The Water Tower Regional, first   held in 1909, is the oldest competitive juried art exhibition in the southeast and midwest regions. Hosted by the Louisville Visual Art Association, Kentucky’s oldest arts organization, the exhibition features artwork from visual artists in Kentucky and contiguous states.

Exhibition Dates
February 13 – April 3, 2011

March 8, 2011 - Food for Thought with Water Tower Regional Juror Alice Gray Stites

Jurors

Alice Gray Stites is the director of artwithoutwalls, a non-profit, non-collecting arts organization launched in 2009 by arts patrons Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson. Conceived as the arts programming component of the future Museum Plaza in Louisville, Kentucky, artwithoutwalls organizes projects locally, nationally, and internationally, and collaborates with a broad range of cultural and civic institutions to bring new art to new audiences. Before joining artwithoutwalls, Alice was an independent consultant and curator, and from 1995 to 2006 served as adjunct curator of contemporary art at The Speed Art Museum. Alice graduated magna cum laude from the University of Virginia, and earned a Master of Arts from Columbia University.

Suzanne Weaver is the Curator of Contemporary Art at The Speed Art Museum. Since coming to The Speed in 2008, she has organized several exhibitions including The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States, and permanent collection installations such asAbstract Art and the Nature of Things and Opposites Attract. Previously, Weaver was Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Dallas Museum of Art. Weaver holds a B.S. in Human Development from the University of Maine, and a M.A. in Art History from the University of North Texas.

JURORS STATEMENT
The underlying motivation as jurors in reviewing over three hundred images of works of art was to select those works that stand-out, rise above the others, in quality. We looked for works that seem to embody strong ideas, a fresh imagination, and successful formal choices. As we went through the images a few times, eliminating works (editing being crucial for curator and artist alike), and making our final selections, we were excited to discover connecting themes and concepts. In essence, an exceptional exhibition resulted through the juror process. Although we do not have a title for our exhibition, the works selected appear to explore landscape and architecture, both rural and urban.
We want to thank Shannon Westerman and Mary Margaret Carlton for their commitment and dedication, and for the opportunity to discover many exceptional artists living and working in our region.

Alice Gray Stites, Director, artwithoutwalls and Suzanne Weaver, Curator of Contemporary Art, The Speed Art Museum.

Participating Artists

Lauren Argo

Leticia R Bajuyo

Sather Bruguiere

Geoff Carr

Andrew Cozzens

Paula J Dalton

Terri Dryden

Carlos Gamez de Francisco

Conner Green

Ben Johnson

Kent Krugh

Keith Linton

Craig Lloyd

Kelly A McCollam

Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Barry Motes

Lisa Payne

Colleen Toutant

Jack Vazzana

Matt Weir

Michael Winters

Suzi Zimmerer

Awards

The Frank F. Weisberg Award for Excellence in Painting -- $1500

 Craig Lloyd

 Storm

The Mary Louise Schrodt Award for Excellence in Realism -- $1500

 Barry Motes

 Water and Spirit

The Barney Bright Award for Excellence in Sculpture -- $1500

 Andrew Cozzens

 Model of Time Perception

The LVAA Artebella Award for Excellence in 2D -- $1000

 Sather Bruguiere

 Slugger from Back of Main Street

Norman Kohlhepp Merit Awards -- $250 (each)

 Lauren Argo

 Southern Tea for Two

 Carlos Gamez de Francisco

 At that moment, All the wrinkles...

 Matt Weir

 Narcissus