
John Scanlan’s pics of Scotland are breathtaking, but then again, Scotland is possibly the most attractive state on the world! Nonetheless Deng requires my “Greatest Photography Award.”
Greatest Craft Award: Mick Whitcomb - Booth 816 - Specializes in a person-of-a-kind home furniture and lighting made from architectural and industrial salvage - the form of things that some get in touch with “steampunk.” The function is clever and distinctive and far outshines (no pun supposed) the class opponents.
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| Fan Gentle Fixture by Mick Whitcomb |
Finest Drawing Award - Uncomplicated choose right here with the advanced drawings of Susan Deaton in booth 423. She notes that her work is about “conceptualization of social and environmental challenges via the use of symbolic photos.” Methinks there is certainly a good deal of Lovecraft in there as well.
Finest Glass Award - The DMV is property to 3 of the finest regarded glass artists on the planet, and thus a magnet spot for artists of this genre. The operate of David Sandidge stands out… some of the whimsical parts remind me of Carmen Lozar’s early get the job done. Sandidge is plainly a master of this most demanding of all arts.
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| Glass art by David Sandidge |
I will announce the Very best in Exhibit winner when I go to the present in man or woman future thirty day period!
