Well, we have a juried art show, and this one, you know, because it has been around for almost half of a century.

We're coming up on this is our 48th anniversary.

Is that right?

It's really hard to believe, but yeah, it's exciting as always.

Midwest Museum of American Art.

And I always love coming here.

And I was saying to you, before we get started to the more and more I come to these shows, I'm starting to pick up some of the artists and see their artwork continually throughout the Michigan area, which is just so wonderful because I think it's so important for us to recognize that we are art here in Michiana.

Absolutely.

We have such a very strong arts community in Elkhart County, and it's really fun to celebrate these artists.

And the regional covers a 24 county area.

Really?

Yes.

Okay.

That's big.

That's not just Elkhart County.

No.

We go all the way to like, Fort Wayne up to Michigan City and then down to like, oh gosh, that like south towards Indianapolis and a little bit further north.

Okay.

I point to Indian and then we have four counties in Michigan.

So we are the machine area and a little bit more.

Now what makes it so interesting for artists to put their art into this particular show?

So one of the great things for the artists is that not only is it a juried competition, but because we've been around so long, we have a lot of cash awards that are given to the artists.

And so last night we just had our purchase award preview party.

That is a tongue twister.

That one is.

And we had $25,900 purchase awards.

Wow.

And for $500 for swords.

So we had almost 3030 purchase award patrons plus their plus one, and they came in and were able to select their purchase award.

And those purchase awards are going to be given out on Saturday night.

Now Saturday is a big event that you guys have going on for your books, right?

Saturday is the opening reception.

Okay.

For the jury to take off, right?

It is.

It is the kickoff for the juried regional.

And we are then open from October 10th through December 31st.

Okay, but who can come to the jury?

Yeah, that's open to the general public.

Right.

But no, I mean, no, but there is a way to get in.

So the way you get in is if you're a Society of Associates member and there is still time, you can become a Society of Associates member even on Saturday and show up.

Okay.

Or you're an accepted artist and there's over 120 accepted artists into the show.

Oh, okay.

You can be a sponsor of the show and any purchase award, patron or merit award patron.

And then, of course, we have a few honored guests.

So if you fit in any of those categories, you're more than welcome to come on Saturday night.

You guys are going to be having this.

How long does the is everything exhibited for?

Its exhibited until December 31st.

Okay, so we have a time to come in because I know there's a lot to look at here.

Yes.

And like right here, this is one of us.

This is best of show.

This is beautiful.

And yeah, it's a great scene from Chicago.

I think we all have.

We've been to Chicago.

We we feel that scene.

Yeah.

And it's by Tony Bianco.

He spell the scene right?

You can smell it.

You can't feel.

I know what Chicago smells like.

You can hear it.

You can feel it.

You can see it.

Yeah.

This is very real.

Yeah, but he is a great artist, and he's been in the show before.

But we're really feel honored to recognize him this year.

This is a very cool, very cool.

And this is all.

This is acrylic.

Yes.

Okay.

So let's walk because I know there's a lot of other different kinds of sculptures and stuff like that too.

What are all the different kinds of media that you guys have?

So we have watercolor.

We have drawings, etchings, mixed media.

Okay.

Here's a beautiful ceramic piece by Eric Coffman.

When we're talking about purchase awards.

Eric had two pieces.

They both got into the show.

Wow.

I did I do want to mention this.

We have a 40, had a 47% acceptance rate this year.

Or is that.

That's pretty tough.

That's tough.

It is tough.

And so it speaks to Eric because he had two pieces get in the show.

Yeah.

And last night both of those pieces were accepted for purchase awards.

Really.

He is a very popular artist.

So.

Yeah.

Yeah, I like that.

How many people usually submit to this?

We we usually have over 400.

Okay.

Works and over 200 artists.

Oh my gosh.

So yeah, every.

I want to be a part of this.

Yeah.

Every artist can submit up to two works.

They have to be original, okay?

And they have to be done in the last two years.

And they can't have one another major award, meaning they can't go from one show to another and just use the same work over and over.

They have to show creativity something new.

Yes.

Yes.

And so is there one in here?

This this is the.

This particular one is my kind of art.

It's my kind of art.

I love this this afternoon.

So well together.

This is this is beautiful to me.

And, you know, it doesn't show a particular scene.

It doesn't show, you know, an abstract, but it calls to me.

And I think that's what's beautiful about art.

It is.

And one of the interesting things is not every piece of art that is entered is available for purchase award, but they are for sale.

So we had a purchase award patron last night that picked out another piece of art, First Purchase award, but he and his significant other are interested in buying that.

Okay, well, we might have a little conversation about that.

I want to make sure everyone knows that I want to do all that.

Yeah.

If you're interested in art, want to collect some wonderful local artists, regional artists come to our show and you can buy the art.

And let's talk about that too, because that's important for, you know, the community itself and getting their name out there as far as an artist.

Oh, this is really cool too.

Okay.

So this is done by Mike Tudor and you might have heard Mike's name before.

He is a master woodworker.

He enters in the show almost every year for the last five or so years.

But he is also a huge, supporter of the museum.

Okay.

And I don't know, we have several wood pieces that he has done for the museum.

Repurpose.

So there's a bench outside my office.

Okay, we've talked about that before that.

And he's made that and that whole reception area that was redone last year with the repurposed wood and glass from the museum.

Well, from the bank that we used to be.

I remember we talked about that.

He made all of that.

Look at that.

So this guy right there is.

Yeah, my kind of guy.

My kind of guy.

He.

And this also was selected for a purchase award last night.

Wonderful.

So yeah.

So it gives you an idea of the varied works of art that are available here.

And if you're a purchase award sponsor, you get first dibs.

We call it the sneak peek.

Yeah, yeah.

You get to think it's like being an artist to submit work to a juried show.

Like, what is the process that they go through?

Well, you know, I, I would love to be able to tell you exactly what this is, but I am not an artist.

You just.

I wish I had that creative ability.

But, you know, I think they look at the shows that, have a lot of recognition and prestige and we've been around for 48 years.

And so we have that.

And so most of I say most 100% of them submit their A game.

Okay.

So we have some really well known artists this year that didn't get in.

And that just shows you how competitive is.

So when you submit to the show, it's got to be the best of the best.

And they're submitting it.

They're bringing them here in person, right?

They bring them here in person.

And like I said, they can submit up to two works.

And this year we had a lot of artists that even though they submitted two works, they only got one in.

There's a couple of artists like I showed you one back there on the ceramics, Eric Kaufman, he got two in, but most people only got one work in.

Okay, well, you have chance.

So yeah, but I think that's why they they like to come because it's competitive.

It's well respected.

It carries a lot of cash.

And then of course, every artist there really is such a thing as the starving artist.

And so it's really nice when they're recognized and they can get a cash award.

Absolutely.

And like I said, starting to recognize that the more they get their work out there and it's seen.

Oh yeah.

You know, that gives a growing component to their name as well.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

All right.

So when can people stop in here?

Levon, a m to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday, starting, on the 13th, which next week is on, I think, a Tuesday and then through December 31st.

Okay.

All right.

And look us up on Facebook, Instagram.

We also have our website Midwest museum.org.

You can get all our information all of our events.

So yeah come on in I love it.

Thank you so much.

Well we're not going to show you everything because I do want you to come and check it out and do plenty of opportunity to do so.

Thank you so much for telling us a little bit of our.

Thank you.

You got your own sneak peek.

Thank you.