Details
Start Date
Tue, March 8, 2022 @ 10:00 AM
End Date
Thu, April 14, 2022 @ 3:00 PM
Location
The Cuyahoga Valley Art Center
HUMAN FIGURE EXHIBITION
LOCATION: MAIN GALLERY CVAC
DATES: MARCH 8 – APRIL 14, 2022
The Cuyahoga Valley Art Center (CVAC) invites the public to view their Human Figure Exhibition on display in CVACs gallery March 8 – April 14, 2022.
This popular juried exhibition opens on Tuesday, March 8th, and runs through April 14th. The public is invited to visit CVAC’s gallery and participate in their People’s Choice selection process dictating a People’s Choice Award Winner. This award gives the public the chance to have their say on the artworks they think deserve additional recognition. This voting will conclude at 6:30 PM during the Artist Reception to be held on Friday, April 1st from 5:30-7:00 PM in the main gallery. Patrons will have the opportunity to mingle with the artists, enjoy refreshments and hors d’oeuvres and purchase art during this free reception.
JUROR INFORMATION: Judy Takács
Saving the world, one painting at a time, Judy Takács is best known for the painterly realism of her oil portraits and the message of female empowerment of her traveling portrait series, Chicks with Balls: Judy Takács paints unsung female heroes, which opened as her first solo museum show at the Zanesville Museum of Art in early 2020. Similarly, her Goddess Project, currently showing through June 12th, 2020 as a solo show at Chagrin Arts in Chagrin Falls, re-imagines the mythological characters from all religions via a contemporary feminist lens.
A winner of thirteen Best in Show awards since 2011, her figurative work has been exhibited in solo, invitational and juried shows at the Butler Institute of American Art, Zanesville Museum of Art, Evansville Museum, ArtNEO Museum, MOCA Cleveland, Haggin Museum, Salmagundi, and National Arts Clubs, and at colleges and art centers nationally. Takács has national art competitions for Susquehanna University, Rochester Art Club, and The Bryn Du Art Show as well as local ones throughout Northeast Ohio.
A signature member of the Akron Society of Artists and American Women Artists, Takács currently holds elected membership with the Salmagundi and Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Clubs, and also a board position with the Allied Artists of America as Social Media Chair. She is past chair of Social Media, and Literature Committee writer for the Portrait Society of America. She has written, directed, and hosted 66 episodes of Living Figuratively, her weekly broadcast, now on YouTube, designed to spur a love of figurative art. Her paintings, projects, and contributions to the figurative art world are noted on Wikipedia.
Choosing subjects for their strength of character, Takács’ portraits depict women of courage, resilience, and everyday heroism. Her goal is to truthfully depict a living, breathing soul whose presence invites viewers to linger, connect and think.
Judy Takács I email: judytakacs@me.com I instagram: @judytakacs #judytakacs I web: judytakacs.com
YouTube: Judy Takács I Blog: chickswithballsjudytakacs@me.com
Winners:
| FIRST-PLACE & People’s Choice Award Winner
Mark Giangaspero STOW, OH “Mrs. M” Oil Based Media $1,500 |
“Mark Giangaspero’s First Place Awarded “Mrs. M” positively writhes with truth and deliciously specific humanity. For me, portraiture and figurative art go hand in hand…it doesn’t need to show a body to be considered figurative and it doesn’t need a face to be considered a portrait. “Mrs. M” is executed masterfully, where we feel the juicy folds and excruciating cracks in the skin, the ruddy wetness around the eyes, and that magnificent nose that comes way out into our space. Even the sweater has personality. “Mrs. M” draws me in to get to know her better, she is alive and holds my interest captive.”
– Judy Takács |
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| SECOND-PLACE
Lisa Ruschman MENTOR, OH Ms. Willendorf Mixed Media $1,100 |
“Lisa Ruschman’s Ms. Willendorf sits at the perfect epicenter of great composition, compelling concept, and masterfully crafted medium. Her body is composed of exactly the right number of stained-glass pieces with exactly the right shapes to define her ample Venus of Willendorf frame. Achieving this simplicity, with cut or broken glass no less, is no small feat. And the fact that Lisa Ruschman has given Ms. Willendorf feet, speaks to my own feminist heart. The figure itself is a beautiful single compositional shape, and she’s perfectly placed within the rectangle. All in all this a very satisfying piece that engages the viewer with a joyous spirit.”
– Judy Takács |
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| THIRD-PLACE
Barbara Himes AKRON, OH Coffee Talk Oil Based Media $350 |
“With Barbara Himes’ Coffee Talk, she has created a welcoming and familiar place for the viewer to come in, sit down, and engage. The glow behind the figure creates the feeling that there’s a beautiful sunny day outside, but important issues are being discussed between friends…the sunshine can wait. Beautifully painted, with muted colors and values that play against each other, the wistful expression, the exaggerated perspective and simplicity all make for a wonderful painting.”
– Judy Takács |
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| HONORABLE MENTION
Jack Hickson BARBERTON, OH Natural Curiosity Watercolor Media NFS |
“With Natural Curiosity, Jack Hickson has captured a slice of childhood. The watercolor medium and skillful handling are perfect for depicting this precarious split second of a scene that this juror…who is also a mom… feels may end in a bruised knee and tears. The way her two feet awkwardly turn inward to perch on a small rock, the way her hand reaches to steady herself by grabbing at an airy sprig of a branch and the delicacy of the paint handling of her braid… are amazingly observed specific human details that work together beautifully.”
– Judy Takács
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| HONORABLE MENTION
Tricia Kaman CHAGRIN FALLS, OH Table Top Nude Oil Based Media $2,900 |
“The carefully observed specific color and value shifts on the body of Tricia Kaman’s Table Top Nude make her believably solid and sculptural. It is very satisfying to follow the purples, oranges and multi-hued shadow areas that cascade down her body and define her form. The darker areas are perfectly managed to define value, without ever leaving the world of expressive and bright color. This is not an easy feat and is managed exceptionally well without threatening the integrity and glowing impact of the areas where the light falls on the figure.”
– Judy Takács |
 |
| HONORABLE MENTION
Linda Hutchinson KENT, OH Finery Oil Based Media $5,400 |
“Linda Hutchinson’s Finery is a compelling figural composition with fascinating dark female shapes creating support for the glowing white female shape in the middle. Because it has a vintage photography feel to it, it is psychologically compelling in a way that makes you curious about the story and characters behind this gathering that presumably took place in real life decades ago. The management of the what to sacrifice for symmetry and simplicity and what specifics to accentuate for the sake of painterly beauty, are what make this painting far transcend the vintage photograph that inspired the painting.”
– Judy Takács |
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Accepted Submissions:
| FULL NAME | CITY, STATE | Title | CATEGORY | Price |
| Janet Baran | Medina, OH | Snow On My Roof | Water-Based Media | NFS |
| Janet Baran | Medina, OH | When Coffee Cost A Quarter | Mixed Media | NFS |
| Anita Burgess | Akron, OH | Entrapment | Mixed Media | NFS |
| April Cameron | Akron, OH | Where’s The Magic? | Water-Based Media | NFS |
| Taylor Clapp | Akron, OH | Wash Away… | Oil Based Media | $1,000 |
| Taylor Clapp | Akron, OH | David | Oil Based Media | $2,000 |
| C. Arthur Croyle | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | Mums | Water-Based Media | NFS |
| M Donley | Stow, OH | Mankind’s Phallacy: Mother Nature | Mixed Media | NFS |
| Deborah Duchscherer | Middlefield, OH | He Wanted To Fly | 3D Media | $250 |
| Deborah Duchscherer | Middlefield, OH | Gourd Haute Couture | 3D Media | $300 |
| Wendy Freedman | Akron, OH | Loretta | Mixed Media | $165 |
| Wendy Freedman | Akron, OH | Embracing My Flaws | 3D Media | $170 |
| Mark Giangaspero | Stow, OH | Chris’s Christmas 1972 | Oil Based Media | $600 |
| Mark Giangaspero | Stow, OH | “Mrs. M” | Oil Based Media | $1,500 |
| Robert Goldthwaite | Kent, OH | Vivian | Water-Based Media | $750 |
| Diana J. Heinbuch | Akron, OH | My Mona | Water-Based Media | NFS |
| Diana J. Heinbuch | Akron, OH | Baby Mona | Water-Based Media | NFS |
| Sally Heston | Broadview Heights, OH | Pandemic Self-Portrait No. 1 | Watercolor Media | $300 |
| Sally Heston | Broadview Heights, OH | Pandemic Self-Portrait No. 2 – Anger | Watercolor Media | $300 |
| Jack Hickson | Barberton, OH | Natural Curiosity | Watercolor Media | NFS |
| Barbara Himes | Akron, OH | Coffee Talk | Oil Based Media | $350 |
| Barbara Himes | Akron, OH | What Do I Want | Oil Based Media | $500 |
| Linda Hutchinson | Kent, OH | Mint Julep | Oil Based Media | $720 |
| Linda Hutchinson | Kent, OH | Finery | Oil Based Media | $5,400 |
| Tricia Kaman | Chagrin Falls, OH | Table Top Nude | Oil Based Media | $2,900 |
| Tricia Kaman | Chagrin Falls, OH | Tracy’s Space | Oil Based Media | $2,500 |
| Carol Klingel | Lodi, OH | Becoming Henry | Dry Media | NFS |
| Carol Klingel | Lodi, OH | Barb At Lily Dale | Oil Based Media | NFS |
| Emily Kohmann | Canton, OH | Natalie | Oil Based Media | $695 |
| Emily Kohmann | Canton, OH | Ruby 2 | Oil Based Media | $695 |
| Roy Mowls | Munroe Falls, OH | Stream | Oil Based Media | $750 |
| Jennifer Newyear | Richfield, OH | Through the Looking Glass | Oil Based Media | NFS |
| Jennifer Newyear | Richfield, OH | Peasant Girl | Dry Media | $250 |
| Kit Palencar | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | Full Moon | Water-Based Media | $1,000 |
| Kit Palencar | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | Watching The End Of The World | Oil Based Media | $850 |
| Eva Polzer | Kent, OH | Fish Eyed Smile | 3D Media | $400 |
| Eva Polzer | Kent, OH | Sore Skin | 3D Media | $400 |
| Lisa Ruschman | Mentor, OH | Ms. Willendorf | Mixed Media | $1,100 |
| Cara Simmons | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | Untitled | Dry Media | $800 |
| Angela Simone | Mentor, OH | Invigorating | Mixed Media | $450 |
| Angela Simone | Mentor, OH | Metamorphosis | Mixed Media | $400 |