The Vermont Art Guide in partnership with Vermont Arts Council presents "2019 Vermont Artists to Watch", a survey of contemporary Vermont art in exhibition and print. The survey appears as a special feature in Vermont Art Guide #9 and as an exhibition at the Vermont Arts Council, January 7th to February 28th, 2019. Exhibition curator and Vermont Art Guide Editor Ric Kasini Kadour recruited nine additional Vermont art professionals and asked them to nominate artists who are making contemporary Vermont art that commands our attention.
"The deeper purpose of Vermont Artists to Watch goes beyond a magazine feature, an exhibition, and artist boosterism," said Kadour. "The goal is to reframe how artists are seen by society and promote engagement with visual art. The more we reinforce the notion that legitimate, quality work is being made in the state-art that speaks for and to us-the more likely the general public will be enthusiastic and seek out art. For art to work its magic in our communities, it needs to be seen and it needs to be engaged."
The curators who selected artists are: Sophie Bréchu-West, Director, 571 Projects; August Burns, Independent Artist & Curator; Joshua Farr, Executive Director, Vermont Center for Photography; Jamie Franklin, Curator of Collections, Bennington Museum; Anna-Maria Hand, Gallery Director, Southern Vermont Arts Center; Kelly Holt, Artist & Independent Curator; Ric Kasini Kadour, Artist, Writer, and Culture Worker; Rachel Moore, Executive Director, Helen Day Art Center; Mickey Myers, Executive Director, Bryan Memorial Gallery; Andrea Rosen, Curator, Fleming Museum.
The 2019 Vermont Artists to Watch are: Sarah Amos (Enosburg Falls); Clark Derbes (Charlotte); Hasso Ewing (Calais); Andrew Frost (Burlington); Sally Gil (Brooklyn, NY); Sean Hunter Williams (Montpelier); Elizabeth Nagle (East Dorset); Andrew Orr (Richford); Rhonda Ratray (North Bennington); and Jackson Tupper (Burlington).
Commentaries about the artists appear in Vermont Art Guide #9. An exhibition of Artists to
Watch will take place at the Vermont Arts Council Spotlight Gallery January 7th to February
28th, 2019. The Arts Council's gallery is open to the public and located in the corridor and
conference room of the offices at 136 State Street in Montpelier. A reception will take place on
Friday, January 18th, 2019, 5-7PM.
