Meet the Masters

If you have yet to do so, now would be a good time to check out my earlier posts on this year's Emerging Artist Scholarship winners.

OK, now you're up to date? Good. Now I can let you in on something brand new happening this year. For the first time, Three Rivers Arts Festival is hosting an indoor gallery show exclusively showcasing Emerging Artist Scholarship winners of years past.

Now I Am the Master (anyone recognize that title? I'll admit that I had to be told) features work from past winners including Daniel Baxter, Adalgisa Bosonetto, Kyle Ethan Fischer, John Flatz, Toby Fraley, Beth Gaertner, Dan Gaser, Alex Lobus, Aimee Manion, Olga Mihaylova, Maria Napoli, and Emily Reason. The exhibit is curated by the Festival's Artists Market Coordinator, Sonja Sweterlitsch.

I had the pleasure of talking with Sonja about what makes this exhibit so exciting. When I asked her why she decided on these winners in particular, here's what she said: "I selected these 12 artists because they each have exciting artwork that is very fitting for a gallery setting, and because each has gained notable success in their artistic careers since receiving the scholarship." Out of a pool of over 50 scholarship winners selected since 2002, these 12 have been chosen. In other words, these are the cream of the crop.

Sonja went on to say that she "wanted to present their work in a space beyond the 10x10 tents in the Artists Market." If Now I Am the Master was going to push the boundaries of what I've come to expect from Artists Market artists, I wanted a taste of what to expect. Here's what I got: past winner Daniel Baxter will be displaying a 30-foot soft sculpture of a ghost squid.

Go ahead. Let that sink in. A 30-foot ghost squid.

Now I Am the Master will run from June 5 - July 17 at 937 Liberty Avenue.

"The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the Master!" - Darth Vader

 Image: Over the Horizon by John Flatz. Photograph.

Thumbnail image: Robot - Model 7 by Toby Atticus Fraley. Mixed Media.