Sponsored by a five county consortium of arts councils and arts organizations, the grants are made possible with funds from the North Carolina Arts Council. The state arts council funds are matched by the Burke Arts Council and Rock School Foundation in Burke County, Caldwell Arts Council in Caldwell County, Hiddenite Center in Alexander County, McDowell Arts Council Association in McDowell County and the United Arts Council of Catawba County.
The grants are given to artists who have demonstrated excellence in their fields for projects which will take them to the next professional level. Decisions for grant awards are made by peer panelists from each of the five counties.
This year’s winners include: jewelry maker Ellen Ball of Hickory, to acquire new equipment to accommodate a growing retail account base; visual artist Lindsay Barrick of Granite Falls, to take classes in encaustic painting at Penland School of Crafts; visual artist Vyvyan Emery of Morganton, for upgrades to her art studio; visual artist Steven Hoke of Newton, to purchase a computer for digital image making; visual artist Margaret Carter Martine of Lenoir, for a 3D project about a World War II Veteran; basket maker Susan Taylor of Old Fort, to study the Cherokee art of traditional river cane basketry at John Campbell Folk Art School; and paper maker Holly Whitsett of Marion, to create a line of marbled papers.
The Caldwell Arts Council is located at 601 College Avenue in Lenoir. For further info call 828/754-2486 or visit (www.caldwellarts.com).
Tags: Caldwell Arts Council, Caldwell Arts Council's 2011-2012 Regional Artist Project Grants, Lenoir NC, Visiting Lenoir NC, Visiting North Carolina
