ARTSPACE 506 in North Myrtle Beach, SC, Announces Winners of “Small Works 2014”

ARTSPACE 506 in North Myrtle Beach, SC, has announced the winners of its “Small Works 2014”, on view through Dec. 20, 2014.

The award winners are:

Best in Show – Bobbie Lawson for “Walking Tall on Perrin’s Path”, Mixed Media on Paper

Second Place – Judy Ellis for “Lake Butte Overlook, Yellowstone”, Mixed Media on Wood

Third Place – Rachel Jones for “Beholding Jubilation”, Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention – Ron Olive for “Wooden Globe”, Wood Assemblage and Carving

Honorable Mention – Lisa Blayton for “Faces in a Crowd”, Porcelain

Among the Finalists:

Maura Kenny for “Mad Crow”
Elise Moore for “Purple Pop”
Haley Yarborough for “Happy Holi”
Rachel Jones for “Waiting for Play”
Peter Ortel for “The Preacher”
Roswitha Kennedy for “Another World”
Sue Roland for “Southern Miss in Gown”

Alex Powers was the judge for this year’s exhibition. He is an award winning nationally and internationally known artist, writer and teacher. His works are in many public and private collections. His selections will be awarded cash prizes.

We will also recognize a “People’s Choice” Award Winner, decided by voting at the gallery. Voting is open through Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014.

ARTSPACE 506, is located at 506 37th Ave. South, North Myrtle Beach, SC. The Gallery is open Wed.-Sat., 11am-6pm.

For further information call the gallery at 843/273-030399 or visit (www.artspace506.com).

Mooresville Arts Guild in Mooresville, NC, Calls for Entries for “2015 Winter Exhibition” – Deadline Jan. 17, 2015

The Mooresville Artist Guild in Mooresville, NC, is calling for entries for the “2015 Winter Exhibition,” sponsored by Lake Country Gallery, to be held on Jan. 20 through Feb, 26, 2015, at the Depot Gallery in downtown Mooresville. The opening reception for this show is Jan. 23, 2015 from 6-8pm.  The artists, families, friends and the public are invited to attend.

Artists age 18 and up may submit up to a total of three entries multiple categories. The entry fee is $25 for members in good standing and $40 for non members, and there will be cash awards. This is a juried show, so not all work will be accepted. Intake will be Friday, Jan. 16 and Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015, from 1-5pm. Declined work must be picked up Wednesday, Jan. 21 and Thursday, Jan. 22 from 12-5pm.

For further info call 704/663-6661 or visit (www.MAGart.org).

Artfields® 2015, in Lake City, SC, Sets New Record for Artist Submissions; Increase Heralds Strong Spring Competition

A record number of artists from throughout the Southeast have submitted new work to the ArtFields® 2015 competition which will be held on Lake City, SC.

By the midnight deadline on Nov. 21, 1,061 artists submitted work; that’s a 35% increase over previous years. A panel of art professionals will select approximately 400 competition pieces.

Organizers attribute the increased interest among artists to numerous factors. “We were able to get the word out early to artists,” said Sandy Cook, Creative Team Manager. “We also secured and announced our jurors and review panelists to signal the seriousness of this competition. And finally, artists responded to increased benefits, including ten new honorable mention awards sponsored by The Citizens Bank.”

The art festival (April 24 through May 2, 2015) will award life-changing prizes of $50,000 for the Top Prize, $25,000 for Juried Panel prize, two $12,500 People’s Choice (one each for two- and three-dimensional work), and ten Honorable Mention awards for $1,000 each. Artists who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia will compete.

The nine-day art competition transforms historic Lake City, more than tripling its population and creating a palpable buzz throughout dozens of venues. Many artists attend the festival to network with peers, connect with art patrons and enjoy the local hospitality.

For further info visit (www.artfieldssc.org).

City of North Charleston, SC, Calls for 2015 North Charleston Arts Festival Designs – Deadline Jan. 20, 2015

The City of North Charleston, SC, is calling upon South Carolina visual artists to participate in the 2015 North Charleston Arts Festival Design Competition. The winning piece will become the official art design of the 2015 North Charleston Arts Festival, taking place May 1-9, 2015, and will be featured on all promotional materials and merchandise, including billboards, print and digital advertisements, television commercials, program booklets, posters, apparel, online, and more.

The winning artist will receive a $500 purchase award and be given the opportunity to exhibit other original works at the North Charleston City Gallery during the festival. In addition, the winning piece will become part of the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection, which is displayed throughout City Hall. The deadline to submit works for the competition is January 20, 2015.

There is NO entry fee to participate in the North Charleston Arts Festival Design Competition. The competition is open to South Carolina residents ages 18 and older.  Categories of work accepted are: acrylic, oil, drawing/pastel, watercolor and 2-D mixed media. Entries must be submitted online at (www.NorthCharlestonCulturalArtsDepartment.Slideroom.com) by the Jan. 20 deadline. Artists may enter a maximum of three entries into the competition.

The North Charleston Arts Festival is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department.  The annual nine-day celebration of arts and culture highlights national, regional and local artists and performers in the areas of Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Crafts, Photography, Media Arts, and Literature. For over 3o years the festival has made quality arts programming affordable and accessible to the widest spectrum of the public, attracting more than 30,000 residents and visitors from throughout the Southeast and beyond to experience 100+ free and modestly priced performances, workshops, exhibitions, and activities in a variety of venues, including libraries, community centers, schools, civic auditoriums, and parks. Named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, the event has matured into one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the state of South Carolina. Previous Arts Festival Design Competition winners include Amiri Gueka Farris of Bluffton, SC (2014), Linda Elksnin of Mt. Pleasant, SC (2013), Elena Barna of North Charleston, SC (2012), Pedro Rodriguez of Hanahan, SC (2011), and Muriel Lanciault of Summerville, SC (2010).

For more information about the 2015 North Charleston Arts Festival and other participation opportunities visit (www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com), or contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at 843/740-5854 or e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org). Artists in need of assistance with the submission process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Announces 2014 Mary Whyte Art Educator Award

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is pleased to announce Donna Shank Major as this year’s recipient of the annual Mary Whyte Art Educator Award. Established in 2007, this award is designed to highlight a high school visual art teacher in South Carolina school districts who has demonstrated superior commitment to their students and to their craft. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of $2,500 and is administered and presented annually by the Gibbes Museum of Art. The winner was announced at the South Carolina Art Educators Association annual meeting in Greenville, SC, on Nov. 21, 2014. “Mary’s support of art educators in South Carolina is immeasurable. The Gibbes is honored to support the award. There are so many teachers worth recognizing and we hope they will continue to apply year after year,” says Curator of Education Rebecca Sailor.

Donna Shank Major is the instructor for 2D and 3D Design courses, teaches in the ARMES program at the Fine Arts Center, in Greenville, and serves as the Coordinator for Explore the Arts summer program. The ARMES program is a tuition-free arts program designed to meet the needs of students in grades 4 through 8 who have demonstrated outstanding talents and a deep interest in theatre, visual arts, strings or dance. Major grew up in Greenville and was an art student at Fine Arts Center for three years. She graduated from Converse College and continued studies at Converse College earning a Master’s Degree in Education. She has been teaching art for 18 years in Greenville and Spartanburg County, and works in a variety of media and techniques including clay, printmaking, painting, and bookmaking. She has received many grants, including a Fulbright Memorial Fund grant to study in Japan, and fellowships to study at Arrowmont School of Crafts and Penland. Her work has been exhibited in shows at the Art Bomb, Open Studios with the Metropolitan Arts Council, the Belton Juried Professional Show, the Anderson Art Show and the Union Juried Professional Show.

“I am so pleased to announce Donna Shank Major as this year’s recipient of the Art Educator Award. Major is an instructor at the Fine Arts Center of Greenville, and together with the other two state finalists, Josh Drews and Mary Catherine Peeples, represents the finest this state has to offer in art education. South Carolina has most definitely set the bar high in fine art instruction,” says Mary Whyte.

Watercolor artist Mary Whyte is a teacher and author whose figurative paintings have earned national recognition. A resident of Johns Island, SC, Whyte garners much of her inspiration from the Gullah descendants of coastal Carolina slaves who number among her most prominent subjects. Her portraits are included in numerous corporate, private, and university collections, as well as in the permanent collections of the Gibbes Museum of Art and the Greenville County Museum of Art. Her paintings have been featured in International Artist, Artist, American Artist, Watercolor, and American Art Collector, L’Art de Aquarelle, and numerous other publications. Whyte is the author of numerous books and her work can be found at Coleman Fine Art in Charleston, where her husband, Smith Coleman, manages the gallery and makes gilded and carved frames.

Applications for the 2015 Mary Whyte Award opened in September, 2014. For more information, please visit (www.marywhyteaward.org).

Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. In the fall of 2014, the Gibbes temporarily closed for major renovations and will reopen its doors in the spring of 2016. The renovation project is designed to showcase the museum’s collection, provide visitors with a history of American art from the early colonial era to the present, and engage the public with a center for education, artist studios, lecture and event space, a museum café, and store. During the renovation the museum will offer programs such as the Insider Art Series, Art With a Twist, Art of Healing, events including the Art of Design and annual Gibbes on the Street Party, and educational offerings such as Art to Go and Eye Spy Art. Highlights of the Gibbes permanent collection can be viewed on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

For further info visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, SC, Calls for Participation in Columbia Open Studios 2015 – Deadline is Dec. 6, 2014

Artists across the midlands, join 701 CCA for Columbia Open Studios 2015, a free, weekend-long tour of artists’ studios across Columbia and Richland and Lexington Counties that will take place Saturday, April 11, and Sunday, April 12, 2015.

Join art lovers and other participating artists as thousands of visitors tour private, working studios, and learn about the artists’ cultural backgrounds, their tools and techniques and how their personal stories impact their art. Share this opportunity with your artist friends!

During the 2014 event weekend, participating studios received approximately 9,000 visits, 50% of which came from outside of Columbia city limits, and artists sold over $30,000 in artwork. 701 CCA does not take a commission on artists’ sales.

Artists can register on our website or our Facebook page!

Recruit an artist who hasn’t participated in Columbia Open Studios in 2014 and 2013, the past two years, and earn a $25 DISCOUNT on your own registration for each new recruit. Register yourself, pay your own registration fee in full, recruit one or more colleagues and receive a $25 discount reimbursement after your recruit has registered and paid. Please record the name of your recruit(s) on the registration form.

Recruiting other artists in your area will create a concentration of artists near you and trigger more visitors during the event.

Artist registration deadline is Dec. 6, 2014, 11:59pm

701 CCA Columbia Open Studios 2015 will take place, April 11-12, 2015
Saturday, April 11, from 10am-6pm.
Sunday, April 12, from noon- 6pm.

A Hallway Exhibition of Columbia Open Studios participating artists will take place, Mar. 30 – April 12, at 701 Whaley in the hallway space on the 1st floor. A Preview Party will be held in the Olympia Room at 701 Whaley Thursday, April 9, 2015, 7-9pm as a kickoff for 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios 2015.

Visit Columbia Open Studios at (http://www.701cca.org/programs-and-events-2/columbia_open_studios/) for more information.

Log Cabin Art Guild in Columbia, SC, Offers Demo by Pat Blevins at Monthly Meeting – Dec. 13, 2014

Nationally known artist Pat Blevins will demonstrate Art Deckling at the Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, meeting of the Log Cabin Art Guild at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, 125 Sparkleberry Lane, Columbia. The meeting starts with refreshments at 9:30am and the program starts at 10am.  The artist will be giving one or two door prizes.

Blevins is the inventor Art Deckle®, the original tool that creates an authentic, hand-torn edge effect on any size or weight of paper. Art Deckle is used by professionals in various art genres including photography, wedding invitation and greeting card design, watercolor/giclee prints and paper arts.

For further info call Marcie Marshall at 803/738-9348.

Saluda Business Association in Saluda, NC, Calls for Artists to Participate in Saluda Arts Festival – Deadline Mar. 16, 2015

Cultivating and promoting its heritage in the arts, the Saluda Business Association invites you to enter your work in the 11th annual Saluda Arts Festival scheduled for May 16, 2015, from 10am-4pm. Showcasing fine arts and crafts from local and regional artists, the Saluda Arts Festival draws thousands of spring tourists visiting Western North Carolina.

Entry Deadline is March 16, 2015, and Exhibit Fee is $65.

Celebrating its 11th year, we are expecting a large number of entries. Some types of work (i.e. jewelry) will be accepted on a limited basis. Early entries will be given first choice of booth location.

Cresting at the top of the Saluda Grade, the steepest standard gauge mainline railroad grade in the US, is the quaint town of Saluda where the Foothills end and the Blue Ridge Mountains begins. Visitors experience a  lower pace of life, a warm community spirit, good food, lodging in charming B&B’s, and leisurely strolls among tree-lined streets of lovely Victorian homes. Saluda abounds with natural assets. The art show celebrates Saluda’s art heritage, historic buildings, and the natural beauty of its mountains and waterfalls.

Entry Guidelines and Application Fees:  All work must be original and current. A non-refundable exhibit fee of $65 along with 4 copies of printed images of your work must accompany each application payable to the Saluda Business Association (as an option, you may also e-mail the images in jpeg format to (saludabusinessassociation@tds.net). If your entry is not accepted, your $65 will be refunded. If you have exhibited and submitted work for the 2014 festival, then it is not necessary to submit images again unless the work you are exhibiting has changed.

Artist Statement:  Please submit a short artist statement (i.e. bio, resume, inspiration) with application.

Exhibit Descriptions:  10 ft. by 10 ft. area in designated areas.  Exhibitor is responsible for exhibit display, equipment and supplies, tables, and signage.  Please prepare a canopy in case of rain.  All canopies must be weighted as it is often windy in May.  Some exhibit areas may not be level, so plan accordingly. Tobacco and alcohol use is prohibited in exhibit area. We encourage you to exhibit your work in a creative and well maintained booth to meet with the quality standards of Saluda artists exhibiting at the arts festival.

Taxes:  Any applicable sales tax or business permits are the responsibility of exhibitor.

Exhibit Fee:  $65 payable to Saluda Business Association.  Send application and payment to Saluda Business Association, PO Box 1085, Saluda NC 28773.  Exhibit fee is refundable if your work is not accepted.

Cancellations:  An application is a commitment to show.  No refunds are given unless work is not accepted.  Rain or Shine event.

Set Up and Breakdown:  Official hours of the show are 10 to 4.  Set-up time begins at 7am.  Exhibitors will receive instructions one month prior to the show regarding booth number, set up and unloading, contact information of assigned volunteer and general information.  Breakdown is not allowed until after exhibit hours.

For more information about the Saluda Arts Festival please contact Susie Welsh at 828/749-3900 or e-mail to (sswelsh@tds.net) or Catherine Ross at 828/749-3534 or (carnc@charter.net).

2015 Piccolo Spoleto Craft Shows in Charleston, SC, Calls for Artists.

Fine Crafts Shows Charleston, LLC is issuing a call for fine craft artists to participate in the 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Craft Shows, which will be held May 22-24 and May 29-31, 2015, in downtown Charleston, SC. This will be the 36th year for these shows, which are part of the 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Festival, a 17-day city-wide arts festival produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs.

The venue for the two Piccolo Spoleto Craft shows is the picturesque Wragg Square, a raised and fenced park located at the corner of Meeting and Charlotte Streets in downtown Charleston. Approximately 95 exhibitor booths will be available for each weekend show.  Our paid admission averages 7000 – 9000 dedicated fine craft patrons, designers, and gallery representatives per weekend.

New this year:  Emerging Artist Grants covering single booth fees ($250) will be awarded to two first-time show applicants each weekend. Grants will be awarded based on jury scores media quotas, and artist statement included with application.

Applications are available online through ZAPPlicationTM  (zapplication.org). The application fee is $30, and booth fees are $250 per booth per weekend. The application deadline is Jan. 17, 2015. Artist selection is based on jury scores and media quotas.

For more detailed information about the shows and selection process, visit the official web site at (finecraftshowscharleston.com), e-mail (piccolo@finecraftshowscharleston.com), or call Kasey at 843/364-0421.

The Piccolo Spoleto Festival, produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the College of Charleston School of the Arts, is the official outreach festival of Spoleto Festival USA. The craft events are two of the several hundred visual and performing arts events available to more than 250,000 people during the seventeen day festival. The festival begins on May 23 and concludes June 8, 2015.

Fine Craft Shows Charleston, LLC is a partnership formed by three women, all working craft artists, for the management of the Piccolo Spoleto Craft Shows.

Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, Announces Free Days and Extended Holiday Hours

The Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, announces upcoming free admission days and extended hours for the holiday season. The CMA opens its doors with free admission on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014, with extended hours from 10am to 6pm, in appreciation for the support of the City of Columbia and Richland County and on New Year’s Eve from 11am to 5pm. During these days visitors pay no admission, courtesy of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, to enjoy the CMA’s collection and exhibitions, including “Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera”.

This begins the new schedule of accessible hours through the last day of “Behind the Camera” on January 18, 2015. During this time, the Museum Shop will also be open for extended hours with unique gifts for early holiday shopping. As always, the Wells Fargo Education Gallery, the Solar Exploration Station, Art Explorer backpacks, and gallery guides are free for families to enjoy.

The CMA will be open on select Mondays and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day

The Museum Shop hours from Dec. 1 – 25, Monday – Saturday: 10am- 6pm and Sunday noon – 5pm.

For details of daily extended hours and more information, please visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).