Tipping Point

JUROR’S STATEMENT

I thank the South Shore Art Center for giving me the opportunity to jury this terrific show. We have indeed reached a “tipping point”, especially now when, as a nation, we are going through a complicated and difficult time. The work presented reaffirmed my idea that artists must follow their own paths wherever they lead. This variety of viewpoints is not only possible but necessary. Art gives us a place to “cultivate our gardens” to paraphrase Voltaire. I don’t think this means isolation. I think this means that we make what we are deeply engaged with and then compare and contrast our visions with those of others. This sort of discourse makes our lives richer and more complex. In my view it is the profundity of the investigation rather than the specific form or subject matter that makes art such a pleasurable and enlightening part of our experience.

The work I have chosen particularly, the winners and honorable mentions, in some way or another, refer to a tipping point- the cusp of beauty and horror, the political and the personal, the tragic and the hilarious. The high quality of the work submitted or this exhibit was reassuring for me to see right now and brought home several dilemmas I am facing in my own work, such as what does one paint at a time like this? One answer might be that one paints with one’s usual concerns but with way more intensity.

FIRST PRIZE

“Cocoon” Lori Mehta
This painting grew on me slowly. It has a complexity which I am compelled by. Why is the figure cocooned? Is he hiding or being self-protective? The blanket reminded me a bit of the cloths covering the heads of the lovers in Magritte’s “Kiss”. I was compelled by the “cool” hard edge painting style in relation to the dark intensity of the image. Also, the blanket almost becomes a landscape. I love an image of one thing which hints at being another, thereby making startling connections

SECOND PRIZE

“Two Peonies: Yellow and Pink” Chris Kirtz

What can I say? I find this work ravishingly beautiful, but I can’t help but see it through a cultural lens. Last spring at the height of the pandemic I walked by myself through various neighborhoods in Cambridge. On many of those walks I passed some exquisite gardens. I couldn’t help but contrast the awful virus surrounding us causing the streets to be empty, with the gorgeousness of nature. I found the contrast quite poignant. This painting had the same effect on me.

THIRD PRIZE

“The Painter” Susan Scavo Gallagher

I can’t help but be attracted to art about the process of making art, perhaps because I see making art as a search for meaning in a paradoxical world. The search is endless but it’s all we have. I also like the allusion to the relationship of abstraction to figuration, as well as the action and pose of the figure.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

“Adieu” C. J. Lori

This work is beautifully rendered and emotionally rich. Somehow saying goodbye to a floating tree is original and profound. Is it a surreal joke or a comment on the end of nature? I don’t know and I don’t want a definite answer. I cherish this ambiguity which helps me enter a mysterious world with fresh eyes.

"On the Edge of an Invitation" Robert Beaulieu

I love the technical virtuosity displayed here as well as the vertiginous perspective, scary and beautiful at the same time. As someone who is afraid of heights I immediately thought of a “tipping point”, an apt metaphor for some of our current dilemmas.

“Tiny Totem: Five Glasses” Alissa Gillis

The juxtaposition of images here is terrific. Their rendering is highly accomplished. The images seem familiar, but it is hard for me to tell exactly what they are. It is surreal without being obvious.

HONORABLE MENTION

Robert Beaulieu
On the Edge of an Invitation, 2016
Oil Painting, 18 x 14 x 11 in
$ 895

Robert Beaulieu
Waiting Kayaks, 2016
Oil Painting, 10 x 15 x 1 in
$ 695

Janet Blagdon
Resolving the Issue, 2020
Mixed Media, 20 x 24 x 0.08 in
$ 1300

Stephen Boczanowski
Newbury and Clarendon, 2020
Acrylic Painting, 21 x 36 in
$ 895

Stephen Boczanowski
The Backyard Team, 2020
Acrylic Painting, 24 x 30 in
$ 895

Barbara Chaisson
Four Friends, 2020
Mixed Media, 20 x 20 x 1.5 in
$ 700

Nancy Colella
Silver Lining , 2020
Oil Painting, 12 x 12 x 1 in
$ 546

Heather Collins
Tipping Toward Autumn, 2020
Pastel, 17 x 14 x 1 in
$ 750

Heather Collins
Tipping Toward Dusk, 2020
Pastel, 13 x 16 x 0.75 in
$ 500

Nancy Connolly
Whisper Me, 2020
Printmaking, 18 x 14 in
$ 350

Donald Cooper
Choosing a Multiverse, 2020
Digital Media, 19 x 25 in
$ 400

Donald Cooper
Shuffling between Multiverses, 2020
Digital Media, 19 x 25 in
$ 400

Donald Cooper
Reflections in the Multiverse, 2019
Digital Media, 25 x 19 in
$ 400

David Cucinotta
Approaching Storm, 2020
Pastel, 12 x 12 in
$ 550

Kathleen Dunn
The Promise of America, 2020
Photography, 16 x 12 in
$ 250

Carol Egan Dupont
for a long moment, 2019
Photography, 10.5 x 14 in
$ 350

Drew Gaffney
36 Straight, 2019
Acrylic Painting, 48 x 48 x 1.5 in
$ 1500

HONORABLE MENTION

Alissa Gillis
Tiny Totem 5 (Glasses), 2020
Acrylic Painting, 10 x 80 in
$ 500

Drew Gaffney
It's Over, 2020
Photography, 18 x 31 x 0.2 in
$ 1350

Ann Guiliani
AMERICAN PORTRAIT 13
Printmaking, 30 x 30 x 2 in
$ 2500

Larry Guilmette
Wants to Fight, 2020
Mixed Media, 13 x 11 in
$ 250

Becky Haletky
Life Support, 2020
Watercolor, 26 x 34 x 1 in
$ 150

Sara Holbrook
Primal Scream, 2020
Photography, 22 x 18 x 1 in
$ 400

Virginia Holloway
Curve Ball, 2019
Fiber Art, 58 x 58 x 0.25 in
$ 700

SECOND PRIZE

Chris Kirtz
Two Peonies: Yellow and Pink (110), 2017
Oil Painting, 30 x 38 in
$ 1000

Mary Kostman
Fly Away Home, 2020
Mixed Media, 31 x 8.5 x 10 in
$ 600

Yvonne Lamothe
Black's Creek Autumn, 2019
Oil Painting, 40 x 30 x 2 in
$ 900

HONORABLE MENTION

C. J. Lori
Adieu, 2018
Oil Painting, 24 x 18 in
$ 3200

Christine Marohn
Blue Apples and Magenta Clementines, 2019
Oil Painting, 22 x 28 in
$ 2000

Jan McElhinny
Stacked, 2020
Oil Painting, 8 x 8 x 0.5 in
$ 1000

Judith Montminy
On the Edge, 2019
Photography, 16 x 20 in
$ 450

FIRST PRIZE

Lori Mehta
Cocoon
oil painting, 18 x 36 x 2 in
$5,700

Lori Moretti
Outcome, 2020
Mixed Media, 16 x 20 in
$ 950

Gail Nathanson
Broken, 2020
Oil Painting, 11 x 14 in
$ 1500

Selena Nawrocki
Noir Alley Square, 2019
Mixed Media, 30 x 30 in
$ 750

Laurinda O’Connor
End of Day, 2020
Pastel, 12 x 12 x 0.01 in
$ 700

Anthony Pilla
Channeling EM, 2019
Printmaking, 36 x 24 in
$ 600

Wen Redmond
Being, 2018
Mixed Media, 12 x 12 x 0.5 in
$ 495

Karen Rothman
Bruegel's Brew, 2020
Mixed Media, 12 x 11 x 1 in
$ 10,000

Karen Rothman
Will It Ever End, 2020
Mixed Media, 10 x 12 x 1 in
$ 5000

THIRD PRIZE

Susan Scavo Gallagher
The Painter, 2018
Photography, 21 x 17 x 1 in
$ 350

Stuart South
How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, 2020
Acrylic Painting, 30 x 30 x 1.5 in
$ 900

Erika Stern
Both Sides Now, 2020
Acrylic Painting, 24 x 24 x 1.5 in
$ 1100

James C Varnum
Perturbation, 2020
Mixed Media, 15 x 18 in
$ 400

Michael Weymouth
Merchant's Row, 2020
Watercolor, 15 x 22 x 1 in
$ 900

Michael Weymouth
Spruce Island Stone, 2019
Oil Painting, 20 x 36 x 1 in
$ 1500

Annemarie Whilton
No More, 2019
Mixed Media, 15 x 11 in
$ 250

Robert Beaulieu, On the Edge of an Invitation
Robert Beaulieu, Waiting Kayaks
Janet Blagdon, Resolving the Issue
Stephen Boczanowski, The Backyard Team
Stephen Boczanowski, Newbury and Clarendon
Barbara Chaisson, Four Friends
Nancy Colella, Silver Lining
Heather Collins, Tipping Toward Dusk
Heather Collins, Tipping Toward Autumn
Nancy Connolly, Whisper Me
Donald Cooper, Shuffling between Multiverses
Donald Cooper, Reflections in the Multiverse
Donald Cooper, Choosing a Multiverse
David Cucinotta, Approaching Storm
Kathleen Dunn, The Promise of America
Carol Egan Dupont, for a long moment
Susan Scavo Gallagher, The Painter
Drew Gaffney, 36 Straight
Drew Gaffney, It's Over
Alissa Gillis, Tiny Totem 5 (Glasses)
Ann Guiliani, American Portrait
Larry Guilmette, Wants to Fight

Becky Haletky, Life Support
Sara Holbrook, Primal Scream

Virginia Holloway, Curve Ball

Chris Kirtz, Two Peonies: Yellow and Pink (110)
Mary Kostman, Fly Away Home
Yvonne Lamothe, Black's Creek Autumn
C. J. Lori, Adieu

Christine Marohn, Blue Apples and Magenta Clementines
Jan McElhinny, Stacked
Lori Mehta, Cocoon
Judith Montminy, On the Edge
Lori Moretti, Outcome
Gail Nathanson, Broken
Selena Nawrocki, Noir Alley Square
Linda Nelson, Tipping Point #2
Laurinda O’Connor, End of Day
Karie O'Donnell, Indian River Light
Anthony Pilla, Channeling EM
Wen Redmond, Being
Karen Rothman, Will It Ever End
Karen Rothman, Bruegel's Brew
Stephen Sheffield, Walk It Off
Stuart South, How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Erika Stern, Both Sides Now
James C Varnum, Perturbation
Michael Weymouth, Merchant's Row
Michael Weymouth, Spruce Island Stone
Annemarie Whilton, No More