By Kailah Johnson, Contributing Writer
Susquehanna’s Lore Degenstein Galley will host its 11th Annual Juried Figurative Drawing and Painting Competition and Exhibition, which will showcase several figurative drawings, paintings and print-making pieces from artists all over the country.
The opening reception and awards presentation will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 26 in Lore Degenstein Gallery.
The gallery’s director, Dan Olivetti, is excited about this year’s drawing and painting competition and exhibition.
“There are so many good artists out there… it’s surprising how many artists will trust us with their work, whether it be from Montana or California,” Olivetti said.
The Figurative Drawing and Painting Competition and Exhibition is open nationally to artists over the age of 18 and will show a number of works from artists all over the country. This year’s exhibit of paintings, drawings and print-making represent artists from Colorado, Florida, Utah and California, to name a few.
The exhibit shows a variety of artists from several different backgrounds as well as geographical differences. This exhibit breaks the traditional definition of figurative art. Many pieces have a narrative and stray away from the traditional portraiture showing diverse subjects and narratives that many people are familiar with.
“They’re just going to realize how many great artists there are out there, how many different styles of figurative there can be. I get so many people calling asking: ‘When is your figurative show opening, our group wants to come, it’s our favorite show.’ So many artist groups want to come and have meetings here and discuss the art,” Olivetti said. “There’s some amazing ones here… The quality of the art is incredibly good.”
This year holds the most prizes for its contestants compared to the ten years prior. On the opening night, seven awards will be announced ranging from $250 for honorable mentions to $3,000 for the first place prize.
The opening reception is open to all and will celebrate the contestants and the opening exhibition.
The exhibit will be judged by Cuban painter and Miami based artist, Alberto Jorge Carol. According to Carol’s website, the acclaimed painter and artist has an extensive creative career and has been creating figurative art for decades while being shown in galleries and exhibitions, receiving several awards and accolades.
Carol resides as a professor of drawing at the Fine Arts School of San Alejandro in Havana, Cuba. He graduated from the National School of Art (ENA) early in his career and his paintings have been featured in numerous shows, galleries and exhibitions all across the world, including in Cuba, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Brazil, Venezuela, Korea and Japan.
The Lore Degenstein is now accepting entries for this year’s competition. Forms are available on the Lore Degenstein Gallery page on the Susquehanna website.
The gallery presents work in four professional exhibitions and one student exhibition each school year.
Traveling exhibitions are featured in the gallery from time to time. It also periodically features exhibits from their French poster collection.
The gallery’s last exhibit “Selections From The Permanent Collection,” curated by Olivetti, featured different mediums including photography, sculptures and drawings.
The Lore Degenstein Gallery is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., except during campus recesses.
It is located in the Degenstein Campus Center. Admission to the gallery is free and is open to the public.
