Juried exhibitions— while expensive and time-consuming— can pay off. I just never thought it would lead to a paid solo exhibition.
Here’s that story: in 2019, prints from The Unchosen Ones series were exhibited as part of the 56th Annual Juried Competition Exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art, juried by Catherine Futter (Director of Curatorial Affairs, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), where I received Honorable Mention. I kept in touch, starting with a little thank you note (handwritten). Fast forward a few months, I offered to donate a print for their collection that was published in National Geographic (Kol and Annabelle). The print was unanimously approved by both the collections committee and Board of Trustees and became part of their permanent collection.
Four years later— as a direct outcome of conversations which began with a juried exhibition— The Unchosen Ones touring exhibition hangs on the same walls.
Artists: never underestimate the power of your projects and how patience and persistence can make dreams come true!
The exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, LA runs November 1- December 22, 2023, features twenty 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints with handmade artist frames. Thank you to the support of the Museum staff Lindsay McLean, Evelyn Stewart, and Stefan Nodarse, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. It’s been a joy working with you all!
Virtual Artist Talk by R. J. Kern at the Masur Museum of Art, November 16, 2023.
The Unchosen Ones exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, LA runs November 1- December 22, 2023, features twenty 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints with handmade artist frames. Image courtesy Stefan Nodarse.
The Unchosen Ones exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art in Lafayette, LA runs November 1- December 22, 2023, features twenty 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints with handmade artist frames. Image courtesy Stefan Nodarse.