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Banyan Study 300 by Deborah Perlman

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to come and visit, Hills & Valleys, the ArtisTTable's 34th online exhibition. We are proud to have had so many artists be a part of these exhibitions over the years. The amount and variety of work is inspiring. The landscape shows that we have hosted in particular show us that we all have a connection with each other no matter where we live.

From Norway to Florida, and from the United Kingdom to Australia there are different contours, colors and types of trees, yet we can all relate because the ground is below and the sky is above. As members of this community of the inhabitants of earth we can make sense of what we are looking at. We may not be able to understand the language of the artist that painted the scene or photographed the view, but when we look, we can understand their interpretation of their little part of the world.

The jurying process for this show was undertaken by the ArtisTTable staff. It is a good experience for us, as well as an enjoyable one, as it affords us the opportunity to look over and discuss each submission. Looking critically at art is really an important part of the art process and experience. As you look at the work in this show, you will find that not one of the artists take what they are doing lightly. The art they have created are each intensely personal responses to locations in which they live or have visited. And in the sculptural work of Rod Capps is a variation on the theme. You will see grape vines which were taken directly from his own landscape in Southern France.

Next you will will be able to read the notes that were put together about the art in Hills & Valleys that have been given specific and special recognition with the awards listed below.

First Place:

Banyan Study 300 -Deborah Perlman

Like huge articulated fleshy nearly human limbs reach and stretch across this composition. Deborah. Perlman puts us, the viewers right in the tree. We don't know how high because there is no ground reference, yet we see the sky and the sunlight as it is filtered through the canopy of leaves. We feel as though we are probably being kept safe by these huge tree beings. Although the world we are given to observe seems much more pleasant than presenting any kind of threat.

Second Place:

Earth and Heaven -Shully Postan

Shully gives us so much with what initially seems like so little. The limited palette may fool us into feeling like this is a simplistic representation of a landscape. But on second, third and fourth looks we find action and energy in the water that is echoed and supported by the sever angles and texture in mountains. The masterfully abstract line work and grey wash that tell us about those distant mountains so well, that we can feel sure that when we would hike to them, they would be as formidable as the ones we are seeing right in front of us.

Third Place:

Climbing Up Mount Vesuvius -Einat Amit-Romach

This photo exhibits such a fine abstract quality that we don't always immediately associate with photography that also appears to be purely a documentary image of a particular walk on a particular trail. Consider the division of this composition that separates near and far. Each half containing either all warm hues or all cool ones. That alone makes this photo as enjoyable to look at as I am sure the hike up Vesuvius is to take in that amazing view.

Honorable Mentions:

Madness -Astrid Slettevold

The title of this painting may telegraph a certain message of some craziness that would be found in this dense and exotic thicket. Lush colors match the expressive brushstrokes that define bunches of leaves, flowers and fallen trees, give us as much to explore as they give to contemplate.

Red Sky at Morning... -Jane Ditri

Sailors had really better take warning with a sky so red in the morning! One of the most wonderful things about sunrises is that many fewer people see them compared to sunsets. People that experience sunrises on a regular basis have a much different relationship with the day. Those people also pay special attention to details like patterns clouds make in the sky which are as stunning as the fire in the sky that Jane Ditri has provided us with.

Hills and Valleys #3 -Ziva Caspi

When we see a fresh interpretations of a subject it gives us cause to pause. That is a good thing. Ziva Caspi gives us lines that are far more straight, clean and crisp than we can ever find in nature, but do any of us believe that this is anything but a gorgeous day at the seaside?

Our Land -Angeline Bartholomeusz

Our Land is a fantastical place full of wonder, danger and intrigue. We should look deeper at our own land and really think about what it means to us, what we can do to preserve it, enrich it, share it and remember it.

Portfolio Award:

Roy Gelbard

The ArtisTTable Portfolio Award is given to an artist that submits a series of images that tell a cohesive story or narrative. The photographs of Roy Gelbard fill us with expansive wonder. He has taken a small slice of a small country and has taught us to look at possibilities. What happens when we change our point of view, or when we add a little color. What do such shifts do to our engagement with our world? Roy has given us atmosphere; so much so, that we can feel the warmth of the sun and smell the freshly tilled dirt. He seems to say, just slow down.

Studio Award:

Rod Capps

The ArtisTTable's Studio Award is presented to an artist that exhibits a unique studio practice or way of working that is a variation from what we might think traditional or even possible. The whimsical sculptures of Rod Capps are created from grape vines cleared from a vineyard adjacent to his home in the South of France. Imagine the joy he feels as he unearths these vines that become the boot and spike heeled figures of his imagination. Each one has such an individual personality. If you flip through each photo in order they turn into a short animation of a terrific dance sequence.

Tali’s Choice:

Dune -Hadar Cohen

This painting first attracts me with its colors, shape, and sensitive brushwork on the bushes. As I was looking at it closely I found all the elements that make a painting a vehicle to tell a story. I could feel the heat of the day, the hot sand and the southern atmosphere in the Negev. The two kids that are the center of the story/painting are climbing the dune that they are obviously familiar with. The possibility that they already know what is behind that hill gives me a peaceful feeling. I love the color of the sand and its brightness. It drives the story to such a dramatic and exciting place. Thanks Hadar for painting it!

Royce's Choice:

Druesberg -Yvonne Rojas-Cowan

The abstract qualities of this painting are so appealing to me. The direct application of such raw colors of paint are made even more exciting as you realize the marks are made after intense direct observation of these mountains. This correlation to reality adds a depth of character and intimate meaning to this painting as well as the other paintings that Yvonne has in this exhibition.

Hills & Valleys People's Choice Award:

Blue - Hadar Cohen

This painting by Hadar Cohen received the most votes in the People's Choice Awards for this exhibition. See, there is a place in this world where your vote still counts for something. Thank you to all those that participated to make this a success.

The artwork chosen to represent this exhibition is the First Place winner, Banyan Study 300 by Deborah Perlman.

If you read this far, we thank you very much, we appreciate your interest and engagement in the arts and in particular the work that has taken to put this show together. We truly appreciate all the women in the show and and the great work they do.

Now please Click Here and go enjoy Hills & Valleys now.

Hills & Valleys Exhibition Artists: