It can be difficult for artists to get a foot in a gallery door. Bremerton’s Collective Visions Gallery fosters accessibility by creating a space specifically for — and run by — local artists.
Featuring work from more than 25 Puget Sound artists, the Collective Visions Gallery has been part of the Bremerton community for more than 30 years. A staple CVG-hosted event is its annual Juried Art Show, which is celebrating its 19th year.
The event accepted entries from artists in Washington and Oregon to be featured in the gallery between Jan. 17-Feb. 27 and offers creators a chance to win cash prizes totaling about $10,000.
Ann Vogel, a volunteer and resident artist at CVG, makes intricately woven wrapped rocks inspired by Asian traditions. She also does community outreach for the gallery and is excited about the tourism the show helps boost.
“Since we expanded to Oregon, we’re bringing a lot of new people into the community, staying in our hotels, eating at our restaurants,” Vogel said. “What we’re doing is just really adding to the vibrancy of downtown Bremerton and (doing it) our way, being the largest and the longest-term gallery down there.”
This year’s show features Christian Waguespack as its juror, a role that gives him the power to decide whose work is featured in the competition and ultimately who will take home prizes in two- and three-dimensional art, and photographic/digital art categories. Waguespack is the director of curatorial affairs and curator of Northwest Art at the Museum of Northwest Art and is one of a few independently selected judges who were chosen because of their previous experience and credentials within the art world, outside of Bremerton.
While most of the judging is done by Waguespack, the public also is invited to vote for their favorite art for the People’s Choice Award. Other awards include the Emerging Artist prize, which honors budding artists without much experience entering art in formal competitions.
A special event will be hosted following the opening of the show on Jan. 18. It’ll be led by Waguespack, who will host a walk and talk through the gallery, where visitors can learn about how he selects winners and artists for the show.
“The audience can ask questions and hear a little bit about (Waguespack’s) thinking process and choosing these pieces because it’s both subjective and objective,” Vogel said.
Other events are planned for the duration of the showcase, including a hosted panel discussion, guest lectures, and the gallery’s beloved First Friday Artwalks, which welcome the community to check out its art scene by highlighting local shops, restaurants, and live music.
For artists like Vogel, putting one’s work out for public engagement can be a vulnerable experience. However, showcasing it at CVG is rewarding.
“It means a lot to have the validation that your work, that’s so personal to you, resonates and means something to people outside of your own little group, your family, your group of artists,” Vogel said. “It is very validating, very supportive, inspiring, and it just kind of gives hope and assurance that you’re on a great path creatively and artistically.”
