Washington County Courthouse
Historic Courthouse solicits art submissions By Corinne Stremmel
H
ow can we see what others see? What is it like to walk around in someone else’s shoes? That’s what the latest art exhibit at the Stillwater Historic Courthouse aims to answer. “Through the Eyes of Others” is calling for submissions from Washington County artists between now and May 1. Artists can enter for a small fee of $10. All proceeds go toward the Historic Courthouse restoration fund. The selection process will be between May 2 and May 15, and artists will know whether their pieces will be included by May 16. Monetary prizes for jurors, supporters, best in show and best under 18 will be awarded to selected artists. The exhibition will be juried and curated by Stillwater’s
Dr. Megan Arney Johnson, whose personal philosophy is that of “slow looking,” a pedagogy that encourages us to look and then look again at art. “We know that if we can get people to look a little longer than just 30 seconds on each work, then they have a much deeper and impactful experience,” said Arney Johnson.
at more than just a surface level,” said Arney Johnson. Given the social upheaval and the effects of COVID-19, the exhibit’s theme has proven to be as timely as she had hoped. “And I think that there is kind of an urgent need to consider this approach. So let’s look through the eyes of others. How can we empathize?” said Arney Johnson.
Arney Johnson wants the courthouse’s exhibit to get folks to look and then look again at Washington County, explaining that the residents of the county see parts of their home that not every tourist might see.
While the exhibition calls for categories like people, architecture, parks, nature and historic sites, Arney Johnson aims to choose pieces that best tell Washington County’s story.
“We’re not just about the quaint little downtown, but also about amazing parks and amazing buildings and history. Hopefully, we’re encouraging people to look
Artists of any medium are welcome to submit. Arney Johnson has a particular interest in contemporary art, so mediums like video and contemporary craft are
encouraged. The exhibition will also focus on its under-18 category, which was created to support young artists in the county and encourage them to submit their work. Arney Johnson hopes to receive upwards of 50 to 100 submissions and is already dreaming up a salon-style floor-to-ceiling wall hanging. The selected artwork will be on display from June 1 through Jan. 8, 2023. A sneak peek with artists, VIPs and major supporter Art Reach will be held June 2. Until then, Arney Johnson encourages the artists of Washington County to begin submitting their works so they can be part of a unique show at the Historic Courthouse, where visitors can look and look again at the work of local artists.
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