Malvern, PA – On Thursday, September 20, 2012 three prestigious members of the Philadelphia art community judged entries submitted for the 2012 Art Ability Exhibition and Sale at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, Main Line Health. This year’s Art Ability Exhibition features over 300 pieces of art by about 200 artists from 33 states and 6 foreign countries.
The 2012 Award Judges were Alida Fish, Professor of Photography, University of the Arts; Adelina Vlas, Assistant Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, The Philadelphia Museum of Art; and Tu Huynh, Art Curator for the City of Philadelphia, Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. There were 7 prize categories defined by medium as well as by a theme, “Figuratively Speaking”. In addition, each judge selected their favorite work and collaboratively they chose a “Best in Show”.
The judging process took almost two and a half hours of intense discussion. The judges were impressed by “the level of knowledge” of some of the artists. Various works described as “strong”, “inviting the viewer into the narrative”, “wonderful appeal”, “surprising” and “thinking works” caught their attention. The judges commented that for most shows, “We see too much traditional work, but for Art Ability 2012, the work here has a range of sophistication, especially in photography, and a wonderful immediacy in other media which had great appeal.”
Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s Art Ability Program is an integral program of the hospital and a year-round showcase and celebration of artists with disabilities. The program includes the country’s largest, international juried exhibition and sale of art and fine crafts created by artists with cognitive, physical, hearing and visual disabilities.
This year’s exhibition will open with a premier Preview Reception on Saturday, November 3 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, 414 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA. The reception will offer guests the first opportunity to view and buy works by our exhibiting artists while enjoying refreshments, butlered hors d’oeuvres, entrée stations and delicious desserts. Purchase tickets for the Preview Reception by contacting Sharine Davis at 484-596-560. The exhibition and sale dates will begin on Sunday, November 4, and Art Ability will stay open each day, free of charge until January 20, 2013.