ONLINE 2024 peoples choice winners - total VOTES CAST: 58
1ST DAVID DOUGLAS
David Douglas 31 votes
"Eurydice Hunting Antlers", 2024, found art assemblage, working lamp, 34 x 28 x 28
Artist Statement
One Greek mythological love tale is about Orpheus, a renowned human, revered by the Greek gods, who finagles approval to descend into the dark, underworld to retrieve ‘his’ dead, beautiful, nymph ‘wife’ - Eurydice.
Caveat: Orpheus mustn’t look back until they’re both free of the underworld.
Spoiler: Eurydice faithfully following Orpheus, is forever vanquished to the underworld as Orpheus looks back; culminating clichés of woeful lost love.
Eurydice Hunting Antlers: is made from a 1940’s decorative Greco chalk lamp. It’s additionally embellished with other found art objects. This artistic practice ‘Found Art Assemblage’ nudges the lamp’s decorative function by adding a visual opportunity and critique on Greek mythology and its misogynistic leanings. Eurydice is now an empowered woodland nymph. A Feminist. Free to dream and leave the underworld - if she chooses. Free of Orpheus and the entrapments of Misogunia* - to hunt, confront and harvest misogynist’s antlers.
Inspirations
Helen Lucas: artist, mentor, professor, feminist - kiss of Greek mythology
Carol Ann Duffy: poet, feminist - The World’s Wife (Eurydice)
Grandma Croft: Greco lamp (pearls)
Orpheus: Idiot!
Bob Dylan: Infidels - Sweetheart Like You
Kathleen Edwards: Total Freedom - Hard on Everyone
* ‘woman hater’ Hesiod 700 BC
2ND VICKI GREGORY
Vicki Gregory 12 votes
"Beach Run", 2024, oil on paper, 21 x 28.5
Artist Statement
I love dogs. I guess that why I wrote down an inspirational excerpt from the American author Robert Parker. It’s what’s referred to as a ‘top of the pile; drawer keeper’.
“I heard somebody define heaven once,” she said, looking at Pearl, “as a place where, when you get there, all the dogs you ever loved run to greet you.”
I’ve kept Parker’s excerpt for over six years now and it’s really front of mind for me personally. I guess it’s why my dream painting ‘Beach Run’ was so easily arrived at.
I miss all my dogs terribly… so I suppose one day (given the inevitability of life) that I’ll be able to realize my dream to run on a sunny beach by the water with all the dogs I’ve ever loved.
3RD FERNANDO DIAZ DE LEON RENDON
3RD FERNANDO DIAZ DE LEON RENDON
Fernando Diaz de Leon Rendon 8 votes
"Crow Under the Crescent Moon", 2024, embossed aluminum, 21 x 15
Artist Statement
In Mexico, and in many other cultures and traditions, crows are associated with the spiritual realm. These messengers are connected between the worlds of the living and the worlds of the dead. Crows symbolized the element of air which represents the spiritual realm of knowledge. This transcends our timeline and provides information about future events and any psychic knowledge. In my childhood, I had a vivid dream of a crow perched on my windowsill whilst observing the silhouette of this visitor under a crescent moon. Often in films and books, crows are associated with bad omens. This is a misconception. Dreaming of a crow can be interpreted in many forms connecting with your inner-self or with a higher being. It carries a message to guide us in a particular moment of self-transformation. As Sigmund Freud stated, “The dream is a manifestation of unconscious desires and unconscious thoughts.” Dreaming is finding and discovering your authentic self.