Black + White
 at Rogers Free Library
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Juror :Melanie dai Medeiros

Black + White Juror Statement

In this community call for art, the artist’s ability to rely on color as one of its elements was stripped; forcing composition, mark making, and value to become the bedrock for artistic innovation.  As a juror, I was fascinated by the technical scope embodied in the submissions along with the abundance of fresh ideas, multitude of mediums, and the conceptual range.  This exhibit embraces many forms of 2D art and all stages of artistic development, expertly curated by the Extension Gallery’s staff. I would like to thank the Board of Directors of the Bristol Art Museum’s Extension Gallery at Rogers Free Library for inviting me to jury Black + White.
 
Many works left me feeling inspired and privileged to be working in this community of artists in East Bay, Rhode Island. However, the following works of merit displayed a passion for making and expression along with artistic integrity that deserves accolades.
 
Art can be more than the fine craft of realistic representation. Personal expression and use of the medium also draws in a viewer. Murray Norcross’ “Mekong Sortie” is an excellent example. In this painting, the artist’s aggressive brushstrokes, use of scale, and compositional arrangement move our eyes around the work and immerse us in the swirl of a memory.
 
In Caroline Calia’s photograph, “Portal”, the ordinary is elevated into the magical, allowing the viewer to be lost in the depths of a puddle.
 
When analyzing the composition of “Flutter and Fly 1 & 2” by Alison Plump, the underlying implied lines and shapes in this mixed media work create movement that keeps the viewer engaged for more than a passing glance.
 
Janet Maher’s “Center Series #2” layered graphite drawing is deceptively complex. It handles value, rhythm, and repetition through patterning in what first appears to be a symmetrical design but on closer inspection is instead an alluring example of asymmetrical balance.
 
Craftsmanship and technique attracted me to the cast paper of Victoria Guerina. “Dream Artifact #1” uses the pure white of the paper pulp’s cast form to produce the changing greyscale of natural shadows in this monochromatic study of a pair of feathers.
 
In “Tangled Roots,” artist Heather Stivison invites the viewer in for a closer look to appreciate both the array of mark making and complexity of subject matter in contrast to the simplicity of the pencil used to create it.
 
Many other pieces are likewise worthy of recognition; another judge on another day could have readily highlighted different works. Our community should be proud of the variety of work contained within this exhibit.

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About the Juror

 Melanie dai Medeiros
Melanie dai Medeiros is an interdisciplinary visual artist and art educator who currently resides on the East Bay of Rhode Island. Her artwork is continually evolving as papermaking and patterning weave their way together in this practice inspired somewhere between dream, memory, and the present moment -- raising children and experiencing the Ocean State, while celebrating pattern, design, and craft as art in her own version of 5th wave feminism. 
As an unconventional papermaker, Medeiros uses layers, casts, and frames to reimagine 2 dimensional mediums into the 3 dimensional, merging the narrative of imagery and physicality of the material.  She is seeking ways to make her practice more sustainable and is often upcycling debris found on the shores of Narragansett Bay in her work.
In 2020, Melanie received her MFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston where she had obtained her BFA in 2003. She is a board member of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative and an artist member of the Collaborative in Warren.  

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