update: January 11, 2009 Award Winners as Judged by Their Peers First place was a tie: Drew Fagan, Cirque Desolant Sabina Walla, Chores Third place: Connie Matz, Thompson's Barn Honorable Mention: Frances Alman, Bailey Ann Mel Gerst, The Light Michael Henderson, Elephant Mask

Gualala Arts presents an exhibit "Judged by Your Peers" from Friday, January 9th through February 8, 2009.

This exhibit will be voted on by the viewing public from Friday, January 9 through Sunday, January 11 at noon, then results will then be tallied and awards ($200, $100 and $50) and ribbons will be announced at 4:00p.m. Sunday. Join us for the opening reception Sunday, January 11 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. to meet the artists. We promise great discussions during this opening.

This is a new concept exhibit at Gualala Arts and we need You to make it happen.

Until the "Wet Paint" show five years ago, Gualala Arts generally did not have "juried exhibits" and Art In The Redwoods was one of only a few "judged exhibits." Most exhibits were neither. In a "juried exhibit," one to three jurors decide what pieces are going to be in the exhibit and which are going to be rejected. Usually jurors reject some of the art work either because of space availability or in some cases because the art work does not blend with the whole exhibit. In a "judged exhibit" that is not juried, judges decide prize winners but do not reject any of the art that is offered for entry.

The "Judged by Your Peers" art exhibit will not be juried, but will be judged by you, the viewing public. All art will be accepted and hung on Thursday, January 8. Friday morning, January 9, the voting will start. The viewing public will get an official ballot at the Gualala Arts office, pick their top five favorites, sign the ballot and hand it in. Voting will stop Sunday January 11 at noon, results will then be tallied and awards ($200, $100 and $50) and ribbons will be announced at 4:00 p.m. Sunday. Then the show will be up in the gallery and foyer for a month.

We've paid a lot of judges and jurors over the years, and found places for them to stay while they were up here doing the job. This year at Art In The Redwoods, artist Barry Semegran asked Executive Director David Susalla why we keep getting paid judges when we have about the highest concentration of artists per capita anywhere. Why not use local talent for judging? So we are trying it -

We want YOU to be the judge.

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.