2016 Judge's Statement

Anne Blair Brown

It was an honor and a great pleasure to judge the 38th Annual Indiana Heritage Arts Exhibition. The artwork was exceptional and I wish all of it could have been included, but alas there was some paring down to do. It was not an easy task!

There are some fundamental elements that must be in place for a painting to present well: value composition, brush work, and color. While these elements are very important, I also look for paintings in which the artist goes deeper into the mastery of their subject. I look for paintings with a sense of passion, strong intent, a unique voice. Those are the ones that make me want to cross a room and linger.

While all the paintings I selected for awards met the aforementioned fundamental criteria, they also touched my art spirit in various ways. Some evoked a sense of mystery, some put a delighted smile on my face, and others were simply a soft and beautiful place for my eyes to land.

I congratulate the winners but also want to thank each and every artist for sharing their beautiful paintings with us! Kudos to everybody on a job well done!

Anne Blair Brown’s work centers on rural and urban landscapes, people and interior spaces. While enjoying the solitude of her studio, she delights in painting on location. Brown says, “Painting from life creates an intimacy with the subject that I just can’t get from a photograph, and it heightens my sense of spontaneity.” She is past president of the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast and a Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. Brown currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.