Ragdolls, robots & rocketships

December 13, 2013 - January 17, 2014

Opening Reception | Friday, December 13, 2013 6:00 to 8:00 pm

ACCEPTED ARTISTS

Jeff Boshart

Susan Bostwick

Christine Caste

James Calvin

Anne Chesnut

Elizabeth Conn

Brad Corso

Robert Davis

Evelyn Davis-Walker

John DenHouter

Theresa Devine

Emily Dvorin

Erin Eveland

Barry Fitzgerald

Derek Gollaher

William Harroff

Nancy Hathaway

Joseph Holsapple

Elizabeth Huller Eisemann

Alan Iteaux

Joyce Jensen

Philly Johnmeyer

Steve Jones

Janet Kappes

Catherine Kirkpatrick

Miriam Krone

Lisa Linke

Roger McCarthy

Bill McKenney

Pieter Myers

Liz Miller

Angela Mircsov

Melissa Mircsov

Elizabeth Morisette

Shirley Nachtrieb

Paul Nitsche

Katherine Nelson

Collette Paul

James Pittman

Robert Reed

Melissa Rohr

Sherry Salant

Nicole Stahl

Erika Swinson

Tobin Troyer

Ira Upin

Chelsea Vineyard

Ron Vivod

Marcus Walton

Mark Wlaz

Jim Zimpel

THE EXHIBITION

For many, the mere glimpse of a childhood toy in a shop window can bring to surface the memories of a favorite doll, a sibling squabble over a dump truck or fond thoughts of a threadbare stuffed dog. Rag Dolls, Robots & Rocketships is a juried exhibition presenting the theme of toys.

This special exhibit features toy-inspired art in all mediums, both in 2D and 3D forms.

Juror 

Renee Richetts is a working artist who focuses on the creative use of recycled and re-used materials within the context of her strong pro-environment themes.

Her playful hinged metal books have been published in Somerset Studios, and will be featured in Creating Art at the Speed of Life, due out September 2013. Richetts has had her own share of entering artful toy exhibitions, and was honored to serve as juror for the Southern California regional Small Scale Toy Show held in San Diego last year.

Richetts splits her time between her art studios in California, where her Corkbots are popular swag at Comic Con International every summer, and in Chicago. Her work may be seen on Facebook, at the Escondido Municipal Gallery in California, The Girl Scout Museum in New York, and in UCSD’s Special Collection at Geisel Library.

JUROR'S STATEMENT

I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as juror for Ragdolls, Robots, and Rocketships. I was awed and occasionally humbled by the variety of approaches, the themes developed in the work, and the many artistic expressions represented. And whether rendered in 2-D or 3-D, I loved the toys.

Segue alert: here comes the obligatory “Juror’s Whine”. Skip if you already know the jest.

In any juried art exhibition, the variables that go into the selection process are mostly well outside the juror’s control. They include, but are never limited to: the art submitted, the rules required for submitting, the juror’s sense of what the exhibition should be about, the artists’ sense of what the exhibition should be about, the amount and type of exhibition space…Yep, the list goes on.

With that said, what I really want to convey is my sincere THANK YOU!

To all of you who submitted your work: entering a group exhibition is a testament of faith in your own work, and a very personal statement about the importance art has in our lives and culture. Your commitment to a dialogue between yourself and the public is an act of courage. Reviewing what you have submitted has been an honor.