Oxford, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, and Bloomfield Hills Artists Among Winners in Michigan Fine Arts Competition
(BBAC, June 22, 2023)
Birmingham, MI – The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC), a regional non-profit art center committed to promoting visual arts experiences for all, is pleased to announce the winners of its 2023 Michigan Fine Arts Competition (MFAC). The annual, professionally-juried, regional art exhibit, now in its 42nd year, is open to artists from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. The exhibition, sponsored by Bank of Ann Arbor/Birmingham, is free and open to the public now through August 17, 2023.
The 2023 MFAC show, which encompasses all four of the BBAC’s exhibition gallery spaces, features 90 works of art, including pieces from this year’s nine winners, all of whom were hand-selected by Juror, Cris Worley, from the nearly 600 entries across the five states.
Worley is the founder and owner of Cris Worley Fine Arts, one of Dallas, Texas’ premier contemporary art galleries. She holds a BFA and MA, both in Art History, from The University of the South and Southern Methodist University, respectively. Worley has more than 20 years of experience in the fine art business, as director for other art galleries, including Pan American Art Projects, and launching her own in 2010. An active leader in the arts in Dallas, Worley is a founding member of The Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas (CADD), and has served on the advisory committee for the Town of Westlake’s Public Art Program. She continues to juror exhibitions, act as guest speaker to universities and mentor artists in the early stages of their careers.
“Jurying an exhibition online is an interesting task…it narrows the selection process to almost an entirely formal approach, begging the singular question, does the work have an impact, or not?,” said Worley. “In my own choices as a gallerist, I like to see a certain level of skill and knowledge of the material. If there are obvious conceptual or narrative components, that also plays a role. Aside from the awards given, there were many artists for which I would like to make acknowledgments, but at the end of the day, everyone here should be commended for dedicating themselves to a creative endeavor. Keep going!”
The 2023 MFAC recognized nine works of art with cash and art materials prizes totaling $5,500. This year’s honorees, include:
- Jackson Wrede (Grand Rapids, Mich.); Gillian; $2,000 MFAC Award
- Kirk Roda (Oxford, Mich.); Emotion Basket; $1,000 MFAC Award
- Susan Aaron-Taylor (Pleasant Ridge, Mich.); Endangered: Red Wolf; $750 MFAC Award
- Philip Ruehle (Owosso, Mich.); Adamant Indecision; $500 MFAC Award
- Douglas Malone (Royal Oak, Mich.); Exile 2; $300 Blick Art Materials Gift Card
- Candace Pappas (Chelsea, Mich.); Self-Portrait with Bittersweet Vines; $250 Corinne Maillard Robinson Award
- Sarah Nesbitt (Detroit, Mich.); Migration; $100 Blick Art Materials Gift Card
- Colleen O’Rourke (Grand Rapids, Mich.); Aoife; $100 Blick Art Materials Gift Card
- Susan O’Connor (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.); Unload and Lock; $500 BBAC President’s Award
Additional details on the winning works are available HERE.
“The variety, quality and ingenuity of the contemporary artwork in this year’s MFAC exhibition is just a joy and a privilege to experience,” said Annie VanGelderen, BBAC President & CEO. “If you’re looking to be inspired, look no further than this exhibition of the 2023 Michigan Fine Arts Competition.”
BBAC exhibitions, which are always free and open to the public, are on display Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The BBAC is located at 1516 S. Cranbrook Rd. in Birmingham, Mich. More information is available at BBArtCenter.org.
Pictured (details): Kirk Roda (Oxford, Mich.); Emotion Basket, and Susan Aaron-Taylor (Pleasant Ridge, Mich.); Endangered: Red Wolf
About the BBAC
The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts, has been providing, “art for all” since 1957, and is a regional art center committed to promoting visual arts experiences. Each year, more than 500 classes are offered for all skill levels and ages, preschool to senior citizens. Throughout the year, nearly 9,000 individuals are served by classes, workshops, art camps, ArtAccess programs, special events and exhibitions that are free and open to the public. The BBAC also supports hundreds of artists each year, with opportunities to teach, exhibit and sell their work. The BBAC is a 25,000-square-foot facility with nine classrooms studios, five exhibition galleries and retail Gallery Shop. For more information, visit https://www.BBArtCenter.org/.
