Press Release – for immediate release:
Valdosta State University College of Arts, Department of Art & Design
Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery
VSU Fine Arts Building
Corner of Brookwood and N. Oak Streets
Valdosta National 2019
All-media Juried Competition
January 22-February 8
Reception and Awards Ceremony: Tuesday, January 22, 6-7:30pm
Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8:30am-5:30pm, Friday: 8:30am-3pm
Contact: Julie Bowland, Gallery Director, 229.333.5835, jabowlan@valdosta.edu
The Valdosta National 2019 all-media juried competition opens at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 22, with a reception and awards ceremony. The exhibition will run through Friday, February 8, and is free and open to the public.
The selection process was highly competitive. 368 individual works of art by 132 adult artists from 36 states across the country were submitted for the Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery’s 31th annual showcase of contemporary visual art. Valdosta National 2019 judge Michael McFalls, selected 45 works by 29 artists from 21 states to be featured and to compete for $1,500 in awards, which will be announced at Tuesday’s reception.
Exhibited artworks show a variety of media and artistic visions, ranging from intimate graphite plein air realistic landscapes to large abstract paintings, to detailed, intricate printmaking. All display a mastery of technique, as well as a contemporary aesthetic. There are some surprises, including a painting on a broken skateboard, and large sculptures that provoke the viewer to question some of the materials. The show is united by strong conceptual concerns and implied narrative undercurrents.
Juror & Judge Michael McFalls is a Professor of Art at Columbus State University and a practicing artist. He received his B.F.A. in Fine Arts from The Columbus College of Art and Design (OH) and his M.F.A. from The University of California at Davis. Before joining CSU, he served as the Art Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Art at The University of Maine at Farmington. He recently completed a six-month Fulbright Fellowship in Sweden at the University of Gothenburg, HDK Steneby and has received numerous scholarships and awards, including; the Pitzerker Foundation Endowed Fellowship, the College of the Arts Teaching Award, College of the Arts Faculty Research Award, as well as being nominated for the University Regents’ Excellence in Teaching Award. Mike has been a resident at Sculpture Space, Inc., The Djerassi Resident Artists Program, and Australia National University, and a visiting artist at Dartmouth College and Furman University. McFalls has had numerous exhibitions at national and international venues.