Current Exhibition

Our fourth Art competition “Grey” started in May 2024 and concluded on June 27, 2024. Art Room Gallery received entries from many countries around the world: USA, Denmark, Australia, Romania, Taiwan, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Japan and BIH. The Grey theme in this competition included a diversity in types, styles and mediums (oil on canvas, acrylic, scratchboard, graphite, stainless steel, pencil, digital painting, photography). The following evaluation criteria has been used for judging the artwork: creativity, interpretation of the theme, originality and quality of art, overall design, demonstration of artistic ability, and usage of medium. Jury decided to select 40 artworks for inclusion in the exhibition. Aside from First, Second, and Third place Jury also presented Merit awards and Honorable Mention awards.

Thank you, and enjoy the exhibition!

Statement:

Jason Shih was born in 1971 in Lukang Town, Changhua County, Taiwan, where traditional craftsmen are active. He has been interested in folk crafts, temple architecture, wood and stone carvings since childhood. From elementary school to high school, he attended a special art education class for 10 years in Taipei City. In 1993, he began to specialize in metal sculpture when he was a sophomore in the Fine Arts Department of Taipei National University of the Arts. In 2001, Jason SHIH graduated from School for American Crafts, Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA, and majored in Metal Sculpture. And then, he served as the famous American metal sculptor Albert Paley's assistant, involved in metal crafts and large-scale public art work practices. Furthermore, he earned his Art Ph. D. from China Academy of Art, China (2015). Now, Jason lives in Taoyuan City, Taiwan, and consistently engages in the both areas of sculpture and public art. Jason Shih's abstract sculptures adopt a simplified aesthetic that uses simplicity to control complexity. Jason Shih is good at translating the aesthetic insights in daily life into profound and timeless elements, gathering pure energy in concise and concise words. His creations start from the delicate humanistic thinking of oriental sentiments and invoke the bright expression techniques of contemporary visual art in form and color. The characteristics of the work are simplicity yet grandeur, attention to detail and full of dramatic tension. In a lively and creative modern style, it elaborates on contemporary humanities.

Statement:

I received my degree in Art from the Art Institute of Cincinnati in 2000. A part of the process included a two-week course on Scratchboard (Clayboard Etching). I fell in love with the detail capable in this medium. I have been a full-time Professional Artist since 2015 and I do shows and exhibit in galleries regularly. Pet Portrait Commissions are a significant part of my business. I have won many "Best of Show" and "First Place" ribbons over the years. I am a member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA), the Louisville Artisans Guild (LAG), Kentucky Arts Council (KAC), Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen (KGAC), Lexington Artists Guild (LAG). I regularly teach classes on the Scratchboard Medium and have taught the process to many local artists. I have been featured in several local galleries as a Solo Artist. I was the Chairman for the annual ISSA Exhibit held in Kentucky in 2018 which brought in artwork from 7 countries and 21 US States. I have been featured in many Art magazines and was given a significant interview on the local PBS station. My passion is to create beautiful, inspiring, highly detailed creations for the appreciation of patrons around the country.