King Awards 2023

About the King Awards & Exhibition

In 2013, Gretchen King (BA in English’59) worked with the Department of Art & Art History to establish the King Competition and Exhibition, the department’s first juried student exhibition. Since that time fellow alums, Meridee Moore (BA in Philosophy ’80) and Kevin King (BFA in Fine Arts ’81) have joined Gretchen in generously supporting the annual competition and exhibition, allowing the department to award undergraduate and graduate students monetary prizes, and to showcase their work in the Visual Arts Complex.

$3000 for first-place grad and undergrad, $2000 for second-place grad and undergrad and $1000 for third-place grad and undergrad and $500 for honorable mention.

Elisa Wolcott (grad)

Two Strands Are Easily Broken
Scribing Sides
The Veil is Brighter

Aspen Moehring-Miller (undergrad)

30,244, Boots, hardwood, metal, 4’ x 4’
Nature’s Suspension, Polyester Twine, Rocks, 10’x3’
The Spoon we’re Fed From, Smoke, canvas, consumer materials

Andi Newberry (grad)

My Mother's Arrow; silkscreen on paper; 19 x 13 inches
Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out; silkscreen, cyanotype, and gouache on fabric; 18 x 48 x 1 inches
Pillar of Salt; silkscreen on paper; 22 x 30 inches

Madison Crisler (undergrad)

"Outstretched", oil pastel and conte on toned paper, 24x18
"Quiet Peaks", conte on toned paper, 24x18
"Backpacking", oil pastel and conte on toned paper, 24x18

Ryze Xu (grad)

Grass Ark #3, Salt fired porcelain, 8.5 x 19 x 6 inches
Gentle Machines (Sconces), Soda fired porcelain, cardboard, and staples, 20 x 6 x 8.5 inches
Platform/Ding #1, Stoneware, cardboard, and staples, 7 x 16 x 10 inches

Maren Curtis (undergrad)

Untitled, 18” by 24” 2022, Relief and Screen print process, acrylic and relief ink on arnhem paper
Roadkill, 14” by 17” 2022 Gouache, pen and acrylic ink on bristol board
A Year Without Tears, 24” by 19” 2022 Acrylic pen, micron pen, colored pencil on bristol board

Samira Hemmat (grad)

Family Tree, Intaglio Print on Unraveled Fabric, 33"x28"x1 1/2"
Hidden Harvest, Paper Embossing, 20"x14" (papers size)
Adrift, Embossing Paper, 11"x14"

Alejandra Saldivar (grad)

If you need shelter, look for me
The greater the darkness, the more we see
Gender Fluid

Elyse Hawkins (undergrad)

Matereality, Screen print, embroidery, weaving, and crochet on vintage cloths, 13 in by 24 in
Matereality, Screen print, embroidery, weaving, and crochet on vintage cloths, 13 in by 24 in
Uterine, Intaglio (copper etching) on cotton cloth with embroidery and weaving, 18 in by 24 in

Jenna Hissong (undergrad)

Mechanical Sheep Feign Individuation, Metal, Electrical Cords, Additional Undisclosed Materials, 90in x 26in x 61in
CRAVE/ CARVE, Plaster, Chisel, 53in x 15in x 3in
Xanthoria Parietina: The Sunburst Lichen, Fabric, Photography, Rock with Sunburst Lichen, 84in x 60in x 7.5in

The 2023 King Award Jurors

Sam Harvey

Sam Harvey is a ceramic artist, curator, and educator currently residing in Aspen, CO. He has been recognized as one of the most compelling artists working and living in the United States and received the prestigious 2019 USA Fellowship Award. Harvey worked as the studio coordinator of the ceramics department at Anderson Ranch Arts Center for nine years and became a member of their board. Sam currently serves on the boards of the Carbondale Clay Center, Archie Bray Foundation, and Chulitna Lodge. In addition, he teaches and demonstrates at universities, community centers, and art centers in the US and abroad. He continues to actively promote ceramic art and inclusivity in the artistic community as the owner and director of the Harvey Preston Gallery in Aspen.

David Smith

David Smith is the owner of the David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, Colorado. Committed to presenting intelligent and culturally relevant exhibitions, the gallery features emerging talent alongside internationally recognized artists. Through the gallery's curatorial program, participation in art fairs, and extensive media coverage in publications such as Artforum and Art in America, David has cultivated a strong global audience. He has facilitated numerous museum exhibitions and acquisitions for the artists that the gallery represents. The gallery maintains an active publishing division that produces exhibition catalogues and editions and is a member of the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA).

Molly Bird Casey

As NINE dot ARTS Chief Curator, Molly leads, mentors, and supervises interdisciplinary creative teams through the research, curation, acquisition, and installation of a range of national art experiences. Her leadership and consulting expertise include working directly with private and public sector clients on everything from curated corporate art collections to robust community art plans. Molly’s innovative approach to art consulting includes building a global community of artists and supporting education, advocacy, and career-building opportunities for creatives of all backgrounds. Molly and Co-founder Martha Weidmann formed NINE dot ARTS in 2009 with the vision of building a forward-thinking art consulting company that both curates incredible art experiences and advocates for art and artists.