Art educator turns judge in 'Hills' competition
By Becky Irvine Journal correspondent | Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007
MOORHEAD, Iowa -- Troy Muller, artist and art educator from Omaha, enjoys judging art shows.
"It takes me out of my usual artist/creator role. I can look at art objectively, in a different way," he explained
Muller was invited to judge this year's "Celebrate the Hills" art exhibit at the Moorhead Cultural Center of the Loess Hills after judging an exhibit in Modale, Iowa, last April for Town & Country Arts of Harrison County.
Paula Greene, now programming director of the Cultural Center, is also on the programming committee of Town & Country Arts. "I knew he liked to judge, so I asked him if he would be interested in judging 'Celebrate the Hills,'" Greene said.
Muller was graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute with a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting in 1996. In 1998 he began teaching drawing at Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. In 2000 he became an adjunct instructor of drawing and painting at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. In 2002 he began teaching at Metro Community College in Omaha. Muller is also an individual instructor for the Veterans Administration Vocational Rehabilitation Program in Omaha.
In addition to his art and teaching career, Muller has done art restoration for the Archdiocese of Omaha and some illustration work.
Muller's approach to judging artworks is to "trust my instincts, and then go back and intellectually describe why I selected a certain piece."
The theme for this year's "Celebrate the Hills" exhibit is the Loess Hills and their beauty in all seasons. The 11 artists in this year's exhibit have interpreted their vision of the Hills in several different media. The exhibit features 32 artworks.
"The art here on display is very high quality," Muller stated, "especially the watercolors."
Muller selected Sue Cutler's "The Big Stare" as best of show at "Celebrate the Hills." This piece is a realistic style composition emphasizing brown and gold tones in prismacolor pencil, illustrating an owl among the leaves in an oak tree.
Awards of excellence were given to: Bonnie Johnson for her oil painting "Can I Go, Too?" Paula Greene for "Early Summer," an ink drawing; Bettina Perkins for "Loess Hills Grapes," a watercolor painting; and Janice Lubker for "Bird on a Wire," also a watercolor painting.
Judge's awards went to: Sue Cutler for her prismacolor pencil drawing titled "Oriole Tugging the Yarn," and Phyllis Stickney for her painting titled "Camped by the River," depicting Native Americans.
Visitors to "Celebrate the Hills" will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite artwork. The People's Choice Award will be given on the last day of the exhibit. Many of the pieces on display are available for purchase.
The art exhibit will be at the Cultural Center through Oct. 28. Viewing hours are 1 to 4 p.m. each Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Appointments to view the exhibit can be made by calling (712) 886-5017 during the Cultural Center's open hours or (712) 884-2631 at other times.
"It takes me out of my usual artist/creator role. I can look at art objectively, in a different way," he explained
Muller was invited to judge this year's "Celebrate the Hills" art exhibit at the Moorhead Cultural Center of the Loess Hills after judging an exhibit in Modale, Iowa, last April for Town & Country Arts of Harrison County.
Paula Greene, now programming director of the Cultural Center, is also on the programming committee of Town & Country Arts. "I knew he liked to judge, so I asked him if he would be interested in judging 'Celebrate the Hills,'" Greene said.
Muller was graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute with a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting in 1996. In 1998 he began teaching drawing at Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. In 2000 he became an adjunct instructor of drawing and painting at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. In 2002 he began teaching at Metro Community College in Omaha. Muller is also an individual instructor for the Veterans Administration Vocational Rehabilitation Program in Omaha.
In addition to his art and teaching career, Muller has done art restoration for the Archdiocese of Omaha and some illustration work.
Muller's approach to judging artworks is to "trust my instincts, and then go back and intellectually describe why I selected a certain piece."
The theme for this year's "Celebrate the Hills" exhibit is the Loess Hills and their beauty in all seasons. The 11 artists in this year's exhibit have interpreted their vision of the Hills in several different media. The exhibit features 32 artworks.
"The art here on display is very high quality," Muller stated, "especially the watercolors."
Muller selected Sue Cutler's "The Big Stare" as best of show at "Celebrate the Hills." This piece is a realistic style composition emphasizing brown and gold tones in prismacolor pencil, illustrating an owl among the leaves in an oak tree.
Awards of excellence were given to: Bonnie Johnson for her oil painting "Can I Go, Too?" Paula Greene for "Early Summer," an ink drawing; Bettina Perkins for "Loess Hills Grapes," a watercolor painting; and Janice Lubker for "Bird on a Wire," also a watercolor painting.
Judge's awards went to: Sue Cutler for her prismacolor pencil drawing titled "Oriole Tugging the Yarn," and Phyllis Stickney for her painting titled "Camped by the River," depicting Native Americans.
Visitors to "Celebrate the Hills" will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite artwork. The People's Choice Award will be given on the last day of the exhibit. Many of the pieces on display are available for purchase.
The art exhibit will be at the Cultural Center through Oct. 28. Viewing hours are 1 to 4 p.m. each Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Appointments to view the exhibit can be made by calling (712) 886-5017 during the Cultural Center's open hours or (712) 884-2631 at other times.
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