Jurors use eyes, hearts

Choosing a favorite landscape is difficult, especially when you have 273 choices. But for this year's jurors of the Deseret Morning News/Days of '47 Landscape Art Show, "Color of the Land," there was a method to their madness.

Sandy Brunvand, Karen Horne and Jared Sanders initially narrowed the field to approximately 150. "That's competent but I don't know if it's inspired," and, "it's very lovely," echoed through the room as the number slowly neared 100. Each piece was contemplated individually and was expected to fit some specific criteria.

Aside from good design, balance, proportion and rhythm, the jurors chose pieces based on the feelings that were evoked.

"I'm looking for something that is more than just a landscape," said Sanders, who won the Purchase Award last year for his work "Utah High Desert." He believes the artist has to see more. "If the artist hasn't developed a style of their own and hasn't allowed their feelings to come through, then they've just copied what a camera has shown them. These pieces should be more than just a representation of a photograph.

"It comes more from the inside. When a painting is photographic, the artist isn't allowing that interpretation to come through."

Brunvand, who has a BFA in ceramics and a MFA in printing and painting, has judged exhibits on the high school level, and she says there's always a breaking point. "I like to see skill. A lot of people think you can't see it, but you typically can."

Understated subtlety is another strength Brunvand admires. "I'm looking for something that is not just decorative. Everybody has a different vision. I'm looking for something that is more inspired than others, but there's a tight line between innovation and ineptness."

"There does have to be a certain amount of technical competency," said Horne, "and also something that doesn't look mass-produced or manufactured. It should be something magical. A good artist is taking it to another level by somehow making the medium their own. They put their own mark on it."

Horne has an MFA in painting from Yale and owns her own gallery. Though this is her first time on an exhibit jury, Horne feels the process is similar to that of curating a museum show. "I'm always scanning for excellent pieces of artwork."

The show should go beyond gimmicky barns dropped in front of sunsets, said Horne. "We're looking for excellence and mastery in the medium and what kind of impact it makes. When a painting feels like a total copy of a photograph or it's too sentimental, it doesn't bring anything new to the statement."