Opening Reception & Awards
Sunday, September 7th, 2025 | 2-5 pm
You're Invited to a Showcase of Artistic Excellence!
August 30 to October 12, 2025
Join us for one of the Cedarburg Artists Guild’s most celebrated events of the year—the Annual Juried Exhibit! This highly anticipated show features an incredible collection (over 150 pieces) of original artwork created by our talented Guild members, thoughtfully selected by a professional jury.
Explore a vibrant mix of artistic styles and mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, glass, textiles, wood, ceramics, mixed media, and more. Whether you’re an art lover, a collector, or simply curious, this exhibit offers something to inspire everyone.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the creativity, passion, and talent that make our local arts community so special!
Winners of AJE 2025
BEST OF SHOW
Greta Grazing
Oil Painting by Marie Myler
Greta Grazing earns Best of Show for its brave simplicity and masterful restraint. From across the room, we read three calm bands of space and one exquisitely placed subject, a single Holstein bowed to the work of morning. The design is airtight: an 80/20 sweep of meadow, a quiet hedgerow, and a deep violet wood that holds the air. Story arrives
gently, solitude that isn’t lonely, a small life sustained by light. Freshness shows in the confident edges, the honest brushwork of grass, and temperature shifts that create believable atmosphere. Nothing is extra; everything is chosen, and that clarity makes the ordinary feel sacred.
BLUE RIBBON 2D
Calm Before the Storm
Oil Painting by Carrie Nygren
Calm Before the Storm takes a Blue Ribbon for clarity, scale, and control. From across the room, the design is unmistakable. One commanding mass of horse and harness sits against a quiet ground, and a rhythm of straps guides the eye from withers to bit. Up close, the story lands. This is readiness, the breath before work. The leather carries miles of use, and the steady eye carries character. Freshness shows in honest surfaces, varied edges, and a crop that feels modern without gimmick. Every choice serves the subject, from value grouping to the placement of highlights and the cadence of lines. Strong at a distance and rewarding in detail.
Summer Lilies
Watercolor Painting by Bruce Hustad
Summer Lilies earns a Blue Ribbon for clarity, balance, and quiet confidence. At twenty feet, we see a graceful arrangement of large, light petal shapes set against a clean ground, with stems guiding the eye in an easy arc. Up close, the story deepens. A bud, a listening bloom, and a full voice suggest time, patience, and care. The watercolor handling stays fresh. Whites are preserved, glazes are clean, and edges shift just enough to turn form without losing the breath of the paper. A single hit of pink at the stamens gives life to the whole. It is poised, contemporary, and beautifully observed.
Frida in Fish Creek
Acrylic Painting by Patrick Doughman
Frida in Fish Creek takes a Blue Ribbon for its bold design and
charged quiet. At a distance, we feel a clear split between a
commanding portrait and a stacked townscape. The crop, the
strong line, and the rhythm of signs and poles give the image a
steady beat. Up close, the story opens. An iconic presence stands
inside a familiar street. Identity and place share the frame.
Layered strokes and warm against cool color keep the light alive
without noise. The sharpest notes land in the eye and mouth, and everything else plays support. It is confident, thoughtful, and inviting. A true conversation between person and town, art and everyday life.
BLUE RIBBON 3D
Carved Leaf Vase
Ceramics by Kandy Gibson
Carved Leaf Vase takes the Blue Ribbon in 3D for grace, clarity, and
beautiful craft. The profile is tall and assured, with a flared lip and a
steady taper that sits strongly on the pedestal. Carved leaves wrap the
form, and the fine vertical channels create a rhythm that plays with
light. Two small loop handles widen the stance and add a gentle pause for the eye. The satin green glaze pools in the cuts and breaks
at the edges, which gives depth and movement without noise.
Throwing, carving, and glaze all work together. It feels both functional and ceremonial, a vessel that
carries the garden into the room with quiet confidence.
RED RIBBON 2D
Self Portrait
Oil Painting by Leslie Paulus
Self Portrait receives a Red Ribbon for its clear design and open heart.
From across the room, we see a warm golden shape of coat and scarf
that leads to a turned head catching light. The value grouping is
disciplined, which lets the features carry the focus. Up close, the story
feels personal and immediate. A child turns, meets our gaze, and
smiles. The background stays clean, so we can enjoy the person
without distraction. Freshness comes from confident edges, honest
brushwork, and a few well-placed highlights. The small blue in the tie is a perfect counterpoint to the golds. The result is simple, direct, and full of life.
Lion's Den Gorge
Watercolor Painting by Tom Kubala
Lion’s Den Gorge receives a Red Ribbon for a design that is both bold and true to experience. From a distance, we read a sweep of dark trunks set against a bright green opening, with the hillside sliding our eye toward distant light. Up close, the story settles in. We are standing in shade and looking toward promise, a cool pool of daylight beyond the trees. Watercolor handling stays fresh. Canopy shapes are glazed with patience, textures arrive by spatter and lifting, and the forest floor is suggested with broken marks rather than explained. The strong grouping of values and the living rhythm of trees create depth, air, and an invitation to step forward.
Pastoral Scene
Oil Painting by Carol Weiss
Pastoral Scene receives a Red Ribbon for a design that welcomes
us and holds us. The curved furrows carry the eye into the picture and aim us at a glowing field, while tree masses frame the view like open gates. Value families are clear. Darks anchor the foreground, middle values shape the trees, and a bright field with lively clouds brings the light. Up close, the story is simple and true. This is cultivated land at rest, the calm after labor. Freshness shows in broken color on the grasses, soft transitions in the distance, and clouds that feel breathed rather than blended. The result is inviting, confident, and full of quiet joy.
RED RIBBON 3D
Peacock Serving Bowl
Ceramics by Michelle Shaw
Peacock Serving Bowl receives a Red Ribbon for harmony of form and glaze. The profile is confident and open, with a clean rim that invites touch. Inside, blues and greens radiate toward the center like a slow turn of stars, and small ochre blooms sparkle in the pooled glaze. The exterior stays quieter, which lets the interior do the speaking. The proportions between the foot, belly, and lip feel generous and practical, so the bowl succeeds as an art object and as a useful piece for the table. Glaze flow is controlled, the foot is tidy, and the overall read is clear from every angle—a graceful meeting of everyday function and a sense of wonder.
HONORABLE MENTION 2D
Sandhill at Villa Grove Park
Photography by Fred Thorne
Sandhill at Villa Grove Park earns an Honorable Mention for a clear
design and a beautifully timed moment. A wide field of quiet water
holds a single event. The crane steps onto a sunlit log, and its reflection drops through the frame like a soft mirror. The diagonal of the perch, the lift of the wings, and the forward beak create a graceful line that is easy to follow. Warm light shapes the bird and keeps the background calm. Up close, we enjoy feather detail, small droplets near the feet, and the tiny red crown that locks the focus. It is patient seeing, cleanly framed, and full of quiet grace.
Bosnia
Acrylic Painting by Miranda Kempf
Bosnia earns an Honorable Mention for its confident structure and sense of lived history. From across the room, we see three clear bands. Dark river and trees below, a rich
belt of stone buildings in the middle, and a bright sky that feels freshly cleared. Rhythm in the stacked roofs pulls us uphill, while the pink and saffron facades guide the eye and add joy. The tower at right provides scale and a quiet pause. Up close, the story is generous. Markets, balconies, and narrow lanes feel present without being overdrawn. Clouds stay atmospheric, stone carries texture, and greens remain lively. The result is a truthful, welcoming portrait of a town that has weathered time with grace.
After the Rain
Oil Painting by May Ulm Mayhew
After the Rain earns an Honorable Mention for its brave simplicity and strong read, a generous sky carries the mood, while a slim band of land holds small houses, a knot of trees, and a road that leads us in. The value families are clear—light sky, middle-to-dark fields, and a few well-placed lights that define the center. Up close, the story is gentle and convincing. Color feels rinsed and alive the way it does after a storm. Brushwork remains visible and confident, which keeps the scene from feeling fussy. The painting is small in scale yet full of air, memory, and welcome.
HONORABLE MENTION 3D
Distant Relative
Sculpture by Mark Hargarten
Distant Relative receives an Honorable Mention for grace, clarity, and a story we all know. A tall, twisting trunk holds two bluebirds set apart. The lower bird rises on a curved steel branch, and the upper bird makes a quiet crown. That spacing creates a strong rhythm and a beautiful pocket of air between them. Surface variety adds life. Warm wood, cool metal, and a deep resin sheen share the light and keep the piece moving as you walk around it. The title lands perfectly. We feel the distance inside families and the connection that remains. It is thoughtful, well built, and full of quiet feeling from every angle.
Forest Dweller
Sculpture by Diane Boer-Henke
Forest Dweller receives an Honorable Mention for a strong presence and a story that lands the moment you see it. A leaf-crowned face rises from a spiraled wood column while an iron base holds
steady. The crown throws a lively silhouette on the wall, and the spiral gives the form a gentle turn. Up close the craft is clear. Leaf veins are sharp, the face feels alive, and the glaze breaks on edges just enough to add depth. Wood, iron, and clay speak together, which fits the Green Man idea perfectly. It stands like a guardian at the threshold, welcoming us while reminding us of the living woods that stand behind our walls.
Be part of the best of the best at our
Annual Juried Exhibit (AJE)
August 30 to October 12, 2025
It’s one of our most prestigious events of the year, not just because it is a juried show but because it features the work of our extraordinary CAG members. The Annual Juried Exhibit (AJE) attracts Midwest collectors interested in acquiring unique work. This show displays the work of our esteemed CAG members in a broad spectrum of media, including sculpture, metal, photography, pottery, glass, textiles, wood, mixed media, painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor, etc.), and so much more.
Digital submissions are open from July 1st to July 30th.
NOTE: Submission deadline extended until Sunday, August 3rd at midnight.
Awards for 2025
BEST OF SHOW
The winner will receive $500
2-D Awards
3 Blue Ribbon(s) and $250
3 Red Ribbon(s) and $125
3 Honorable Mention and $50
3-D Awards
1 Blue Ribbon and $250
1 Red Ribbon and $125
2 Honorable Mention and $50
Meet the jurors for AJE 2025!
Barbara Manger
Steve Puttrich
Barbara Manger is a Milwaukee-based visual artist whose monotypes and drawings explore the intimate and intricate patterns in the natural world. With a practice rooted in observation and abstraction, Manger employs line as a metaphor—echoing the movement of rivers, the texture of bark, and the rhythm of grass—to create layered, lyrical compositions inviting reflection and connection. Her work is characterized by delicate strands of color and form that build strength and resonance through their interconnection, suggesting organic systems' profound energy and complexity.
Manger works primarily with oil-based inks and an etching press, integrating traditional printmaking with experimental techniques. She incorporates gathered natural materials—sometimes bold, sometimes ephemeral—into her process, allowing for control and the element of chance. These “unexpected gifts,” as she describes them, are central to her creative journey and the contemplative experience she aims to offer the viewer.
A graduate of Beloit College (B.A.) and the University of Wisconsin–Madison (M.S., M.F.A.), Manger also studied Japanese woodblock printing with master Toshi Yoshida in Japan. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Wisconsin Art, the Wilson Center for the Arts, and the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. Her prints and drawings are held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Wisconsin Art, Quad/Graphics, Carroll University, and numerous corporate collections throughout the Midwest.
Website: https://www.barbaramanger.com
Steve Puttrich's story is one of artistic passion and versatility. He graduated from the American Academy of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, where he honed his skills in architectural illustration, graphic design, and fine art. Steve's watercolor technique flourished under the guidance of Irving Shapiro, while Eugene Hall nurtured his talent in oil painting. In his more than 35 years as an artist, Steve's tenure as vice president of creative services and innovation at the Parsons Corporation is a significant highlight.
Today, Steve and his wife, Bobbie, an artist, travel extensively to capture the beauty of the American landscape and teach others. Steve has made significant contributions to the art community through his teaching at the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art and his term as an Artist in Residence for the Plein Air Painters of Chicago.
Steve has received many awards for his artistic talent in Plein Air Painting, demonstrating his skill in both oil and watercolor mediums. His dedication to the art is evident through his participation in the Plein Air Painters of Chicago and the Oil Painters of America.
Steve's personal story is one of triumph and empathy. He has transformed the challenges of his childhood into a source of creative energy. His works are characterized by a harmonious interplay of light, color, and emotion, giving viewers a glimpse into a world of contemplative beauty. Steve's journey and art continue to evolve, guided by a deep connection to nature and an unyielding passion for exploration and expression. Recently, Steve invented a patent-pending tool for artists called The Fairview Finder, which helps artists focus on the most critical aspects of design and composition.
Website: https://www.steveputtrich.com