34th Juried Annual Exhibition Continues at Miller Art Museum Critique held Oct. 8 and award recipients announced

An Art Critique by artist and art educator Craig Blietz will be held on Thursday, October 8 at 10:30 am at The Miller Art Museum for the 34th Juried Annual Exhibition. Doors open at 10 am for coffee and treats.

Blietz will review and discuss the 51 works by 43 Wisconsin artists in this year’s exhibit that includes painting, drawing, printmaking and photography. Blietz is a painter, art instructor, and Artistic Director of the Kewaunee Academy of Fine Art. He is represented by Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Fish Creek.

The 34th Juried Annual Exhibit will continue through November 10, 2009. The selections on display were chosen from submissions by 90 artists from five northeast Wisconsin counties who entered 164 works for jurying. The 2009 jury included:  Cheryl Stidwell Parker, painter and art educator from Baileys Harbor; Graeme Reid, Assistant Director at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend; and Richard Steinberger, photographer and owner of Richard Steinberger Photography in Sturgeon Bay.

The awards recipients for the 34th Juried Annual Exhibit were recognized at the Opening Reception on Monday evening, September 21.

Three Special Merit Awards were agreed upon unanimously by all three jurors, and they include: “Winter Road,” oil on canvas, by Steven Monske of Green Bay; “Margot and Mosaic,” oil on canvas, by Sandra Murzyn of Manitowoc; and “Santa Fe,” digital photography, by Brian Pirman of DePere.

Each member of the jury also selected a personal favorite to receive a Juror Award. Graeme Reid selected “Reflections,” watercolor, by Bill Doyle of Green Bay. Cheryl Stidwell Parker selected “Jazz In Bloom,” acrylic on canvas, by Tim Nyberg of Sturgeon Bay; and Richard Steinberger selected “Fidel Castro Playing Pool,” oil on canvas, by Steven A. Vogel of Green Bay.

The Gerhard CF Miller Award of Excellence, named in honor of the beloved founder of the museum and selected by the Museum staff, went to Russell Schwindt of Manitowoc. This award has annually been underwritten by museum member and long time friend of the Millers, Roberta Nauman. Accompanying the award is a medallion created and donated by Hermke Timm and manufactured by Mint Masters, Inc., utilizing an image of a painting of Mr. Miller by James J. Ingwersen.

The Miller Art Museum, located within the Door County Library at 107 S. 4th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, is open Monday 10 am – 8 pm, and Tuesday through Saturday 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is free, and the museum is fully accessible. For further information call the museum office at 920.746.0707, email [email protected] or visit http://www.millerartmuseum.org .