Patricia Cosgrove saw big things from small art.
Cosgrove got the idea touring a gallery in Santa Fe, N.M., several years ago. The exhibit caught her eye – a creative display that featured small, personal works, not large, cooperate art.
Inspired, she brought the novel format back to Auburn and the White River Valley Museum.
Now in its eighth year, the museum’s Small Works Big Presents: The Gift of Art has grown in popularity and numbers.
“The quality also has gotten better each year,” said Cosgrove, the museum’s executive director. “The quality has steadily ratcheted up.”
In partnership with the Auburn Arts Commission – the museum’s juried show and sale opened Nov. 19 and continues through Dec. 14, just in time for connoisseurs to purchase affordable items home for the holidays and support local and regional artists.
The show represents high quality works of fine art and crafts from throughout the Northwest.
Jurors chose 76 pieces of work from 420 submissions for the exhibit. All told, 122 artists from Washington, Idaho and Oregon entered, with 18 percent of their submissions making the show.
“I’m proud of it,” Cosgrove said of the diverse lineup.
The artwork, primarily two-dimensional in nature, includes a wide variety of media – from mosaic to painting, encaustic to printmaking, jewelry to sculpture, ceramics to textile arts.
All artworks must measure 12 inches or less at their largest dimension to qualify as a “Small Work.” Artworks must measure 6 inches or less at their largest dimension to qualify as a “Miniature Work.”
Seventy-five percent of the art sales go to the respective artists, 25 percent benefits the museum.
The jury selected a black and white photograph, “11th Street Bridge,” by Molly Becker for Best in Show, awarding her a check for $750. The multi-material assembly, “Insomnia,” by Devon Urquhart won the Small Works category and a cash prize of $250. Linda Jacobus’ oil painting, “Marigolds in Morning Light,” received second place in Small Works and $125. Barbi Lock Lee’s ceramic piece, “Flower Bowl with Pair of Zebra Finches,” won the Mini Works category and $250, and Maoko Morisawa’s wood collage, “Art Walk,” was second in Mini Works, earning a $125 cash prize.
Visitors are encouraged to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award the winner during the first two weeks of the show. The winner receives a cash prize of $400 and has their artwork featured in next year’s invitation.
The jurors are: Margaret Bullock, curator of collections and special exhibitions at the Tacoma Art Museum; Aaron Hartzell, instructor of photography at Green River Community College; and Colleen Maloney, a member of Auburn Arts Commission.
The Auburn Arts Commission and 4Culture sponsor the exhibit.
The museum, at 918 H St. SE, is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. On the first Thursday of each month, the hours are extended from 6 to 8 p.m.
Regular admission is $5 adults, $2 seniors and children, children 2 years of age or younger are always free. Admission is free on the first Thursday and the third Sunday of every month.
Call 253-288-7433 or visit www.wrvmuseum.org for more information.
