2023 Small Works Exhibition

Small works of art can be just as powerful and meaningful as larger pieces. These miniature creations can pack a punch in terms of their artistic value and emotional impact. They offer a unique opportunity for artists to explore different mediums and techniques in a more intimate and concise way. Despite their diminutive size, small works of art can leave a lasting impression on those who view them, showcasing the skill, creativity, and imagination of the artist behind them. Small works of art are also often more affordable, making them accessible to a wider range of collectors and enthusiasts. 

About the judge, Jorge A. Saenz, Abstract Artist

Jorge Saenz grew up just a few blocks from Haight-Ashbury in 1960s San Francisco, where he was exposed to countless explosions of art and culture happening there at that time. It was then he fell in love with painting early on in his childhood. After studying architecture and fine art, Jorge spent a considerable amount of time working in the field of visual merchandising. He now commits to his artwork full-time, enhancing and refining his unique methodology in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Over the years, Jorge’s work has been featured in local exhibitions at the Virginia Beach Art Center’s Brock Gallery, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center, Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, Ukwensi Gallery in Ghent, and MOCA annex (Museum of Contemporary Art). His artworks are sought after by collectors and grace many homes in the United States and abroad.

Judge's Statement: 

When viewing the Small Works exhibit, I was struck by the complexity and variety of the art, it took me several walkthroughs to begin to choose the seven award recipients. My guide was to find the extraordinary pieces that met the following criteria. Composition, use of medium, color, and balance within the small space being used as well as the use of negative space which is so important in a small work. I also looked at the message the work is giving to the audience as well as the command the artist has over the medium and the innovation with which they are creating. Finally, I also paid close attention to the presentation which can make or break an artwork. The right frame should enhance the work and not constrain it just as the right choice of woodblock, pedestal, or riser or not can do for a 3D piece.

Many pieces struck me and, in the end, choosing just seven was a very difficult task because I found that several artworks spoke to me loudly, I also wanted to be as removed as possible from what I would include in my personal art collection if I was acquiring a few of these pieces. As an abstract artist, I tend to lean toward works that are in that genre, but my effort was that there should be art that represented the body or composition of the exhibit as a whole and not just from one type of art.

As an exhibition coordinator and curator for the Virginia Beach Art Center, I am constantly looking at all types of art and my instructions to our chosen jurors is that they open their minds and build an exhibition that includes many different schools of art, this exhibit does that and is beautifully curated and exalts all our viewing senses. All the artists whose works are represented here should feel elated to grace the walls of the gallery.

To start, we want to congratulate the four Award of Merit winners in alphabetical order:

• Karen Aneiro, Here There Be Dragons (top image)
• Kevin Chigos-White, Cut Vase
• Vivian De Kosinsky, Bear Pear (second image)
• Timothy Yeaw, Treetops

Top 3 winners:

First Place - $200

Michele Barnes, Petit Oiseau (main image)

Second Place - $150

Sue Maida, Lancaster Chick (third image)

Third Place - $100

Cynthia Guard, Secrets (left image)

The exhibition is on view now through January 13, 2024. The Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10am-6pm. Come by and see these small, but mighty art pieces before they're gone!