Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, Seeking Entries for Local Artists’ Showcase – Deadline is Nov. 9, 2012

During the week of Nov. 5-9, 2012, the Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, will be accepting entries for the 2012 edition of the annual “Local Artists’ Showcase”. Any artist or crafter who would like to have their work shown and made available for sale should bring their pieces by the UCAC gallery on Main Street in Union during this time.

“Our ‘Local Artists’ Showcase’ is one of our biggest events of the year,” said UCAC president Bennie Giles. “Last year we had over thirty artists and crafters showing their work with us. Some of them made some very good sales.” The showcase is one of the highlights of Union’s Downtown Open House just before Thanksgiving. UCAC will be open for shoppers to come by and browse the items on display and, possibly, find that “special, one-of-a-kind” Christmas gift for the person who seems to have everything.

Some of the items on display and for sale at UCAC’s 2011 Local Artists’ Showcase.  (Photo – Wm. Harold Senn)

“Every year we have pieces for sale that run from under a dollar up to hundreds of dollars,” added Giles. “There is something for everybody here during this show.”

For more information about UCAC’s exhibits, workshops or classes call 864/429-2817 or e-mail to (ucac@bellsouth.net).

Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, Features Anne Knopf Memorial Art Show

The Union County Arts Council is holding the second annual Anne Knopf Memorial Art Show running from now through November 2 at the UCAC Gallery located at 116 East Main Street in Union, SC. The show features the works of teachers in the local school districts and celebrates the life and art of Anne Knopf who taught art at Jonesville Elementary-Middle School until her untimely death in May 2011.

Anne Knopf, photo by Mel Rabb

Knopf, who started her career in art as a lithographer and graphic artist, began her teaching career in 2001. She did her personal work mainly in pastels and her favorite subjects were landscapes and nature. In addition to her work as Art Director for the Union County Fair last year, she was also a Master Teacher with ETV.

Union County High School art teacher and friend of Knopf, Shannon Farr said, “She had been sick for a couple of years before her death, but she was constantly going and nobody really realized how bad it was. One of her strengths was in pastels. I’ve had some of her students come to the high school and they were just incredibly talented in using pastels and blending colors. And, even though she was really sick, she continued to work hard for her students.”

The local teachers who are showing their work this year include: Katie Paschal, Sarah Richardson Arnold, Mary Lee Canty and her daughter Lee Canty, Amanda Kingsmore, Shannon Farr and Dr. Susanne Gunter. The exhibit also features works by Knopf. The diversity of work being shown by these artists includes painting, mixed media, photography, ceramics and drawing.

“We’re honored to be able to show this exhibit for the second year,” said Bennie Giles, UCAC President. “Anne made a huge impact on her students, friends and family and we hope that they all turn out to honor her.”

Call UCAC at 864/429-2817 or e-mail to (ucac@bellsouth.net) for more information about this show or other UCAC programs and classes.

Diarmuid Kelly Takes Top Prize at Union County (SC) Arts Council’s “2012 Juried Art Show”

Spartanburg, SC’s Diarmuid Kelly was the big winner at the Union County Arts Council’s “2012 Juried Art Show”, held in Union, SC. For the second year running, Kelly took home the prestigious Peoples’ Choice Award sponsored by Elenora Richardson. This award was given based on the result of votes cast by the nearly 160 art patrons in attendance at the show’s reception held at USC-Union.

Diarmuid Kelly’s oil painting, “The Musicians”.  (Photo Provided)

Kelly also won the Col. and Mrs. W. J. Whitener Award.  Both prizes were given for his painting “The Musicians”.

Other winners of the cash awards were Deborah Tidwell Holzscheiter (Arthur State Bank Award), JoAnn Anderson (Timken Tyger River Plant Award), W. Tobi Bordihn (Switzer Award), Marcia Murray (Union Family Pharmacy Award), Susan Hopps (Wallace Thomson Hospital Award), Tom Thompson (Frank Hart Allstate Insurance Co. Award) and Heather Thomas Noe (United Wood Treating Co. Award).

With the exception of the Peoples’ Choice Award, all winners were chosen by UCAC’s “2012 Juried Art Show” juror J. Ashley Kirby of Greenville, SC.

The show will run through Oct. 19, 2012, at USC-Union’s main building on Main Street in Union and may be viewed during their normal operating hours.

For more information about UCAC’s programs, classes or events call 864/429-2817 or e-mail to (ucac@bellsouth.net).

 

 

 

Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, Receives Union Community Foundation Grant

The Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the Union Community Foundation.  The funds will be used to help with UCAC’s general operating expenses.

photo By Harold Senn

“We’re very fortunate to have an organization like the Union Community Foundation working to better the lives of the residents of Union,” said UCAC president Bennie Giles.  “When we were notified by the foundation’s chairman, Robbie Littlejohn, of our grant it came as a very pleasant surprise.  Over the past year we’ve taken on some new projects and tried to expand the services we offer to the Union County community.  This award will allow us to continue our efforts in that regard.”

The Union Community Foundation was established to provide continuing resources to assist the Union community in meeting the many needs of its citizens.

“Our foundation relies on gracious donations from individuals within the community,” said Littlejohn.  “These individuals have a variety of giving options to support the work of the foundation.”

Some of the ways to help the Union Community Foundation in it’s mission are through donations of cash, appreciated stock, real estate and life insurance; to mention a few.  Professionals are used to invest and manage the foundation’s assets and the board is made up of local citizens who know the community and its needs.

These funds will help UCAC continue to provide programs such as “Painting With Coffee”, the “Tuesday Night Artist’s Group”, the UCAC Artist’s Guild, the “UCAC Writer’s Group”, “Jam With Lunch”, “Monday Night Music” and a wide variety of classes and workshops.

For more information on UCAC’s programs, classes or workshops call 864/429-2817 or e-mail to (ucac@bellsouth.net) or follow us on the web at (www.unioncountyartscouncil.com), Facebook and Twitter.

Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, Holding Spring Art Show at UCAC – May 29 – June 2, 2012

The Union County Artists’ Guild is holding it’s annual Spring Art Show at the Union County Arts Council’s gallery on Main Street in Union, SC. The show features paintings, mixed media and 3D art produced by artists belonging to the guild. The show will run through June 2, 2012.

“We’re happy to be able to show off the talented artists of the Union County Artists’ Guild,” said UCAC coordinator Jackie Senn. “The Spring Art Show is just one of our year-round exhibits that allow Union County’s local artists to show their work.”

“Lookout Rock” by Gib Kohr is just one of the works on display during the Union County Artists’ Guild’s Spring Art Show.

The guild is made up of artists who meet at UCAC through the “Painting With Coffee” and the “Tuesday Night Artists‘ Group” programs. Any area artist working in any medium is welcome to join the guild.

A reception for the Spring Art Show will be held at UCAC on May 29, 2012, from 6:30 – 7:30pm. The public is invited to attend.

For more information about other programs offered by UCAC, call 864/429-2817, e-mail us at (ucac@bellsouth.net) or follow us on Facebook at (www.facebook.com/UnionArts).

Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, Presents Book to Morgan Faucett

The Union County Arts Council in Union, SC, through their “Tuesday Night Artists’ Group” presented young artist Morgan Faucett with an art book titled “The Owls of North America” at their last meeting. The presentation was the idea of UCAC member Bob Barbary and came about after he was moved by an incident involving Faucett at last year’s Union County Fair.

“I’ve done owl paintings for a long time. When I saw Morgan’s owl drawing that she’d entered in the Union County Fair I thought, ‘Oh my God! This girl has talent’,” said Barbary. “It didn’t have a ribbon on it at that time, but I knew right then that it would be a winner.”

Barbary’s fair entry won second place so, out of curiosity, he went back to have a look at the other winners. And, just as he’d expected, Faucett’s owl drawing had a ribbon hanging on it. Not just any ribbon, though. It had won “Best of Show”; the fair’s highest award. What happened next stunned Barbary and devastated Faucett.

“I read in the paper that her drawing had been stolen from the fairgrounds,” related Barbary. “I knew that she had to be really hurt by that. I’ve been robbed before and I can relate to how she must have felt. I was afraid that, as young as she is, this might discourage her from going on with her art. I felt like I had to try to do something to help her see that there are good people in the world, too.”

Through Barbary’s efforts, Faucett was invited to join UCAC’s “Tuesday Night Artist’s Group” which is led by one of her former art teachers, Shannon Farr, and the group presented the art book to her at her first meeting.

Union County Arts Council members make a presentation of an art book, “The Owls of North America” to Morgan Faucett.  (Back) Karen Barbary, Bob Barbary, Pam Faucett, Gib Kohr (Front) Shannon Farr, Morgan Faucett, and Jackie Senn

“We’re happy to have Morgan join our art group,” said Farr. “She’s very talented and has a great future ahead of her in the arts. This book will help her hone her craft using a subject that she loves to draw.”

For more information about UCAC programs call 864/429-2817, e-mail us at (ucac@bellsouth.net) or follow us on Facebook.