More than 115 works by 92 artists are featured this year from what was originally 550 entries submitted to share the gallery spotlight through Nov. 9 during the 82nd Annual Salon Show hosted by South Shore Arts in Munster.
Artists from throughout Indiana, as well as from Cook County, Illinois, and Southwest Michigan are included in this year’s exhibit competing for ribbons and $15,000 in prizes, all which will be awarded during an honors ceremony from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at the exhibition’s home in the Bachman Gallery of The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster.
A variety of media, from drawings and paintings to sculptures, photography, acrylics, metal work, mixed media and more, are all vying for the 50 finalist selections, which are anonymously scored by a featured judge for both ribbons awarded and checks presented, in amounts from $500 to $2,000.
This year’s juror making the decision for placements is Victor Armendariz.
According to South Shore Exhibits Manager Brandon Johnson, Armendariz began his career in the art world in 1997 when he joined the respected Ann Nathan Gallery.
“At just 27, he quickly fell in love with the gallery business, drawn to its dynamic blend of creativity, storytelling, and human connection,” Johnson said.
“Over nearly two decades working alongside Ann Nathan, Victor developed a deep understanding of the art market, as well as long-lasting relationships with artists, collectors and institutions.”
Johnson said when Ann Nathan announced her retirement in 2016, Armendariz knew it was his time to take the next step and he opened Gallery VICTOR in March 2017, showcasing a diverse range of media and genres, with a strong emphasis on figurative painting and sculpture as well as meticulously crafted studio furniture.
“He has an academic background in English literature, so Victor has always been drawn to narrative, a quality he seeks in the art he presents,” Johnson said.
“He believes the most compelling works are those that invite the viewer into a story, one that unfolds gradually and evolves over time.”
Armendariz has said his Gallery VICTOR “is founded on the belief that art should be both exciting and accessible with a vision to present exhibitions that balance conceptual depth with visual immediacy.”
The South Shore Arts Annual Salon Show began in the late 1930s as an annual display of custom creations in the art department of Minas Department Store in downtown Hammond. In 1989, the show was moved to the galleries in the Center for Visual and Performing Arts.
Longtime South Shore Arts Executive Director John Cain, who retired in May 2022, is also given the duty of presenting a ribbon and $500 award named in his honor, a new tradition that began three years ago.
Formerly called the Northern Indiana Arts Association since 1970, the nonprofit in 2006 was rebranded as South Shore Arts to reflect a balanced emphasis on both music and visual arts. Cain became executive director in October 1993 and worked hard to grow audiences for the NWI Symphony, teamed with the baton direction of Maestro Kirk Muspratt, the long-haired latter who has been with South Shore Arts for a quarter of a century.
Retired BMO bank executive David Mika served as an interim executive director for South Shore Arts until successor Jonathan Canning, 62, was named in March 2025 with a four-year contract as the latest identity and talent to guide South Shore Arts and the Northwest Indiana Symphony.
Canning is scheduled as the featured speaker for Thursday’s Oct. 9 Munster Chamber of Commerce luncheon, held in the Bachman Gallery and immersed in this year’s Salon Show exhibit. Another free event is at 6 p.m. Oct. 30, when featured artists from this year’s Salon Show exhibit will share “micro talks” about their works and inspiration.
The paired free exhibit featured in the adjoining Atrium Gallery of The Center for Visual and Performing Arts is titled “All Creatures Great & Small: A Tapestry of Life in Oils” by Denise Petersen which continues through Oct. 18 and highlights 22 oil works depicting “tender pet portraits to provocative depictions of taxidermy, balancing themes of joy, companionship, identity, and mortality.”
Details about both exhibits and gallery hours are available by calling 219-836-1839, Ext. 108, or visiting www.southshoreartsonline.org.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com.