Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, is Calling for Artists to Participate in COVID COUTURE Face Mask Face Off – Deadline May 10, 2020

The Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, presents COVID COUTURE Face Mask Face Off! With the CDC recommending the use of facial coverings, the arts community is stepping out in style! Join the Arts Council in an online, tournament-style face mask face off to find out who is wearing the best in COVID COUTURE. The Arts Council of York County is working to normalize the use of facial coverings through the arts with this new initiative.

Submissions will only be accepted through the Arts Council’s online portal from Monday, April 27 through Sunday, May 10, 2020. Submissions will be paired and placed into a tournament bracket. Voting will begin on Wednesday, May 13 at 3pm. Round 1 will consist of randomly matched pairs. Each pair will be posted to the Arts Council’s Facebook and Instagram pages in polls. One pair will be posted each day at 3pm ET. Voting will be open for 24-hours. Tournament guidelines and submission information can be found at (https://www.yorkcountyarts.org/2020fmfo).

Friends and fans will vote for their favorite masks through polls on the Arts Council’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

• ACYC Facebook at (https://www.facebook.com/yorkcountyarts)

•ACYC Instagram (in Story) at (https://www.instagram.com/yorkcountyarts/)

The COVID COUTURE Face Mask Face Off Champion will be awarded $250.

The COVID COUTURE Face Mask Face Off is open nationally to artists 18 and older. There are no entry fees to participate. An online gallery of submissions will be posted to the Arts Council’s COVID COUTURE Face Mask Face Off webpage.

The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at 803/328-2787, by e-mail at (arts@yorkcountyarts.org), or visit (http://www.yorkcountyarts.org).

Art Nouveau Winston-Salem, NC, an Arts Council Affiliate, Launches Artist Relief Impact Fund

Art Nouveau Winston-Salem, NC, an affiliate of The Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County, has established an “Arts Council Artist Relief Impact Fund” and launched an online “GoFundMe” campaign to raise funds for it. The initial goal for the Fund is $10,000; all funds raised in the campaign will be used exclusively to support local individual artists who are being devastated by the impact of COVID -19 virus. GoFundMe is a free, crowdfunding platform that allows people and organizations to raise money for a host of worthy causes.

Shannon Stokes, Patron Services and Events Manager at The Arts Council, is working with Art Nouveau co-chairs Lauren Carroll and Toni Tronu to coordinate the campaign. Contributions can be made by visiting (www.gofundme.com) and searching for “Art Nouveau NC”. This special Art Nouveau fundraising initiative is parallel to, but separate from, The Arts Council’s 2020 Community Fund for the Arts annual campaign, which raises funds to provide substantial general support to a wide range of local artists and arts organizations.

“Theatres are dark. Galleries are closed. Music venues are silent,” said Stokes. “Artists’ livelihoods have been destroyed, but the bills keep coming for the necessities of life. People are suffering, and the need is now. The leadership of Art Nouveau — which is comprised of young leaders in the arts community who also work in the business, education, government, technology and medical sectors of our community — stepped forward enthusiastically to lead this effort,” added Stokes.

“We have artists who already are in distress,” said Lauren Carroll, “and we want to create capacity for relief as quickly as possible. Obviously the need is much greater than the $10,000 initial goal, and we will be looking for creative ways to accumulate more resources.”

Stokes noted that the local restaurant industry, which is a strong supporter of charitable events sponsored by the arts community, has included Winston-Salem/Forsyth County artists in its “Heard Collaborative Café” project, which provides lunches for food service employees and artists negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This demonstrates so well how we are a community. One big family. And like family, we are going to stick together and help each other in a crisis,” she said.

Fundraising has just begun and an application will be available on online soon at (www.intothearts.org). Meanwhile, anyone interested in asking for assistance can send contact information by e-mail to (sstokes@intothearts.org).

Art Nouveau Winston-Salem, by building awareness of cultural opportunities and encouraging participation, strives to cultivate a community of young people with a commitment to supporting the future of arts and culture in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

Winston-Salem, known as a “City of Arts & Innovation,” and Forsyth County have a robust arts community that enriches the lives of area residents every day and accounts in large part for the recognition the community is receiving as a great place to live, learn, work and play. Forsyth County’s nonprofit arts industry supports 5,559 full time equivalent jobs; accounts for more than $129 million in resident household income, and generates more than $14.8 million in local and state tax revenues.

For additional information, please contact Shannon Stokes, Patron Services and Events Manager, The Arts Council by calling 336/747-1416 or e-mail to (sstokes@intothearts.org).

Annual Red Rose Festival Photography Contest in Lancaster, SC, Goes Virtual

As part of the Annual Red Rose Festival, the LCCA hosts the Red Rose Festival Photography Contest. This contest is a collaborative partnership between the City of Lancaster and the Lancaster County Council of the Arts. Participants are asked to take a photograph, focusing on the heart of the community in Lancaster County.

This year’s RRF Photography Contest will take on a new digital format due to the ongoing health concerns of COVID-19. So here’s your opportunity to maintain safe social distancing, and snap a shot or two of the heart of our community. Perhaps you already have a great photo saved on your phone. Deadline for photo submission is Friday, May 1, 2020 by 4:00pm.

Photo Submission Form at (https://www.lccarts.net/red-rose-festival-photography-contest).

Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, Offers Virtual Exhibitions

Although our spaces are dark, the arts will never be closed. The Bardo Arts Center, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, is excited to announce a new webpage dedicated to virtual opportunities, (arts.wcu.edu/virtual). This page houses information regarding all the various online experiences and events being hosted by the WCU Bardo Arts Center and the Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts. Highlights include a series of Thursday lunchtime webinar presentations, which will be streamed on Facebook and Youtube, as well as through the (arts.wcu.edu/virtual) website. Details below.

April 16 at noon – “Claire Van Vliet: Stone and Sky”.
The event features exhibiting artist, Claire Van Vliet, and WCU Fine Art Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Carolyn Grosch. An interesting fact to note, the Museum holds the largest collection of vitreographs in the world, a printmaking medium that uses a glass plate to produce a printed image.

“Claire Van Vliet: Stone and Sky”, Installation View, WCU Fine Art Museum.

April 23 at noon – “Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air
Hear” from exhibiting aerial photographer and pilot, Alex S. McLean, and James T. Costa, Executive Director of the Highlands Biological Station and WCU Professor of Evolutionary Biology. “Curious Terrain” features MacLean’s striking images of the seven westernmost counties of North Carolina and capture the unique qualities of the regions built environment while raising broader questions about humanity’s impact on the land.

“Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air”, Installation View, WCU Fine Art Museum.

April 30 at noon – “Time and Again: Glass Works by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post”. Enjoy a talk from exhibiting artist, SaraBeth Post, and WCU Fine Art Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Carolyn Grosch. Funded in part by the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, this exhibition brought together two Penland-based artists—Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post—whose works in glass explore ideas about time, history, memory, and the antique.

“Time and Again, Glass Works by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post”, Installation View, WCU Fine Art Museum.

Discover more at (arts.wcu.edu/virtual), such as gallery video tours, more streaming performance opportunities, and links to the Bardo Arts Center social media channels for daily content.

Please note that until further notice, the WCU Bardo Arts Center building is closed but will continue to provide access to the arts through these online experiences and opportunities.

For further information call 828/227-3591 or visit (https://www.wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center/fine-art-museum/).

Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC, Joins Grassroots Effort to Support Charlotte MEDI

It all started when CMS Media Services team reached out to the district’s Media Specialists in support of our hospitals. “There is a need among our local hospitals that our team is poised to support. They have plenty of plastic face shields, but there is a severe shortage of the brackets that hold the shields in place…” In support of the #MillionMaskChallenge, a group of makers in Charlotte, NC, got together with students to form Charlotte MEDI [Medical Emergency Device Innovation] with the hope of producing face shields for health care workers in the Charlotte community.

Northwest School of the Arts (NWSA) Media Specialist Elizabeth Slater, and Logan Canipe, Technical Theater teacher at NWSA quickly formulated a plan to put the school’s 3D printers to great use. “When Logan and Elizabeth approached me to use the school’s 3D printers and supplies, I immediately said do what it takes,” said NWSA Principal Melody Sears. Logan and NWSA Arts Director Donald Nagel then raided the media center and visual arts classrooms in search of filament needed for the 3D process. Thanks to generous support of NWSA PTO, and Visual Arts Boosters, Logan had enough filament to start running four 3D printers from his home around the clock, producing nine shield components daily.

Medical facilities in the United States are facing a dire shortage of face shields, N95 masks, and other personal protective equipment, as States literally bid against each other to procure the nation’s dwindling supply. Face shields aren’t perfect, and they aren’t a replacement for a proper N95 mask, but they act as a physical barrier that can protect health care workers’ faces from external fluids. While conventional manufacturers scramble to ramp up production, independent 3D printers around the world are stepping up to meet the demand, creating an international network of DIY manufacturing.

For further info call Donald Nagel at 980/343-5500 or e-mail to (Donald1.nagel@cms.k12.nc.us).

THROUGH THE EYE OF ART: A SOCIAL MEDIA ARTS PROJECT BY GIL PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH QUEENS CENTER FOR LATINO STUDIES IN CHARLOTTE, NC

Color means multiple things to different people and cultures. … People are attracted to specific colors just as they like different foods. Color also represents feelings, people, countries, cultures, and color symbolism. In the Western world, for example, the color red is seen frequently as symbolizing anger or aggression.

Through The Eye of Art is an invitation to everyone to come together during this global crisis by using color to express varied perspectives of art and global culture.

It is easy to participate.

Each week will focus on a different color. Using that color and your interpretation of it, you will create any kind of art: visual/plastic arts, photography, music, poetry, dance, etc.

Take a picture of it or make a short video.

Post it on your Instagram or Facebook page. Make sure to tag it as @ThroughTheEyeof_Art on Instagram or @ThroughTheEyeofArt on Facebook.

We will repost it on our page in this way establishing thousands of followers across the world who can see your interpretation of the color of the week.

We can come together through art and see the world in a different way during the current crisis.

Projected colors of the week:

Blue March 26 – April 1

Red April 2 – April 8

Purple April 9 – April 15

Green April 16 – April 22

Orange April 23 – April 29

White April 30 – May 6

Black May 7 – May 13

Gray May 14 – May 20

Any Color May 21 till May 31

Remember that all photos or videos that you post on your Instagram or Facebook should be tagged @ThroughTheEyeof_Art on Instagram or @ThroughTheEyeofArt on Facebook.

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR EXTENDED NETWORK!!!!

Please e-mail questions to Edwin Gil at (Edwin.Gil@providenceday.org) or Michele Shaul at (shaulm@queens.edu).

Dr. Michele Shaul
Professor, Department of World Languages
Director, Center for Latino Studies
2016 Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award
Queens University of Charlotte
Box 1344
1900 Selwyn Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28274
704/337-2318
e-mail at (shaulm@queens.edu)
Co-Editor of the e-journal Label Me Latina/o
(www.labelmelatinao.com) or (https://www.facebook.com/#!/ArteLatinoNowAtQueensUniversityOfCharlotte).

City of Florence, SC, Installs Statue of Native Artist William H. Johnson

The City of Florence, SC, installed a statue of native artist, William H. Johnson, in the West Evans Street breezeway, in the growing arts district of downtown Florence. The statue was created by sculptor Alex Palkovich, who once lived and worked in Florence, but now lives in Israel.

Alex Palkovich sitting in front of the statue he created.

William H. Johnson was born in 1901 in Florence. After deciding to pursue his dreams as an artist, he attended the National Academy of Design in New York and met his mentor, Charles Webster Hawthorne. After graduating, Johnson moved to Paris, traveled throughout Europe and was exposed to new kinds of artistic creations and artists. Upon his return to the United States, Johnson used a primitive style of painting in conjunction with what was considered a “folk” style, using bright colors and two-dimensional figures. He spent his final 23 years of life in a mental hospital in Central Islip, New York, where he died in 1970.

One of Johnson’s works from the Florence County Museum.

You can see works by Johnson at the Florence County Museum, not far from where the statue sits.

Alex Palkovich’s creations fall into the category of figurative art with elements of mannerism, capturing the nuances, personalities and stories of his subjects using subtle physical cues, attention to detail and expressive realism in features and stance. He is best known for his portraiture and his work in relief, although in recent years Palkovich has been involved in the creation and installation of many monumental pieces in and around Florence. These include an award winning memorial in Florence Veteran’s Park and a giant sculpture of Francis Marion installed in a historical park at Venter’s Landing near Johnsonville, SC.

For further information visit (http://alexpalkovich.com/).

Tryon Arts & Crafts School in Tryon, NC, Offers MASKS 4 MASSES Competition & Donation Drive

Tryon Arts & Crafts School in Tryon, SC, is teaming up with St. Luke’s Hospital, local leaders, and local artists for a new initiative called “MASKS 4 MASSES“. We challenge you to craft homemade masks for entry into a competition and donation drive. All entries will be credited to you and donated to essential agencies and businesses in need of masks.

TACS is offering two free live online demonstrations on D.I.Y. mask-making on April 10 and 11, 2020. Registration is required.

Individuals and businesses are encouraged to join the mask-making initiative. Your donation of homemade masks, big or small, is welcomed. We invite local businesses to offer prizes or other means of collaboration with TACS on this initiative.

Before diving in, be sure to read through the guidelines in the menus below.

Prepare for the competition by signing up for a free live demo! Learn how to make masks using basic materials you have at home. Some projects only require cotton fabric and scissors, while others require access to a sewing machine. Find the mask template that is right for you.

PLEASE NOTE: Login information and instructions for the online mask-making demonstrations will be e-mailed to you after you have registered. Click on the these links to register now:

Friday, April 10, 6:00-7:30 pm, ONLINE Wine & Craft Workshop: Mask-Making with Jamie Carpenter. Register at (https://tryonartsandcrafts.org/product/free-mask-making-wine-and-craft-workshop-w-jamie-carpenter-april-10/).

Saturday, April 11, 10:00-11:30 am, ONLINE Coffee & Craft Workshop: Mask-Making with Jamie Carpenter. Register at (https://tryonartsandcrafts.org/product/free-mask-making-coffee-and-craft-workshop-w-jamie-carpenter-april-11/).

Jamie Carpenter is the Downtown Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Hendersonville, North Carolina, and serves on the Board of Directors of Tryon Arts & Crafts School.

If you cannot tune in to Jamie’s demos, find the links to the CDC’s mask-making guide here at (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html).

COMPETITION CATEGORIES

MASKS 4 MASSES is divided into the following categories: St. Luke’s Choice, TACS’ Choice, Most Masks Made, and Best Crafted Mask.

1. St. Luke’s Choice – every two weeks!
Judges: St. Luke’s Hospital Medical Staff and Teammates
AWARD: St. Luke’s official logo items such as duffle bag, tote, ball cap, t-shirt or backpack

2. TACS’ Choice – every two weeks!

Judges: Rotation of Local and Regional Artists and Community Leaders

AWARD: Gift Certificates to Tryon Arts & Crafts School’s handcrafted gift shop, youth art classes, and adult art classes.

3. Most Masks Made
AWARD – Carved Wood Bear Trophy by Bernard Edwards
1st and 2nd Places announced at conclusion of the donation drive.

4. Best Crafted Mask
Judge: Becky Rickenbaker
AWARD – Carved Wooden Bear Trophy by Bernard Edwards
1st and 2nd Places announced at conclusion of the donation drive.

Becky Rickenbaker serves as Marketing Coordinator at St. Luke’s Hospital in Columbus, NC. Previously, she was Marketing/PR Director at Central Carolina Technical College and Art Director for both Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Her art studio is located in downtown Tryon, where she paints wildlife, portraits and landscapes.

For further info visit (https://tryonartsandcrafts.org/masks4masses/).

The April 2020 Issue of “Carolina Arts” is Now Ready to Download

The April 2020 issue of “Carolina Arts” is up on our website at (http://www.carolinaarts.com/420/420carolinaarts.html) – all 50 pages of it. That’s 16 pages less than last month’s issue – Pandemic!

Don’t look too close, but featured on our cover this month is the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). So beautiful, yet so deadly. As a child when my family would travel to the northern part of the lower part of Michigan to go camping during the Summer, I can remember staring into the evening campfire thinking how wonderful it looked. Mother Nature is like that – making the most beautiful things sometimes the most dangerous.

So download that PDF and dig in – it makes for good reading when you’re ordered to stay at home. And, don’t forget to find a way to thank our advertisers – they make this publication possible. Visiting their websites would be a way to start, you might be surprised what you’ll find there. You might even want to buy something you find there.

And help us spread this issue around by sending this link to your friends.

Don’t forget that the deadline for our May 2020 issue will be April 24 at 5pm. Yes, we will continue to publish “Carolina Arts” so we can all get through this together. Send us info about what you’re doing during these trying times.

Thanks – Tom and Linda Starland
“Carolina Arts”
843/693-1306
info@carolinaarts.com