City of North Charleston (SC) Announces Winners of Judged Fine Art & Photography Competitions

Fine artists and amateur and professional photographers from across the state were invited to participate in the “2013 Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions”, organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and presented May 3-11 as a component of the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival in North Charleston, SC.  A total of 168 fine art entries were accepted in the categories of oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing/pastel, and 2D mixed media. Cash awards totaling $3,250 were made at the sole discretion of the judge, Sara C. Arnold, Curator of Collections at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston.

After making her selections, Arnold stated, “The Lowcountry is fortunate to have such an event that displays the talents of our local artists.” She continued, “All the applicants should be commended for their entries. It is a pleasure to see such variety in both media and in style represented in the competition.”

A total of 230 entries were accepted in photography, which were split into the divisions of Professional/Advanced and Amateur and categorized as color or monochrome. Cash awards totaling $1,450 were awarded by a panel of three judges using the Photographic Society of America Print Guidelines. Each judge evaluated entries as a whole, considering the areas of impact, composition, and technique.

In addition to awards given by the judges, three fine art pieces were selected for City of North Charleston Purchase Awards. These pieces will be added to the City of North Charleston’s Permanent Public Art Collection, which is on display within North Charleston City Hall throughout most of the year.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Best in Show – Fine Art
“In My Mother’s Arms” by Nizar/Kelvin Blufton

City of North Charleston Purchase Awards
“The Stretch” by Bob Graham
“Due South” by Elliot B. West
“Green Wave” by Angela Smith

Fine Art – Acrylic
1st Place – “Festival Fiddle” by Brenda Gilliam
2nd place – “Study in Public” by Jean Spencer
3rd Place – “Insomnia” by David Helmerick
Honorable Mention – “Play On” by Pedro Rodriguez
Honorable Mention – “Ishmael” by Amanda McLenon
Honorable Mention – “Against the Odds” by Jack Vanderpol

Fine Art – Oil
1st Place – “The Promise” by Blaine Tailer-Kimball Dixon
2nd Place – “Waiting” by Sherri Bardsley
3rd Place – “Gullah Woman” by Denny Stevenson
Honorable Mention – “Strolling the Gardens” by Sandra J. Booker
Honorable Mention – “Decelerating” by Sally Accetta
Honorable Mention – “A in Green” by Judy McSween
Honorable Mention – “Street Crossing” by Peter Scala

Fine Art – Drawing/Pastel
1st place – “Second Glance” by Bob Graham
2nd Place – “Blended Trees” by Dolores Hayes Lott
3rd Place – “Pitcher & Pine Cone” by Sherry Bevins
Honorable Mention – “Live Oak” by Nancy Davidson
Honorable Mention – “Fishing Spot” by Mary Brigman

Fine Art – Watercolor
1st Place – “Kevina” by Lynda Lawrence
2nd Place – “Abandoned” by Becky Taylor
3rd Place – “Daybreak in the Town of Two Harbors” by Dorothy Shromoff
Honorable Mention – “Cosmos in Bloom” by Becky Taylor
Honorable Mention – “Evil Eye” by Charlotte Holman

Fine Art – 2D Mixed Media
1st Place – “Ship High in Transit” by Denise Greer
2nd Place – “All the Earth” by Deborah Neal
3rd Place – “Equilibrium at Risk” by Lara Neece
Honorable Mention – “Home Grown” by Linda Wasielewski
Honorable Mention – “City Jail” by Shawn Allison
Honorable Mention – “See Through” by Paige Duvall
Honorable Mention – “Resting in Style” by Don Roberts

Professional Photography – Color
1st Place – “Bride of Magnolia” by Donnie Smith
2nd Place – “Daughters of Confederacy Building” by Vanessa Kauffmann
3rd Place – “Forster’s (Tern) Flight 39″ by Raymond Colin Murray
Honorable Mention – “Relics of the Past” by Raymond Colin Murray
Honorable Mention – “Edwin S. Fishing Pier at Twilight” by Raymond Colin Murray

Professional Photography – Monochrome
1st Place – “Studebaker” by Peter Ingrasselino
2nd Place – “Got an Itch” by Gloria Welch
3rd Place – “Abandoned” by Vanessa Kauffmann
Honorable Mention – “Shem Creek – Rigged & Ready” by Chris Rogers

Amateur Photography – Color
1st Place – “Snow Ram” by Rick Dandridge
2nd Place – “Osprey #1″ by Andy Reilly
3rd Place – “Dolbadarn Castle” by Rick Dandridge
Honorable Mention – “Henpecked” by Jim Miller
Honorable Mention – “Bumper Pool” by Jim Miller

Amateur Photography – Monochrome
1st Place – “Racer” by Andy Reilly
2nd Place – “Girl with Cup” by Mark Melcher
3rd Place – “Remembering Italy: Tempi Passati” by Gabi Simon
Honorable Mention – “Carousel Horse” by Kaitlin Carroll
Honorable Mention – “French Hugenot Church at Dawn” by Douglas A. Fraze
Honorable Mention – “Hold on to Faith” by Brenda Bihlear

For information about additional exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 843/740-5854 or e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org). For details on the North Charleston Arts Festival, visit (www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com).

City of North Charleston (SC) Announces Winners of “SC Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition”

Fine craft artists and artisans from across South Carolina were invited to participate in the “12th Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition”, the state’s only juried fine craft competition and exhibition. Organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, the show was presented May 3-11 as a component of the 2013North Charleston Arts Festival held in North Charleston, SC.

Following an extensive pre-jury process, 47 applicants were asked to participate and 120 entries were submitted in the categories of clay, fiber, metal, wood, and 3D mixed media. Cash awards totaling $6,500 were made at the sole discretion of the juror, Karen Derksen, Director of Winthrop University Galleries and lecturer for the Department of Fine Arts and the Department of Design at Winthrop in Rock Hill, SC. After making her selections, Derksen stated, “Jurying a show is one of the most gratifying undertakings of my position and also one of the most challenging. I enjoy the opportunity to view the inspiring work being created in our state and as expected the entries in this year’s Palmetto Hands exhibition demonstrate what accomplished artists and creative, high quality work is being produced in South Carolina.” She continued, “It is always exciting to see what is developing in fine craft, as it captures traditions and evolves into a modern contemporary context. Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the submissions. My heartfelt congratulations go to all included artists, and especially to the award winners.”

“Baseball Shoe High Top” by Dennis Vernon (Best in Show)

After awarding ribbons, Derksen also selected pieces from the show to assemble a “South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Traveling Exhibition”, which will tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2013/2014 Traveling Exhibitions Program. “One of my goals was to select a show that would express the diversity of the mediums and styles that I was observing,” Dersken said. “My purpose when selecting an exhibition is to be intentional about the relationship of one artwork to another and create an overall totality that tells a story.” The Traveling Exhibitions Program gives galleries, museums, and art centers across South Carolina the opportunity to request the exhibit to tour their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists.

In addition to awards given by the juror, three pieces were selected for City of North Charleston Purchase Awards. These pieces will be added to the City of North Charleston’s Permanent Public Art Collection, which is on display within North Charleston City Hall throughout most of the year.

Congratulations to the winners of the “2013 SC Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition”:

Best of Show
“Baseball Shoe High Top” (Mixed Media) by Dennis Vernon (Okatie, SC)

Outstanding Merit
“A Smoked Salmon” (Clay) by Patz Fowle (Hartsville, SC)
From Tuscaloosa to Timbuktu (Mixed Media) by Kim Keats (Okatie, SC)

City of North Charleston Purchase Awards
“Upright Fish with Octopus” (Clay) by John Davis (North Charleston, SC)
“The Elegance of Grace” (Mixed Media) by Georgette Willis Sanders (McClellanville, SC)
“Hands Off!” (Clay) by Pamela Steele (Gilbert, SC)

“A Smoked Salmon” by Patz Fowle (Outstanding Merit)

Honorable Mentions
“A Price Greater Than Rubies” (Mixed Media) by Dina Barron (Summerville, SC)
“Within” (Clay) by Fiorenzo Berardozzi (Charleston, SC)
“Botanicals (Illustrations From My Garden)” (Mixed Media) by Cynthia Colbert (Lexington, SC)
“Beetle with Bumps” (Clay) by John Davis (North Charleston, SC)
“Hourglass Dulcimer” (Wood) by Dean Eades (Seneca, SC)
“Petals” (Clay) by Sheri Farbstein (Hilton Head, SC)
“Anonymous” (Fiber) by Susan Lenz (Columbia, SC)
“Red Coral” (Clay) by Deborah Mather (Murrel’s Inlet, SC)
“Original Tartan Design #1″ (Large) (Fiber) by Beth Melton (Rock Hill, SC)
“Glory” (Mixed Media) by Georgette Willis Sanders (McClellanville, SC)
“Enlightened Fish” (Mixed Media) by Matt Wilson (North Charleston, SC)
“The Potato Help” (Mixed Media) by Michael Woodle (Conway, SC)

SC Palmetto Hands Traveling Exhibition Selections included:

“Jughead” (Clay) by Deborah Appleby (North Charleston, SC)
“A Price Greater Than Rubies” (Mixed Media) by Dina Barron (Summerville, SC)
“Beachcombers” (Mixed Media) by Margaret Bass (Eastover, SC)
“Koi Pond” (Mixed Media) by Margaret Bass (Eastover, SC)
“Every Child Deserves a Home” (Fiber) by Ellen Byrd (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“A Place of Her Own” (Fiber) by Ellen Byrd (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“Doll House” (Fiber) by Ellen Byrd (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“My Garden of Earthly Delights” (Mixed Media) by Cynthia Colbert (Lexington, SC)
“Beetle with Bumps” (Clay) by John Davis (North Charleston, SC)
“Serving Platter” (Clay) by John Davis (North Charleston, SC)
“Petals” (Clay) by Sheri Farbstein (Hilton Head, SC)
“Patz’s Picasso Pot” (Clay) by Patz Fowle (Hartsville, SC)
“Play – Circle No. 2″ (Clay) by Miyako Fujiwara (Charleston, SC)
“Play – Circle No. 7″ (Clay) by Miyako Fujiwara (Charleston, SC)
“Phillip Simmons Heart Gate” (Fiber) by Arianne King Comer (North Charleston, SC)
“My Life as a Tree Totem” (Mixed Media) by Kim Keats (Okatie, SC)
“Anonymous” (Fiber) by Susan Lenz (Columbia, SC)
“Red Coral” (Clay) by Deborah Mather (Murrel’s Inlet, SC)
“Tuned” (Clay) by Deborah Mather (Murrel’s Inlet, SC)
“Original Tartan Design #1″ (Large) (Fiber) by Beth Melton (Rock Hill, SC)
“Baseball Shoe High Top” (Mixed Media) by Dennis Vernon (Okatie, SC)
“The Potato Help” (Mixed Media) by Michael Woodle (Conway, SC)

“From Tuscaloosa to Timbuktu” by Kim Keats (Outstanding Merit)

For more information about the “South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition” and other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843/740-5854, e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org), or visit (www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com).

Organizations interested in hosting the traveling exhibition should contact Jeff Powley, South Carolina State Museum Outreach Manager, at 803/737-4159 or e-mail to (jeff.powley@scmuseum.org).

City of North Charleston (SC) Announces Winners of “National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition”

Sculpture artists from across the nation applied to the “8th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition”, displayed at the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park in North Charleston, SC, and presented as a component of the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival. Organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique, eleven month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought provoking, extraordinary sculptures, as well as compete for up to $17,250 in honorariums and awards.

Nine out of 47 submissions were pre-juried into the exhibition by the juror, Janet Kagan, a Founding Principal of the Public Art Collaborative with more than three decades of experience in strategic planning with established and emergent art programs and management of projects representing both artists and agencies. Once installed at the exhibition site, Kagan then made her selections for Best in Show, Outstanding Merit, and Honorable Mentions.

“Bunny” by Jeff Brewer (Best in Show)

“I am honored to jury the 2013 National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition at Riverfront Park. It is a privilege to contribute to the appreciation of art in a landscaped, public context,” Kagan stated. She continued, “Each of the 2013 selections eloquently speak to us and elucidate how the artists’ ideas translated into material form, the works’ relationship to both physical and human nature, and our evoked impulses for interaction and surprise. These nine sculptures create surface tensions that play with angled voids and intersections. No two perspectives are the same as we walk toward, around and in the works. There is also a heft associated with these artworks – not just in their material, color, and scale, but in their aesthetic request for connection and dialogue. I hope you will mingle with, touch, and listen to the voices the works articulate.”

The nine sculptures selected for exhibition are by nine artists from six states. Congratulations to the winners of the 2013/4 National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition:

“Bunny” (steel) by Jeff Brewer – Nacogdoches, TX (Best in Show)
“Tier II” (painted steel) by Anne Melanie – Greenville, NC  (Outstanding Merit)
“Transponder” (steel) by Gary Gresko – Oriental, NC (Hon. Mention)
“Life” (painted steel) by Adam Walls – Lauvinburg, NC (Hon. Mention)
“A Little Less Than Meets the Eye” (steel) by Bill Wood – Fairfax, VA (Hon. Mention)
“Ender’s Enigma” (corten/painted steel) by Davis Whitfield IV – Mountain City, TN
“The Burning” (carved limestone) by Paris Alexander – Raleigh, NC
“Cowl” (oiled steel) by Carl Billingsley – Ayden, NC
“Daddy Longlegs” (steel) by John W. Parker – Glendside, PA

“Tier II” by Ann Melanie (Outstanding Merit)

Sculpture sites are located throughout North Charleston Riverfront Park, located at 1001 Everglades Avenue on the former Charleston Naval Base.  The park is set on the banks of the beautiful Cooper River.  In addition the sculptures visitors may enjoy ten acres of walking paths, a performance pavilion, picnic shelter, a fishing pier and boardwalk, an oversized sandbox, and children’s play fountain.  The historic site is centered in the Noisette District, the largest urban redevelopment project ever undertaken in the US.

The 2013/14 National Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition will be on display through March, 2014. For more information or to be added to the application mailing list for the 2014/15 Competition, please call 843/740-5854 or e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org). Visit (www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com) to view photographs and artist statements.

Charleston Center for Photography in Charleston, SC, Offers Second Monday Lecture Series with Chris Smith – May 13, 2013

On Monday, May 13, 2013, at 7pm, the Charleston Center for Photography in Charleston, SC, will welcome Chris Smith. The Second Monday Lecture Series are FREE to attend and are open to the public.

“Being a full time photographer, it’s easy to get into a creative rut,” says Smith, of Chris & Cami Photography. “A trip is the best way I know how to regain my creative edge and fulfill my artistic soul.” Smith displays the artistic results of a trip to Belize.

His focus is on three main techniques he uses to bend the light in his favor:  OCF (Off-Camera Flash), HDR (High-Dynamic Range), and Natural Light (not to be confused with Available Light).

Born to missionary parents in Zaire, Africa, Chris Smith developed a passion for photography in high school. By 10th grade, he was winning photography awards. He continued to study the craft in college, receiving his photography degree from the New York Institute of Photography.   Classically trained, Smith has been doing photography of all types for quite a while — weddings, commercial, travel and sports. An avid tennis player, Smith has been a leading photographer for Family Circle Cup for many years.

Smith, with his wife, Cami, has photographed politicians (former president George Bush), celebrities (Steve Harvey, Misty May-Treanor, and Serena Williams). Their work has been featured in “Family Circle Magazine”, “Sports Illustrated”, “Charleston Magazine”, and “Tennis Magazine”.

Travel is a passion for Smiths. They photograph out-of-country weddings, and wildlife in South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, and Africa. Smith conducts popular Lightbending 411 Workshops in Denver, Colorado.

For info call 843/720-3105 or visit (www.ccforp.com).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Presents Eclectic Interiors: A Mix of Antique and Contemporary Furnishings with Susan Sully – May 20, 2013

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is pleased to present the next event in the Art with a Twist series, a lunchtime lecture with author Susan Sully. In her latest publication, “Houses with Charm: Simple Southern Style” (Rizzoli International Publications, Spring 2013), Sully explores southern antiques and architecture. During her lunchtime lecture at the Gibbes, audiences will enjoy a virtual tour through the 18th to the 21st century properties featured in the volume.

The lecture explores the two themes of the book—the South’s “Pure and Simple” vernacular architecture and the “Simple Elegance” with which homeowners combine fine antiques with relaxed surroundings. Ranging from a Creole plantation house in Louisiana, a Greek Revival row house in Savannah, a neo-vernacular country house in Mississippi, and a “cottage-Gothic” residence in Atlanta, the featured residences offer insights into the architectural history of the region. Integrating time-honored lessons of the past, a number of homes also incorporate contemporary design sensibilities, making them especially appealing for today’s sensibilities. Many designed by the South’s leading architects and interior decorators, these houses reveal the inspired approach to tradition and gracious simplicity that define Southern charm. “Susan will engage and educate our audience with fascinating details about the history of southern antiques and architecture,” says Angela Mack, Executive Director of the Gibbes Museum of Art.

A leading authority on Southern architecture and design, Susan Sully is the author and photographer of many books published by Rizzoli International Publications, including “The Southern Cosmopolitan” and “The Southern Cottage”. She has also co-authored books with leading Southern architects and interior designers including Bobby McAlpine, Phoebe Howard, and Norman Askins (forthcoming). A graduate from Yale University with a degree in art history, she has contributed articles to “The New York Times”, “Veranda”, “Martha Stewart Living”, “Southern Accents”, “Town & Country Travel”, and other publications. Her books have appeared in magazines including “Architectural Digest”, “Town & Country”, “House Beautiful”, “Traditional Home”, and “World of Interiors”. Sully lectures frequently on the subject of Southern architecture and design at organizations including Sotheby’s Institute and the Smithsonian’s National Building Museum. She also writes a blog called (www.southerncosmopolitan.com).

Monday, May 20 at 12noon: lecture and lunch
$20 Members, $30 Non-Members (includes boxed lunch)
For details and to purchase tickets please visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org/events) or call 843/722-2706 x 21.

Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston’s historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection, and presents special exhibitions throughout the year. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives that serve the community by stimulating creative expression and improving the region’s superb quality of life. Visit highlights of the Gibbes collection on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Receives Medal of Honor in the Arts

On April 12, 2013, Brookgreen Gardens was awarded The Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts for its significant contribution to the arts and positive impact on the quality of the cultural life in communities across the Carolinas. Bob Jewell, President and CEO, received the award saying, “Brookgreen Gardens and Winthrop University share a common vision not only to improve the quality of life for Carolina’s residents, but to raise the standards of education and appreciation of art in our country.”

First established in 2001, The Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts honors those who have encouraged the arts and offered inspiration to others either through their distinguished achievements, artistic excellence, support, or patronage. The President of the University authorized the College of Visual and Performing Arts to award this important Medal of Honor “to individuals or groups who, in the President’s judgment, are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts” at Winthrop University and across the state of South Carolina and beyond.

The President of the University selects the recipients of the Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts. The Dean on the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts Steering Committee annually assist with the selection process by soliciting nominations for the medal. These nominations are reviewed by the Steering Committee. A list of the most highly qualified candidates is then forwarded to the President for final consideration along with candidates of his own choosing. This celebration of the arts, culminating in an exclusive awards ceremony presentation, takes place in the college’s state-of-the-art main stage in Johnson Hall. The proceeds go to a scholarship fund to help support talented students who have an interest in pursuing careers in the visual arts, dance, music, or theatre at Winthrop University.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US Hwy. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, SC, and is open to the public daily.

For more information, visit (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.

Red Piano Too Art Gallery on St Helena Island, SC, will Offer Book Signing with Jonathan Green

Lowcountry artist Jonathan Green will be at the Red Piano Too Art Gallery on St Helena Island, SC, signing the newly released book “Seeking”, on May 17, 2013, from 1:30 – 3:30pm.  “Seeking” is a compilation of poetry and praise inspired by the art of Jonathan Green. Twenty-nine different authors and poets were inspired to write about paintings by Green.

Edited by Kwame Dawes and Majory Wentworth, this collection features sixteen color paintings by Green in addition to a preface on the history of the project, information on the painting “Seeking”, and an artist’s statement.

A prolific author and editor in myriad genres, Kwame Dawes has written sixteen collections of poetry, most recently “Back of Mount Peace and Wheels”.  Dawes won an Emmy Award for his poetry and reporting on HIV/AIDS in his native Jamaica, and he is also the recipient of a Pushcart Prize, the Forward Poetry Prize, and the Hollis Summer Poetry Prize.  Dawes is the Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner and a Chancellor’s Professor of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

South Carolina Poet Laureate Majory Wentworth’s poems have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize four times.  Her collections of poetry include “Noticing Eden”, “Despite Gravity”, “What the Water Gives Me”, and “The Endless Repetition of an Ordinary Miracle”. Wentworth is also the author of an award-winning children’s book, “Shackles”, and of “Taking a Stand: The Evolution of Human Rights”, with Juan E. Mendez.

In the preface of the book Wentworth writes: “This book demonstrates the inherent power of one painting to communicate universal feelings and experiences that unite us all. Jonathan Green’s infectious excitement for the arts and his passion for collaboration are embodied by this project.  His painting ‘Seeking’ deeply touches everyone who sees it, and the stories and poems created in response articulate much of the shared experience…. By bringing people together in celebration, once again Jonathan reminds us that we are not alone on our spiritual journey.”

The best art has the uncanny ability not only to give pleasure to those who view it but also to lead to a desire to respond. The best artists are a force for all art, and renowned Gullah artist Jonathan Green’s work has inspired a wide range of responses from artists around the world. In “Seeking”we see how Green’s art prompts works of poetry, prose, and memoir. “Seeking’s” evocative power lies in the intimacy of this dialogue, which speaks to the shared sense of landscape and culture that Green stirs in these writers, ranging from close friends and fellow artists from his home state of South Carolina to nationally established authors who regard Green’s work as an important cultural institution.

The contributors have allowed themselves to be challenged by Green’s brilliance, his honesty, his intense spirituality, and his deep love of people. Inspired by a personal quest toward induction into a spiritual community, Green’s painting “Seeking” is rich with history, myth, and truth. The writers in this collection have found fertile ground for their own responses to Green’s work, and the result is an engaging and enlivening chorus of celebratory voices.

Accompanying Green at the signing will be Saint Helena Island resident and author of “Amadeus the Leghorn Rooster”, Deloris B. Nevils. She is also one of the contributors to “Seeking.”

Commenting on the book, American poet and Virginia Tech professor Nikki Giovanni wrote: “Art is as necessary as wine to our happiness. Each has a special place and, properly used, makes our days more gentle, our touch more loving, our loving more perfect. Jonathan Green and poems are challenge and caress; query and conclusion; that which is sought and SEEKING. We bath in and drink this water. We watch it unfurl. It is so refreshing. We exhale.”

In further comments, Simmons College, Michael Weaver wrote: “The writings in ‘Seeking’ celebrate the visionary art of Jonathan Green, a member of the Gullah culture whose body of work affirms the sacred and the spiritual as spaces that are alive. In the Gullah culture, a pilgrimage into the world of nature evokes God’s presence in the dreams of the seeker, and the poems and prose works in this collection celebrate that journey, that faith, and that hope. Inspired by Green, the writers in this collection take us back time and again to the scared place in our interiors. The world of nature is a dwelling place for the divine that lives both inside us and outside of us. The dangers lie everywhere, according to Green’s work, but so do the signals of how to cherish the ‘ways of being’ that account for resilience. This is a tender collection marked by what inspired it, an abiding faith in the beauty of what is in the woods and the truthfulness of what the woods are.”

Gallery owner, Mary Inabinett Mack said, “We are extremely pleased to have Jonathan come to the Red Piano Too and sign his book.” The signing is free and open to the public. Try not to miss this extraordinary opportunity to meet a nationally recognized artist and lowcountry native Jonathan Green.

For information call the gallery at 843/838-2241 or e-mail to (Redpianotoo@islc.net).

The Wells Gallery at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, SC, Have Signed Copies of Maya Angelou Book, illustrated by Earl B. Lewis

Maya Angelou’s autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” tells of her growing up in the South with her grandmother, her many hardships, and eventually finding her strength and spirit. This Limited Edition copy is illustrated by Earl B. Lewis. An artist from Philadelphia, Lewis has illustrated more than fifty books and is best known for his watercolor work.

Each leather bound book comes in it’s own felt lined box and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. The book measures 10inH x 7inW x 1.5in Thick with 281 gold lined pages.

Each book is numbered, and signed by Maya Angelou and Earl B. Lewis

Each book contains 10 watercolor images by EB Lewis

The Wells Gallery congratulates EB Lewis on this extraordinary honor!

For further info call the gallery at 843/576-1290 or visit (www.wellsgallery.com).

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Named One of the Top Ten Gardens in the US

In April, National Garden Month, TripAdvisor® compiled its list of the Top Ten Public Gardens in the United States based on traveler’s reviews and opinions and Brookgreen Gardens was named as one of their choices. The list features gardens from coast to coast, so nature lovers across the country can enjoy an amazing botanical experience.

“We were delighted to be recognized by TripAdvisor® as one of the top public gardens in the country,” said Bob Jewell, Brookgreen Gardens President and CEO. “It is indicative of the garden’s long-standing commitment to excellence, in all that it does. For 83 years, Brookgreen Gardens has been an inspiration, refuge and retreat for our community. We hope residents and visitors will take pride in the fact that in their midst is one of America’s premier gardens and we pledge to keep it ever changing, simply amazing.”

TripAdvisor® is the world’s largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip with trusted advice from real travelers. TripAdvisor® branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors, and over 100 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide.

Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit organization located on U.S. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, is open daily to the public.

For more information, visit (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.

The Society of Bluffton Artists in Bluffton, SC, Announce Award Winners from “Side by Side Show”

Photographers and traditional artists have teamed up – each artist interpreted the photograph they have chosen in his or her preferred medium. The photo and the accompanying art are displayed Side by Side of course! The work was judged on its own merit and there were prizes for both photographs and paintings, and one overall best of show.

The judges for this competition were Andrea Pejeau and Dennis Vernon. The reception and presentation of awards was held Sunday Apr. 7 with a wonderful crowd attending. The show will be on display though May 4, 2013. Please visit the SOBA Gallery, located at the corner of Church and Calhoun Streets in Old Town Bluffton. Call 843/757-6586 or visit (www.sobagallery.com) for more information.

BEST OF SHOW
“Peachy Keen”, Oil Painting by Michelle Maffei

1st Place Photo “Morning Quiet” by Art Cornell
1st Place Art “Working it Out” by Jo Dye
2nd Place Photo “Window on the Morning” by Wes Grady
2nd place Art “Local Textures” by Marilyn Dizikes
3rd Place Photo “Henderson Chief” by Martha Johnstone
3rd Place Art “Summer Morning on Casco Bay” by Tricia Gardner

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Photography
“Winter Sunrise” by Joan Eckhardt
“Denali The Great One” by Fran Hubbell

Art
“Footprints on My Mind” by Rosemary Meidenbauer
“Forsythe Fountain at Night” by Shirley Good Bacher