“I would like to begin by congratulating the winners, honorable mentions, and all the artists chosen for the 2025 National Juried Exhibition at the Willard Arts Center in Idaho Falls. My task was to select between 45 and 65 works from the 377 submitted to this exhibition. That stipulation was based on the capacity of the exhibition space. Most of the submissions were technically accomplished, many exceptionally so. I looked for those that were visually compelling, imaginative, and original. I believe that it is possible for artists to express those qualities both through traditional and new media subjects and techniques. Thus, I tried to achieve a balanced and representative selection.

“While this exhibition was open to artists across the nation, the range of subjects tilted towards the intermountain west, or at least the rural, and many of these were realistically rendered images. I tried to honor this—a significant number of my selections fell into this broad category—but I also wanted to acknowledge artists working in more experimental or conceptual modes.

“Two-dimensional submissions were in the majority, but there were several strong three-dimensional entries, both in traditional and non-traditional media that merited inclusion. While jurors are concerned primarily with quality, they also have a sense of what pieces might work well together. For example, some works engaged with the visual interpretation of the written word. Other pieces explored the expressive potential of abstract form, or conveyed an intense delight in natural phenomena, or responded empathically to the human figure, especially in portraiture.

“Selecting works for this exhibition was both challenging and rewarding. Rewarding because I got to spend many hours looking at fine work. Challenging because I liked more works than the galleries could hold. I would remind those who were disappointed at not being chosen, that no juror’s decision is a permanent, incontrovertible verdict on the quality and importance of the art, and I would urge them not to be discouraged.

“I would like to thank Georgina Goodlander, Visual Arts Director of the Idaho Falls Arts Council, for doing me the honor of asking me to be juror, and for her support and helpful advice.”

First Prize • Limp Fallacies by Anna Warfield

“I was intrigued by how writing poetry might serve as a basis for three-dimensional work. The piece challenges the viewer to read the text, but only fragments of it are legible and this depends on how the work is arranged. This encourages the creative “completion” of the text by the viewer. The title is very witty.”

Second Prize • Women who are Asian Immigrants Series – Pratikshia by Yidan Guo

“I was struck by the confident use of watercolor and the sensitive characterization of the sitter. A very solid understanding of figure drawing.”

Third Prize • Hedged (Skyler’s Bend) by Stacy Isenbarger

“Although modest in size, the dynamic qualities of this piece—the sense that contrasting materials and forms are in tension with one another—makes it seem larger than it is. I enjoy its strange metamorphic qualities.”

Honorable Mention • Mule Deer by Bernadette Regnier

“A tour de force of large-scale wood-block printing. The control of value and texture is impressive and the composition is strong.”

Honorable Mention • Pulse by Omar J Corona-Sarabia

“The title is apt. There is a throbbing, vibrating quality conveyed both by color and texture contrasts and enhanced by the iconic square format.”

Honorable Mention • Frying Pan Hollow by David LaPalombara

“The play between the illusion of almost photographic precision and the loose, fluid touches of paint is very satisfying. A strong composition.”

Honorable Mention • Rising by Delphine Keim and Sally Graves Machlis

“A somber, elegiac work that is monumental in scale despite its modest size. There is an interesting tension between the descending fish silhouettes the suggestion of rising levels.”

- Garth Claassen

Curator’s Choice • My Rez by Crystal Sakizzie

“I love the dreamlike nature of this piece and the contrast between the realism in the figure and the landscape with the whimsical sheep. The beadwork adds another dimension, which invites you to look closer.”

- Georgina Goodlander