Larkin Arts Annual Regional Juried Show

Here's me - looking exactly as uncomfortable as I was. 

I'm really proud of myself, guys.  My circus girls were among the 64 accepted submissions to the Larkin Arts Annual Regional Juried Show earlier this month (out of 224 total).  I conquered self-doubt and anxiety and was validated with acceptance.

This post is a little NSFW in a classy, artistic kind of way.

If there had been a fire, everyone surely would have died.

Until this show, I held the unfair and totally baseless belief that there was no art community in this area aside from P. Buckley Moss and country crafts (not that there's anything wrong with those things, I just don't relate to them). Being smushed in such a massive crowd of artists (social anxiety alert) and supporters was terrifying, but also kind of nourishing. I suddenly felt a lot less isolated.

I really love this abstract painting by Jason Anderson!*

The piece in the middle is "Peony" by Pamela Perez, and it was one of my favorites in the whole show.

I was inspired by the myriad media used by the featured artists, the wide scope of styles and subject matter, and the people themselves.  I creeped around the studio space a little and saw where some of these dudes work. It was a pretty excellent experience.

Reverend Bill Howard provided the music

"Luna" by Hannah Sions

Jurors' Choice Award Winner - "Family Jewels 3.0" by K Amelie Haden

Erin Murray's "The Wisdom and Bravery of Little Girls" won The Audience Choice Award.  I was really moved by this painting.  I also visited her studio and was genuinely impressed by her technical skill.
 

Artists' Choice Award Winner - "Once I Left I Didn't Go Back" by Jason Anderson*

Directors' Choice - "Gelsemina 1764: Waterfall" by Anikó Sáfrán*

"What's That Spell?" by Bailey Steele*

"Goldilocks" (somebody buy this for me, please) and "Dilation Elation" both by Sarah Hade, and "I Never Know Which Side to Show" by Adam Schmidt*

This amazing mural was not part of the show, but I spotted it on the walk from the satellite gallery to the main one and fell in love.

*I went back to Harrisonburg this weekend to visit the quilt museum with a friend and we stopped by the show again, so I was able to take a few more pictures and fill in some gaps left by my inability to properly document things the night of the show when I was overwhelmed by social anxiety.