Works from Darby Ortolano and Luca Cruzat Selected for 2019 Shrode Fine Art & Craft Competition Exhibit

We'd like to congratulate Oak Street Artists Darby Ortolano and Luca Cruzat on having work selected for the juried 2019 Shrode Fine Art and Craft Competition Exhibit. A total of 199 works were submitted, and only 59 were selected for the exhibit, which runs from February 24 through April 28, 2019, at the Regenhardt Gallery in the Shrode Art Center (at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts). 

Darby Ortolano’s piece,Vase (shown below), is part of her continuing focus on making pots for flowers.  She has been making vases for over 30 years, and this latest form is inspired by the lovely layering of organic materials that litter the forest floor.  The strong vertical lines reference the flower stems, and the small opening allows for a few fresh flowers to be held upright for all to enjoy. Congratulations, Darby, on winning a Merit Award for this piece!

Luca Cruzat's print, Neither Bee Nor Cicada (below: collagraph, screenprint, and colored pencil), was also chosen by juror Doug Johnson. This print comments about paths that women could take when becoming a woman. Some choose paths more like bees, while others' paths are more like cicadas. Here, neither way was chosen.

Congratulations, Darby and Luca! Both artists will also be participating in the upcoming 2019 Oak Street Art Fair on Saturday, April 27, 2019.