If you wish to purchase work that shows a price, contact the Toledo Artists' Club to make arrangements.
Location: Toledo Artists’ Club
Step into a world inspired by nature’s small wonders and big beauty. Birds, Bugs, & Blooms brings together artwork that celebrates everything from delicate flowers and busy pollinators to colorful birds and the quiet details we often overlook.
This show is open to both 2D and 3D pieces in any style or medium. Whether your work is detailed and true-to-life or loose and imaginative, we’re looking for art that captures your personal connection to the natural world.
Come explore a collection that’s lively, thoughtful, and full of life—where petals, wings, and tiny creatures all have a story to tell.
Juror Stephen Johnston
Biography
Stephen Johnston has been an active participant in the visual arts for the past 50 years. During those years, he has worked as an artist, arts administrator, and art educator. After receiving his B.Ed. from the University of Toledo, Mr. Johnston spent several years engaged in the life of an exhibiting artist in juried art festivals. A beneficial element of the experience was exposure to a wide variety of mediums, and the diversity of styles and communication put forth by fellow exhibiting artists. Mr. Johnston's experience with art festivals was the starting point for his work in various areas of arts administration for nearly 20 years. As coordinator of art programs for the Toledo Botanical Garden, his work included management of the TBG Brass Balloon Gallery, and the Crosby Festival of the Arts. His post-TBG experience has included gallery management positions with not-for-profit organizations in Toledo and Cincinnati. As the manager of galleries, Mr. Johnston has been in the position of examining a great quantity and variety of artwork in 2D and 3D mediums during selection and exhibition processes. His employment also provided opportunity to participate on jury panels for various festivals and local exhibitions. During this period of his professional life, Mr. Johnston enjoyed the opportunity to serve on art related committees for the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, WGTE, Toledo Museum of Art and Toledo Community Foundation. In recent years, Mr. Johnston is perhaps most recognized from his work in art education. He has taught credit earning visual art courses in 2D and 3D mediums for 27 years at both the high school and community college levels. For 24 years, he was one of the visual art teachers at the highly acclaimed Toledo School for the Arts, teaching at that institution since its founding in 1999. He is in his 38th year of teaching non-credit classes at the Toledo Potters' Guild. As an art educator, Mr. Johnston was invited to serve on jury panels for Scholastic's Art & Writing Awards Central Ohio Regional Exhibition, and Owens Community College's student exhibition. Additionally, both the Photo Arts Club and the Garden Forum have made use of his expertise and experience for their juried art exhibitions
The purpose of all art is to present to the consumer the artist’s desired communication. Whether the content of the artwork is presented in a realistic, representational, or abstract format or style. There are several areas that must be addressed in the creation of any artwork, for communication to be successful.
The successful execution of design/composition is the first factor that I examine in a work of art. Overall, I found the artwork I accepted for inclusion in this exhibition to be consistently effective in design/composition. Thereby, generally strengthening the communication being presented by all included artwork.
The artist’s ability to physically manipulate the medium in a manner that successfully aids in presenting their communication to the viewer was important to my selection of a work of art for this exhibition. Artwork selected for inclusion in this exhibition consistently presented an above average, or higher, level of execution and expression in the handling of the mediums put forth, as well as effectively presenting the artists' perceived communication.
The works of art that I selected for awards demonstrate a high level of achievement in the above stated areas of execution, and were the most successful in presenting the artist’s perceived communication. Though some are open to totally personal interpretation, which is sometimes reflected in my comments on the award winners following below.
Best in Show - Zinnia Elegans by Christopher Gallaher
Masterful manipulation of the medium to render an image of exacting detail, aided by the striking contrast of the subject to the void of the background. Thereby creating a highly effective level of visual engagement, and communication of the reality of the subject.
First Place - Garden Delight by Michelle Robinson
Highly effective use of design and physical execution, using a variety of forming processes in a challenging 3D medium, to convey an engaging place, perhaps inhabited by the known and unknown.
Second Place - Enchanted Blooms by Nancy Honacker
Excellent manipulation of the medium, complimented by effective use of composition, to present an engaging presentation of blooms.
Third Place - Summer by Pamela Kate Arnos
A very expressive use of the medium that engages the viewer, and brings to mind a pleasing, if not joyful, state of existence.
