The Big Show

July 12, 2012 – August 11, 2012 John M. O'Quinn, Cecily E. Horton, and Gracie R. Cavnar Galleries

About

The Big Show is Lawndale Art Center’s annual open-call, juried exhibition. It has been an important venue through which emerging and under-represented Houston area artists gain exposure since the show’s conception in 1984. The Big Show was formerly the East End Show, sponsored by the East End Progress Association, at Lawndale’s original location.

Each year Lawndale Art Center invites a guest juror to select from work submitted by artists living within 100 miles of Houston. Artists are invited to bring up to three works of art, not previously shown in Houston, to Lawndale Art Center where the work is juried on-site for a chance to be included in the show and a shot at one of three cash prizes.

The Big Show 2012 award winners selected by guest juror, Marco Antonini, Gallery Director for NURTUREart, Brooklyn, NY, were announced at the opening reception on July 13, 2012. $3000 in cash awards were divided evenly among six artists chosen by the juror. Six $500 prizes were awarded to:

Kassandra Bergman
Celia Butler
Hogan Kimbrell
Alexander Larsen
Angel Oloshove
Lucia Pena

A total of 69 works by 61 artists were selected by juror Marco Antonini, Gallery Director at NURTUREart, for the exhibition from 915 works submitted by 381 artists. Artists selected for the exhibition include:

Matt Adams, John Adelman, Homer Allen, Kassandra Bergman, Ellen Anne Burtner, Celia Butler, Paul Carola, Caleb Churchill, Norberto Clemente, Jessica Crute, George Elbel, Henri Gadbois, Tony Garbarini, Matthew Glover, Tommy Gregory, Hillaree Hamblin, Bethany Hargrove, Andrea Hellerman,Hogan Kimbrell, Daniela Koontz, Tamara D. Kontrimas, Galina Kurlat, Hayley J. Kyle, Diane La Franca,Alexander Larsen, Joan Laughlin, Marios Liolios, Wyatt John Little, Julie Lundgren & Wyatt John Little, Liza Littlefield, Christie Malvin, Lupe Martinez, Chad Maydwell, David McClain, Larry McEntire, Eddie Mendez, Tracey Meyer, Pen Morrison, L A Naut, Angel Oloshove, Mari Omori, Lucia Peña, Donna E. Perkins, Edward Ramsay-Morin, Tara Rene Ratliff, Cary Reeder, Patrick Renner, John Sapp, Kay Sarver, Caroline Sharpless, Shunshieva, Rosalind Speed, Kamila Szczesna, J. E. Theriot, Stephanie Toppin, Kimberly Turman, Tanja Vaughn, Allison Whitley, Martin Wnuk, Katie Wynne and Paul S. Zeigler.

Juror

Marco Antonini, Gallery Director
NURTUREart
Brooklyn, NY

Marco Antonini is Gallery Director at NURTUREart, a Brooklyn based nonprofit organization that provides exhibition opportunities and resources for emerging artists, curators, and public school students. While supervising NURTUREart’s exhibitions, special events and publications, Antonini personally curated WE ARE:, an experimental series that showcased week-long projects by invited artists, curators and organizations for the entire Summer 2011. He is currently at work on another special program: …Is This Free?, an investigation of the history, development and current status of “Free” art; this sprawling group exhibition will include artworks, ephemera and publications dating back to the late sixties, presented side by side with contemporary artworks, many of which commissioned by NURTUREart.

Alongside his work at NURTUREart, Antonini has remained active as an independent curator and writer. His exhibitions have been produced by Japan Society, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), ISE Foundation, Elizabeth Foundation, The Italian Cultural Center in New York, Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation, the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP), Centro Cultural de Espana in Guatemala (CCE/G) and FUTURA Center for Contemporary Art. His reviews and interviews have appeared on Cura, ArtPulse, Flash Art, Whitehot Magazine, BMM, Drome, Contemporary, AroundPhotography and NYArts Magazine. His essays have been published on Cura, Occulto, PulseBerlin, Arte&Critica, BMM, as well as on many exhibition catalogs and exhibition-related publications.

The Big Slide Show

Wednesday & Thursday, August 1 & 2, 2012
6 PM

Join Lawndale and Houston’s talented Big Show artists for short, informal presentations about their work. Presentations start at 6 PM each night at Lawndale Art Center. Come early as seating is limited.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012
John Adelman
Henri Gadbois
Tommy Gregory
Tamara D. Kontrimas
Alexander Larsen
Eddie Mendez
Lucia Peña
Kay Sarver
Allison Whitley
Martin Wnuk
Katie Wynne

Thursday, August 2, 2012
Matt Adams
Caleb Churchill
Jessica Crute
Daniela Koontz
Liza Littlefield
Chad Maydwell
Tracey Meyer
Pen Morrison
Donna Perkins
Cary Reeder
Stephanie Toppin

Big Thanks to Our Volunteers!

We would like to extend our BIGgest thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers we have had the opportunity to work with during every aspect of The Big Show. These individuals generously donated their time, energy and love for Lawndale. We absolutely could not have done it without them!

John Adelman, Andréa Ancira, Catherine Aquila, Elaine Bradford, Lauren Carlton, Christopher Cascio, Jimmy Castillo, Josh Fischer, Vee Flores, Lacy Fontenot, Monica Foote, Candice Goodwin, Sebastian Granados, Larry Hamilton, Lynette Henry, Rachel Hooper, Lainie Jasko, Jenny Johnson, Yoko Kristiansen, Chad Lax, Cheryl Link, Beatriz Martinez, Nicola Mosley, Mari Omori, Rachel Orosco, Ryan Perry, Britt Ragsdale, Lorena Raull, Anne Roberts, RLee Roberts, Darcy Rosenberger, Richard Sanchez, Virginia Shaw, Liane Soukup, Rosalind Speed, Madilyn Stein, Rachael Stockment, Alejandra Susarrey , Stephanie Toppin, Erika Vazquez, Sarah Welch, Linsey Whitehead, Lita Wills, Melenie Yuen, Jo Zider, and our amazing Summer 2012 Interns, Stephanie Hamblin and Shelby Rodriguez.

About

Juror

The Big Slide Show

Sponsors

Big Thanks to Our Volunteers!