Artist Russell Jewel served as juror for Baltimore Watercolor Society’s 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition. From nearly 400 entries, he chose 100 for the show. Here’s what he had to say about his task and a sneak peek at a few of his picks for top awards.
“Judging such an elite show is very daunting. When taking on such a monumental task one has to ask oneself, “Why do artists do it?” Why do we feel it necessary to bare our souls to the viewing public and take a chance on one person’s opinion? I think the key word is “validation.” Art is communication, art is made to be seen, and when art is seen it is seen in the context of every other work of art ever created.
“When I teach workshops, I often begin with an illustration of people floating on inner tubes down a lazy river. This image, for me, represents a ‘River of Art.’ Some people are floating ahead of others, and some are just getting their feet wet for the first time, but simply by the sole act of creating we are choosing to place ourselves in the river of art. Baltimore Watercolor Society entrusted me to uphold a methodic form of validation, one that navigates today’s artistic currents through experience and education. I commend each artist for their willingness to communicate their voice to the viewing public. I congratulate those who find themselves in the top 100. At the same time, I want to embolden the artists who were not chosen to continue to visually speak their truth. Showing your work is a safe process. Stay in the river and keep your brushes wet. … The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition will certainly prove to be a feast for the soul.”
The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition will be on display through January 5, 2025, at Arts Barn and Kentlands Mansion Galleries in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
