Juried artist member exhibition in Ponte Vedra on January 16 – February 21, 2009
Opening Reception January 16 — 6:30 to 8pm
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl – The Cultural Center is pleased to announce the opening of Celebrate Art 2009, a juried exhibition of artist members of The Cultural Center. This year’s exhibition was juried by Hillary Tuttle, owner of Steller’s Gallery in Ponte Vedra Beach. Mrs. Tuttle viewed over 190 pieces of media and chose 52 of the most outstanding pieces to be exhibited from January 16, 2009 to February 21, 2009. Susan Ober, Jacksonville artist, won Best of Show. Christina Foard won second place and Gordon Meggison followed in third place. Meet the exhibiting artists during our opening reception on January 16 from 6:30 – 8pm. A private reception for our Renaissance Society members will be held from 5:30 to 6:30pm.
Juror’s comments:
It was an honor to be asked to jury the annual members art exhibit for The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach. There were over 190 paintings submitted by both professional and untrained artists. Styles ranged from realism, impressionism, expressionism and abstraction with various subjects and mediums.
My criteria was to assess the works of each artist, narrow it down and choose the best three using my honest opinion based on originality, technique/execution, palette- use of color, and lastly subject.
Interacting with our represented artists each day at Stellar’s Gallery, I sometimes forget the vulnerability of putting ones work “out there” and the heart that lies behind each painting. Each artists should be commended for entering their work into this exhibit and I was impressed with the quality of work.
The winner, Susan Ober, stood out because of the use of detail, light and shadow. Her oil painting of the rose had such a brilliant balance of the realism of the flower contrasting against a soft, faded background. Every vein on the leaf was executed with such precision. I am really looking forward to her being awarded a one person show at the CCPVB, so I can follow her work.
Susan Ober’s bio:
Susan Davenport Ober, a native of Virginia, moved to North Florida in 1987. She earned a BS degree in art education at Longwood College in Virginia and did post-graduate study in art education at Virginia Commonwealth University. In 1996, Susan earned a BFA, with an emphasis in drawing, from University of North Florida.
Ober has had a nearly life-long interest in portraiture and figurative representation. In this pursuit, she has used a wide range of media through the years, including pastels, oils, clay, wax and bronze. She is perhaps better recognized for her floral and still life paintings, and for her recent (and on-going) “LEAF project”. But to her, every subject is an opportunity to discover and reveal what it is that has made it special and unique.
She has participated in both solo and group shows in the southeastern states. Her work has received both regional and national recognition and is in a growing list of private, corporate and museum collections across the country.
