Partnering with Trumbull Area Artists and Random Acts of Artists brought nearly 250 submissions for the 57th TAG Annual at Trumbull Art Gallery.

“What I’ve been interested in for years is promoting collaboration among similar groups,” TAG Gallery Director William Mullane said.

This year’s show is dedicated to TAA founder Karen Fry, who died last November.

“For a long time, TAA and Karen Fry were attached to the TAG Annual,” Mullane said. “The things that weren’t selected by the juror, she took them to the (Steward Trumbull Memorial) hospital as part of the program there. She was always here for the judging. She and her husband, James (Hardy), assisted me in sorting the work that day. That’s the reason I dedicated this year’s show to her, because she was so integral to the whole process.”

Mullane and RAA’s Terry Polonsky also have collaborated on various projects in recent years, and with RAA losing its space in Sharon, Pa., Mullane said it made sense to involve that group of artists as well.

TAA and RAA members were able to submit works for consideration for the same fee as TAG members, and Mullane said he believes having all three groups promoting the show led to an increase in entries.

For the exhibition opening Saturday and running through Aug. 18, TAG received 247 submissions from 97 artists. Jurors Jacki Mountan and Ed Hallahan selected 93 works by 74 artists for inclusion.

Mountan used fabrics and fibers to create both two- and three-dimensional works. She is a member of the International Organization of Lace and curated TAG’s “Legacy of Lace” exhibition in 2022.

Hallahan has exhibited his work both regionally and nationally. He has taught at Youngstown State University and Kent State University at Salem and currently teaches classes at Penn State Shenango and the Butler Institute of American Art.

Mountan and Hallahan have collaborated on art projects and room installations, and their work currently is on display in the Nissen Gallery at Steward Trumbull Memorial Hospital.

Seven works were selected for juror awards, which will be announced at the opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m Saturday.

Artists selected for this year’s show are: Beth Basista, Diane Beatty, Gary Blackburn, Robert Byrd, Brian Camelli, Mark Cappabianco, Margaret Chairella, Michele Coe, Kenneth Cole, Michael Crouse, Lisa Curry, Cheryl Eddie, Lindsay Delullo, Katerina Devadan, Marie Dippolito, Sharon Dundee, John Fire, Patricia Fleeger, Lisa Frederick, Bob Galick, Jeanie Gordon, Susan Griffin, William Griffin. Cynthia Hall, James Hardy, Millie Hawkins, Michelle Hillier, Carolyn Dixon Hrusovsky.

Also showing are Kim Hunter, Kathryn Infante, Susan Jacobs, John B. Johnson, Tricia Kaman, Robert Kassan, George Kocar, George Kopec, Ron Krygowski, LeeAnn Lewis, Caroline Lorimer, Stephen Luthern, Julie Martin, Elise McKeown Skolnick, Nancy McLean, April Mohn, Zane Moriarty, Amanda Moriarty, Rebecca Nan, George Nelson, Jody Neugebauer, Jody Nudell, Jean Nye, Jeffery Piper and Terry Polonsky.

Lynne Provance, Clare Puskarczyk, Yasmin Rashid, Wayne C. Rongaus, Kristina Rule, Josh Ryhal, Cynthia Sahyoun, Penlope Senyak, Stephanie Sferra, Daniel Shields, James Shuttic, Paula M Smith, L.P. Snowe II, Ellie Steines, Phil Thomas, Thomas Tisdale, Gail Trunick, Jeffery Vargo, Linda Vasconi, Pete Vouvounas and Tulia Zambetis round out the artists.

Mullane has hung the overwhelming majority of the previous 56 TAG Annuals, and there always are surprises.

“Every time a juror comes in, no matter who it is, it’s a different show than what I’d do, which I like,” he said. “I see the stuff come in and I know if I’d been the juror, this would be a different show. That part of it is always fun, to see how a juror relates to the pieces themselves and how their own careers and work influence what they see.

“If you have a juror who is a museum person who doesn’t do their own work, it’s a much different show than if you have a juror who is a working artist. They can’t help but see the world through the work that they do. It’s really interesting and that part of it never gets old.”

This year’s annual includes an increase in ceramics pieces, which Mullane attributed to the ceramics studio in the basement of TAG, and few abstract works than the show displayed in year’s past.

“If you go to the Butler Midyear and other juried exhibits in the region, there is a trend toward realism,” Mullane said. “You see more realist works than you did 10 years ago. There’s a good deal of photography again, which I hadn’t seen for a while. We have some really great photographers entering shows.”

If you go …

WHAT: 57th TAG Annual

WHEN: Saturday through Aug. 18 with opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Hours are noon. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

WHERE: Trumbull Art Gallery, 158 N. Park Ave., Warren

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to www.trumbullart gallery.com or call 330-395-4876.