Juror
A. S.

Juror
B. S.

Juror
H. H.

Juror
G. K.

Artists from 6 countries on 4 continents submitted entries in 9 of the 10 categories. The 4 member jury viewed each slide at least 2 times; sometimes 4 times, finally selecting 61 pieces for the exhibit. Their statements follow:

Juror A. S.

The prospectus for PATHWAYS called for work "in which the process of lathe turning was utilized as a significant aspect of its creation." It was gratifying to see the diversity of the objects being produced within this definition. An exhibition based on this common core seems to make sense emotionally as well as historically.

I was pleased to be included on the jury but realized that the opportunity carried a responsibility to those who entered. Since objectivity in regard to aesthetics is, in my opinion, impossible, the task I set for myself was to be fair. We juried by consensus and this meant a willingness to be open to other jurors’ thoughts and opinions, especially when differing from my own.

The most important factor to me was that work, whether submitted as sculpture or "utilitarian houseware" seem (in the words of Maria van Kesteren) "inevitable and convincing." Though we discussed objects in formal terms, analyzing use of concepts, line, proportion, color, etc., these aspects became important only after the visceral impact of the slides.

Certainly, the lines and proportion of Bert Marsh’s vases can be used to justify their inclusion in the exhibition. When his turnings appeared on the screen, it was their sheer beauty which was convincing. The same can be said about Dewey Garrett’s bright red colored palm vase. Brenda Behren’s bowls, with stylized organic carving present a more complex form of beauty. They are convincing because the carvings grow with and from the turned forms instead of something applied as an afterthought. Peter Hromek’s three-lobed, symmetrical, classical vessel conveys a sense of being alive rather than manufactured, Robyn Horn’s Millstone, while not conventionally beautiful, displays a feeling of power and mystery that emerges from a combination of mass, form, and surface.

The idea of a good piece cut across categories and jurors. I was surprised by our agreement on most of the chosen work. Each juror "lost" some pieces he or she wanted and acquiesced on work that, on our own, we would not have included. More interestingly, I found myself changing my mind about some pieces during the third or fourth viewing and discussion.

Moving from ideas to a more practical level, I want to address the use of slides for jurying an exhibition. The process has some serious limitations. It is limited to a purely two-dimensional visual examination of three dimensional work that may have strong tactile elements. However, for valid logistical reasons, slides are the most popular form of jurying.

Slide quality is another limitation. The quality of slides may affect the perception of the work. As photographic quality decreases, the quality of the work becomes more irrelevant. We can only jury what we can see. There were quite a few slides submitted that were difficult to "read." Poor lighting, cluttered background and extraneous props were the main culprits. If we care about the aesthetics of our work, it is important that the quality of our slides reflect this care.

The field of woodturning is growing broader. There is a lot of work being done in a wildly assorted mix of styles and quality. It is my hope that this exhibition will highlight a cross section of some of today’s best.

-A. S.

Juror B. S.

Over the last two decades, woodturning has evolved along a dynamic and intertwined set of pathways. Some strands of this braided pathway are flourishing and growing; others are fading. On balance, turning is evolving in an exciting, new fashion. PATHWAYS offers a chance to showcase and reflect upon the current, multifaceted state of the field. This exhibition will challenge viewers to ponder some key questions: Who are we? What are we making? Where have we come from? Where are we going?

Pieces included in PATHWAYS reflect the increasingly diverse nature of our field; all are united by a common source. Our uniqueness lies in the fact that they were obviously made using a lathe — all sorts of things out of all types of materials, although primarily wood. Accepting this parameter within which we work creates the opportunity and necessity for creative thinking. Moreover, it sets us apart and defines our identity within the larger field of woodworking and related arts and crafts.

Many paths within the turning world come together in the PATHWAYS exhibition: Bert Marsh’s exquisitely-crafted vessels, Robyn Horn’s massive, rough-turned Millstone, Brenda Behren’s wonderfully-carved bowls, John Jordan’s perfect hollow vessels, Judy Ditmer’s innovative earrings, Max Krimmel’s stunning alabaster bowls, Michael Brolly’s delightful creature-chest, and Judd Mosser’s graceful sculpture. The turners in this show, as well as many others currently working in the field, will shape the future of woodturning in years to come, in fashions not yet known.

-B. S.

B. S. is a full-time woodturner who lives in Indiana. She has taught and lectured throughout North America, and was editor of the American Woodturner for three years. Betty’s turnings are featured in several well-known books; and, she has actively pursued public exposure of her ideas by participating in both juried and invitational exhibitions.

Juror  H. H.

When I was first asked to serve on a jury to choose an exhibition of woodturning, I was flattered and intrigued but also, as I told him, surprised, since my knowledge of the medium is quite limited. He assured me that it was precisely because I had considerable experience with several other crafts, but not with woodturning that he wanted me on the jury. He said that other jury members would be specialists on the techniques involved, and that if questions of competence of execution arose, they could speak to them with great expertise. Under these circumstances, I agreed to serve on the jury. I am very glad I did.

It turned out to be both a pleasurable and enlightening experience. I found that there was considerably greater variety and originality in the production of turned wooden objects than I had previously realized. Although all of the jurors very freely expressed their reactions to particular submissions, everyone was interested in listening to contrary opinions. Although in the end some differences remained, we were able to choose a group of objects that I think we all agreed reflected the diversity and quality of the entries, and would constitute an attractive assemblage for exhibition within the physical limitations of the available space. I hope visitors will share our enthusiasm.

-H. H.

H. H. is a Curator of Decorative Arts at the Cleveland Museum of Art, recognized as one of the major museums in North America. Henry also worked as an adjunct professor for Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. In both professional positions, his in-depth knowledge of historical and contemporary decorative arts resulted in the authoring of three exhibition catalogs, contributing to three other catalogs and in the publication of eighty articles in various periodicals. He has received significant awards in recognition of his scholarship. Henry Hawley’s background adds a unique perspective for the comparison of quality contemporary woodturning with accepted masterpieces of all decorative arts.

Juror  G. K.

The day before the judging of PATHWAYS, we had a guest artist at Cleveland State University. During her combination lecture/demonstration, a local woodturner posed an often-asked question, "How can someone who does pure turning, concentrating on simple forms, compete with far out stuff?" The question illustrates a general lack of understanding and suspicion of the jury process and an unfounded belief that weird is better.

PATHWAYS was conceived in awareness of such concerns. Categories were established to encourage participation by the cultural and creative diversity existing within the turning world. It also set up circumstances that resulted in bowls being judged only against bowls, sculpture against sculpture, and so forth. The exhibition committee felt, and the jury confirmed, that this methodology represents a fair and logical examination of extremely different entries.

Every entry was reviewed at least twice, some four times. Since most objects were projected several times actual size, inherent qualities became readily visible. Jury members attempted to objectively discuss positive and negative attributes of each turning on the viewing screen. Whether forms were classic or "far out," jury discussions focused on the personalized success or failure of the whole (concept, design, technique, and materials). For example, a nice bowl with an inappropriately designed foot was appreciated but not accepted; neither were sculptures and entries in other categories with their own inconsistencies. In retrospect, sculptural entries tended to be somewhat historically derivative; consequently, they received one of the lowest percentages of inclusion. The jury endeavored to make PATHWAYS the best possible exhibition given the constraints of the gallery space and the qualitative unevenness of the entries. The international flavor of the show is one of its strengths.

Classic forms selected for the exhibition include Bert Marsh’s diminutive, spike-edged, maple burl vase which represents the quiet sensitivity of the master turner. It is eggshell thin through its entire profile. Equally impressive, yet exhibiting quite distinct aesthetics, are Alfred Sils’s robust, sandblasted redwood bowl and Peter Hromek’s elegant three-legged joined vase. By comparison, Satoshi Fujinuma’s shallow bowls possess their own unique cultural identity, and Max Krimmel’s use of alabaster as his primary turning material is dramatically represented in his seductive translucent vessels. These are just a few highlights of containers in the exhibition which exemplify the divergence of individual investigations following a traditional continuum.

In addition to those examples, new sculptural pathways are beginning to be explored globally in various degrees of representational and abstract imagery. Research is also evident into the utilization of color, texture, and pattern. At this point, much of the results are intended to be pleasing with limited evidence of expressions of serious issues or other emotional content. Continued investigation of new concepts and intellectual risk taking should be welcomed and encouraged to advance turning to the next artistic level.

-G. K.