Photos and reporting by Robert Kokenyesi, Ceramic Artist, Beachfront Pottery, Godfrey, IL, 62035, USA.  For more info on Beachfront Pottery please visit my Facebook page, or my web site.

The Venue

The exhibit took place from January 18, 2018 through February 28, 2018 at the gallery of Webster Arts located on the campus of Webster University and Eden Seminary.

 

This is the view of the exhibit space form the entry/check in desk.  The space is about 15 feet wide and 50 feet long.  Perfect to display wall pieces on the sides and on the back walls, and place 3D pieces on pedestals in the middle.

 

 

 

This is the view of the exhibit space from the back end towards the entry point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a view of the pedestal space in the middle of the exhibit space.

 

 

 

 

 

The Call for Entry

With no restrictions on medium or style, the Open Theme annual showcases the incredible breadth of expression artists are capable of, and how all that resurges the conversation on what artistic expression is.      From 407 submissions from 107 artists, juror Edna Patterson-Petty selected 45 pieces from 38 artists representing 16 US states and Mexico. With no restrictions on medium or style, the Open Theme annual showcases the incredible breadth of expression artists are capable of ands resurges the conversation on what artistic expression is.

The Ceramic Art Pieces

This was the art piece that used polymer clay in addition to other materials, so I included it in this ceramic-focused blog.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find further information on the web about Joseph’s artistic inspirations, although he does have a few pictures posted on the MySlart site.

The sculpture depicts the fusion of a human being with dragonfly wings.  Nice details on the person and on the wings.  Add a very eye-catching background, and you have an art piece that shines up the galery space.

 

 

 

 

Here is the piece that won the “Award of Excellence” at this exhibit.  Who would have thought that an experiment on slumping glass to express the river Hi in the Japanese dragon legend would come this far?  Well, here it is!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a much better quality (studio) photo of the piece.  The eight pieces of long, greenish pieces are the cut-off tails of the dragon Yamato no Orochi.  The slumped glass was accented by purple acrylic pigment.

 

 

 

There was a Best of Show, and another Award of Excellence in this exhibit in addition to my piece.