Ebony & Ivory Art Exhibit
EBONY & IVORY - with a splash of color! February 2022 Art Exhibit
On Exhibit: February 4 - February 24, 2022
“Color is descriptive. Black and white is interpretive.”
– Eliott Erwitt
Working in black and white forces the artist to focus on the essentials - composition, contrast, negative and positive space. Time and time again, we've seen this singular focus lead to exceptional works of art. That's why we've decided to showcase black and white work in our February art exhibit. Ebony & Ivory Art Show is a themed show highlighting black and white works that may also incorporate a splash of color. Paintings, drawings, photographs, and digital compositions are included. Ebony & Ivory will be on exhibit in the gallery through the month of February and here online through 2022.
NOTE: There are 57 amazing works of art in this exhibit! The 40 pieces featured here include the award winners and artist who submitted their work digitally. *
AWARD WINNERS
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BEST IN SHOW
Painting Greys oil on canvas Sylvia Sarzynska JUROR'S COMMENTS
As soon as I entered the room I was struck by this awesome abstract! This painting has so much movement in it that it was pulsating. I kept coming back to it and every time I looked at it again it seemed to keep my eye moving in different directions. It is a marvelous example of composition, style, and complete command of the medium. Congratulations for creating this absolute beauty! - Chris Ivers |
FIRST PLACE: Emergence by Dawn Bisharat
JUROR'S COMMENTS
With such a small sliver of brightness against the ominous sky and darkness of the foreground, this artist pulls the viewer in for a closer look. Where is the light coming from? Why is it only highlighting that little area amongst all the dark? From across the room I had to come closer to investigate. That’s what makes a good story as well as a great painting. Kudos to this wonderful painting’s creator! - Chris Ivers 
THIRD PLACE: Black Bench by Sam Carr
JUROR'S COMMENTS
I love the eye of a great photographer! And there were many great photos in this exhibit! What struck me when I saw this image was the absolute serenity of the scene. Quiet, calm, solitude… all of those feelings came to me while studying this work. The contrast of the single dark bench amongst all of the snow, ice, and soft mist is a moment captured in time. This is a wonderful work of art through the lens of a camera. Compliments to this photographer! - Chris Ivers |
SECOND PLACE: Mother l Father by Mary Khan
JUROR'S COMMENTS
This drawing was such a surprise to me when I discovered the hidden figures in it. What a superb mastery of mystery with the simple use of graphite. The fact that the two pieces of what I first perceived as simple driftwood turned out to be so much more, was a great expression of the artist’s imagination. I would love to see more work from this artist in the future and to see what other secrets I may find. Congratulations! - Chris Ivers 
PHILIP DANYLIK MEMORIAL AWARD: Banjo's Heart by Bonnie Potter
JUROR'S COMMENTS
This painting of this wonderful animal is worthy of this award! Attention to detail, the fact that this pooch is looking right at you no matter where you walk in the room, and the absolute photo realism all play their parts in making this a painting that made me smile from the first time I saw it. I would like to know if this pup is the artist’s actual pet! Kudos for capturing this fantastic story! - Chris Ivers |
HONORABLE MENTION
Pensive by Barbara LaButis
JUROR'S COMMENTS
Precision is the word that struck me as I looked at this scratchboard of the horse. It takes patience and skill to work the detail that I see in this piece. More patience than I think I possess! With every stroke, this artist pulled this beauty out of the darkness to emerge as a three-dimensional form. Small but striking, I think the artist has a wonderful ability to create light out of darkness. Congratulations and I hope you keep creating works such as this. - Chris Ivers |
No Dogs Inside by Michael Centrella
JUROR'S COMMENTS
I love the freedom with which this artist sketched the “Paws Bar” with the man and his dog. This skill is only found in someone who is confident in the placement of the tool they are using! It takes practice to achieve the loose yet bold strokes of this piece. There is a playful twist to this work that made me smile. It is truly a great drawing that tells such a story and I hope to see more work by this artist. Congratulations! - Chris Ivers |
This Ain't No Disco by John Connelly
JUROR'S COMMENTS
That big red dot! With such boldness, this artist used simple forms of black, white, and grays to offset that big red dot as the hero. From across the room this abstract brought me over to study it. Why? Because of the simplicity of composition, and the great thought that was put into the placement of so very few pieces. Sometimes things that look simple are the most difficult to compose and this artist knew exactly how to approach it all. Keep up the good work! - Chris Ivers |
VIRTUAL EXHIBIT
JUDGE'S STATEMENT
What a fantastic exhibit this Black & White/Ebony & Ivory is! With all mediums used to create or photograph the many subjects involved, it is a feast for the eyes. And with all the variations from photo-realism to abstracts and everything in between, a viewer can get lost in the many hands at work that created these great pieces. I only wish there were more prizes to hand out because this was a very difficult show to judge. Congratulations to all who entered and to those who won. I hope you all will keep creating more fabulous work in the future.
* THANK YOU to the artists who submitted their work digitally! If your piece is under glass and you did not submit it digitally, it may not be included here. Pieces under glass are difficult to photograph without reflections and glare, generally require significant re-touching, and ultimately do not show the artist's work to best advantage.
Photo in main image by Dollar Gill on Unsplash
