Juror Babette Augustin visited the Robeson Guild House and reviewed the entries for the Spring Festival Exhibition on Friday, April 19th. The theme was simply – Spring! The beautiful time of year here in North Carolina, that is full of sunshine, flowers – and pollen, although not one artist took any notice of that reality, focusing only on the beauty and memories of the season.
Augustin, photographer, entrepreneur, and multi-discipline artist is launching a new stage of her life soon, following a vital career as an award-winning newspaper photographer, active gallery life with her private artwork, and creative business endeavors. She enjoyed this opportunity to serve as juror for the first time. For the judging, each piece of artwork was judged blind, each piece identified only by number. Augustin awarded First, Second, and Third placements and four Honorable Mentions.
The Spring Festival Exhibition Opening Reception was Thursday evening, featuring music by Betty Fisher on her accordion, and light refreshments sponsored by Linda Hedgepeth.
AWARDS
First Place
Shantonia Kai Chavis-Bullard for Sanctuary Blooms
Second Place
Bobbie Britt for All About Spring
Third Place
Carole Blaney for Pleasant Words
Honorable Mention
Charlotte Thompson for Serendipity Garden
Irina Shin-Geller for Bouquet
Jeffery Geller for First Blossoms
MM Anderson for Rest Easy Little One
JUROR COMMENTS
Note: Judging was done blind, with each piece identified by number only. No information about the artist, medium, or subject was provided. The name each piece and the name of the artist were added later, when the juror’s recorded comments were transcribed, with her permission. Comments were not provided for all entries viewed.
– Babette Augustin, Juror, Spring Festival Exhibition, April 19, 2024
Awards
#9 Sanctuary Blooms, Shantonia Chavis-Bullard
1st Place Winner: Loves this painting! Very mature piece. Open door on the church allows entry into the heart of the piece, captures interest with the dogwood the symbol of the crucified Jesus. Intense, professional piece. Love that the flowers themselves are not perfect. The type of piece she would buy herself.
#5 All About Spring, Bobbie Britt
2nd Place Winner: Loves the painting! The Splash and Dash of the color looks helter-skelter but comes into a symphony of shapes. Delightful composition. Well done.
#19 Pleasant Words, Carole Blaney
3rd Place Winner: Very interesting, well done and excellent choice of materials and techniques.
Honorable Mentions
#8 Serendipity Garden, Charlotte Thompson
Honorable Mention: Shows the hallmark of a mature artist, handles hues well, taking the viewer into the distance. Lovely.
#12 Bouquet, Irina Shin-Geller
Honorable Mention: Love this. Has a beautiful, quiet feel to it.
#14 First Blossoms, Jeffery Geller
Honorable Mention: Love this, has a Gustav Klimt feel to it.
#17 Rest Easy Little One, MM Anderson
Honorable Mention: Technique is beautiful, entrancing. Enjoyed how the background colors are brouught into the features. Incredibly well done.
Other
#2 What I Did, Jim Tripp
Likes the painting, but the day lilies are a summer, not a spring plant.
#3 Colorful Spring, Bobbie Britt
Likes the painting, but feels it loses something in comparison to #5. Suggests that the artist include the frame as an extension to the art, perhaps continuing the colors onto the frame itself.
#4 Forsythia, Bobie Britt
Feels the art is spoiled by the taped typing in the corner.
