Thanks to nearly $3000 in prize money, over 2200 artists from as far as Michigan and Florida contributed to this mammoth show. Limiting the displayed selections to 750, Judges Lorser Feitelson, Roger Kuntz and Ben Abril then allotted the prizes with an unfortunate inconsistency of taste and standards. Particularly disappointing was the big purchase prize winner Chandelier by Robert Frame, executed in the shallow slush-and-scrape technique which has become his formula. Overlooked were many excellent works by long-time California professionals such as Ynez Johnston, Leonard Edmondson, Frederick Hammersley and others. Another unfortunate weakness was the division of selections into amateur and professional categories with the amateur receiving no monetary awards. Consequently, many of the better amateurs classified themselves as professionals to be eligible for the money, and the winners in the amateur class were extremely poor. The ultimate result of the show was not all bad, though. A tremendous number of artists participated, and many new people were given public exposure. And the public was exposed, too.

––Charleen Steen