Notes from an Appraiser: Selecting works for ‘Wabi-Sabi’ exhibit was fun break from routine

I served as jurist for O’Hanlon Center for the Arts’ annual ‘Wabi-Sabi’ exhibition, selecting approximately 60 artworks from about 180 submissions for the show, which runs through Sept. 25 in Mill Valley. (Cynthia Shaver / For The Ark)

Recently I was the jurist for O’Hanlon Center for the Arts’ annual “Wabi-Sabi” exhibition. The name of the exhibit refers to the Japanese aesthetic philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection. It was this celebration of an “oops moment” that originally attracted me to Japan, a country I have visited dozens of times over 40 years.

In preparation to judge the Mill Valley exhibit, I watched a few videos on YouTube with the theme of wabi-sabi. The philosophy seemed so natural to me, the appreciation of the fine line of whimsy with serious art. As the jurist, I was tasked with selecting approximately 60 artworks from a submission of around 180 pieces. There were approximately 60 artists who submitted their art.

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