Spring Fusion: Renew and Reinvent Exhibition Award Winners

A bold graphic statement of fearless growth. A doorway into a vibrant scene of hope, filled with a passionate beauty that emerges from the black, fertile darkness.  The off-center lavender staircase-like shape invites the viewer to enter the canvas and wander through the sprouting “forest” of aliveness, resting from time to time in the sky-blue calmness of the nuanced background. This work encourages us all to embrace the boldness of living into this season... out loud.
 Well done.

An introspective look into a reflective moment inspired by the buoyancy of Mother Nature.  The playfulness of the mixed media, the bold charcoal-like lines of the chair, the patterned “porch-like” wall, the magic carpet standing on its edge... A simple, ordinary, quiet moment of solitude. This work asks us to pause and take time for quiet contemplative Spring moments.
 Beautifully done!  Congratulations. 

Who does not want to walk into this joyousness? This vibrant jubilation, celebrating a simple moment of childhood elation, shared by this dad, this uncle, this brother, this man...this ritual of bubble blowing gives a powerful nod to the importance of community, of togetherness.  Not only does the color draw you into the painting, but the stance of the children engages the viewer in a bodily felt-sense manner. We can literally feel the aliveness of Spring in this painting.
 Powerfully done! Congratulations.

An elegant, exquisitely crafted, quintessential symbol of Southern-ness and Spring.This soft, delicate depiction of a cameia is intimate and sensual, a meditation in reminding us to slow down, pay attention, and melt into the fleeting gifts of Spring. And then there is the bumble bee, poised to drink mother nature’s nectar. This painting whispers to us in a holy manner.
 Exquisitely done!  Congratulations.

The overall atmosphere of this mixed media work is intriguing, asking the viewer to enter this abstract cosmos. If you open your active imaginations to the markings on this canvas, letting go of any expectations, where you go might surprise you.  The mark making here, the drawing, painting, stitching, is nudging us into a non-linear journey.  A quest of sorts. It is a dreamlike map into our unconscious. I notice
 soft and hard shapes. Clearly defined and hazy shapes. Static and fluid shapes. Circuitous and straightforward movement.
 I feel
 receiving and giving. Motion and stillness. Warmth and Coolness. Welcoming and shunning. Purposefulness and randomness. 
I wonder, is this
 creation or destruction. Acceptance or rejection. Guarding or birthing. Letting go or coming home. All of this evokes a sense of Spring like questioning. An opportunity to refocus, to hold the tension of the opposites while we contemplate the seeds we long to nourish.
Excellently done!  Congratulations.

The soft, rounded voluptuousness of this landscape sings us into the early breaths of Spring. This is a quiet, understated, soothing view of what is just around the corner...the tender emerging greens, the tranquil flowing stream, the gentle drifting clouds, all whisper the promise of growth and renewal. There is an element of benevolent grace held within the small image of the moose, a symbol of independence and wisdom. Has the moose just emerged from wintering in the dark forest to the right? 
Is the moose crossing the river in search of new lands? Looking Down on Moose Road asks us to be gentle with ourselves as we enter into this yearly cycle of rebirth.  Poignantly done!  Congratulations.