City of North Charleston, SC, Calls for Entries for 19th Annual Statewide Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition – Deadline March 15, 2021

Fine craft artists from across the state are invited to participate in the “19th annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition”. As the state’s longest-running fine craft competition and exhibition, objects selected for the show may compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,500. The exhibition is presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Fest, to be held April 28-May 2, 2021, throughout North Charleston, SC. A $15 entry fee applies. Artists may submit up to four entries. The application is strictly available online and may be accessed via the link at (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply).

Deadline for entries is Monday, March 15, 2021.

Artists in need of assistance with the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.


“All Quiet in the Holy City” by Saila Milja Smyly

Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique exhibition offers fine craft artists from across South Carolina the opportunity to exhibit their inspiring objects in the media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and three-dimensional mixed media. Thousands have enjoyed the refined talents of South Carolina fine craft artists during past annual exhibitions. Following the close of the show, up to twenty works will be selected to tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2021/2022 Traveling Exhibitions Program. Sites across South Carolina may request the exhibit to tour in their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists.

Due to the cancellation of the 2020 competition and exhibition as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Karen Watson has been invited back to serve as the juror for 2021. Watson has been the Executive Director of the Sumter County Gallery of Art in Sumter, SC, since 2005. Before assuming the directorship, her professional background was in biomedical research. Watson’s path from biomedical research to gallery director is not as unlikely as it seems on the surface. She and her former husband were serious collectors of contemporary art. They had the opportunity to meet and befriend many artists and arts professionals within the state and beyond. Watson has a passion for the visual arts and the Sumter County Gallery of Art. She is committed to presenting challenging contemporary and traditional art exhibitions by culturally diverse artists and providing art education opportunities to all the citizens of Sumter County – an extensively rural, economically depressed region of the state isolated from the major art centers of the US. Watson served as the juror for the “2009 Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Juried Exhibition” at Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum (Myrtle Beach, SC), was a juror for the inaugural “CCA 701 Prize” in 2012 at 701 Center For Contemporary Art, (Columbia, SC), and has been a judge for several local art competitions throughout the years.

The “19th Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition” will be on display April 28-May 2, 2021, at the Charleston Area Convention Center, located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Convention Center on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, from 6:00-8:30pm.

For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, Palmetto Hands, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843/740-5854, e-mail to (culturalarts@northcharleston.org), or visit (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com).

Thomas Earl Flowers – February 17, 1928-December 13, 2020

We received this obituary from Mark Flowers about his father:

A native of Washington, DC, Tom was born in 1928. He attended Mount Vernon High School and Furman University on a football scholarship graduating with a BA degree in Art. He also went on to The University of Iowa for his MFA. After a short stay in the United States Air Force, he was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean conflict.



He taught at Furman University for 30 years from 1959 to 1989. In 1989 he was awarded Faculty Emeritus. Tom was Chairperson of the Art Department for most of his tenure at Furman. Previously to Furman, he taught at East Carolina in Greenville, NC, and Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. Tom cherished all of his friendships including many of his former students. No services are planned right now, but a contribution can be made to the Thomas E. Flowers Art Scholarship c/o Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Hwy., Greenville, SC 29613



Tom exhibited widely as an artist winning many awards including Springs Mills Best-in-Show, Art in Architecture Award from the South Carolina American Institutes of Greenville for a carved/painted constructed mural for the City Hall in Greenville, SC. He was selected as one of the 100 Artists/100 Years exhibit at the SC State Museum in Columbia, SC. He has had many shows in the Mid-West, South, and Southeast. Many of his works are in permanent and private collections including the South Carolina Arts Commission, Springs Mills, Greenville County Museum of Art, Asheville (NC) Art Museum, Columbia (SC) Museum of Art, Florence (SC) Museum of Art, as well as Citizens and Southern Bank, South Carolina National Bank, Federal Reserve Bank of Virginia, and Nations Bank.







Tom was one of twelve artists from SC whose works were presented in the South Carolina National Bank exhibit, The Bicentennial, An Interpretive Approach. His work was also included in the Portrait of the South exhibition in Rome, Italy. He has served as President of the Greenville Artist Guild and a board member of the Guild of South Carolina Artists. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Greenville County Museum of Art, a State Representative of the American Crafts Council, a member of the Advisory Board of the Guild of SC Artists, and a Pickens County Arts Commissioner.

Tom is survived by his loving friend and partner, Mary Alston, his children; Mark Elliot Flowers and his wife Kristy Lynn Higby (Asheville, NC), Metta James and her partner Gary Von Cannon (Reidville, SC), Tate Thomas Flowers (Honolulu, HI), Taylor Mary Flowers (Spartanburg, SC), Tia Quinn Flowers (Chicago, IL); three grandchildren, Carson Thomas Higby-Flowers and his partner Kristin Finegan (San Francisco), Morgan Elliot Higby-Flowers and his wife Virginia Spencer Griswold (Nashville, TN), Carter Elizabeth Davidson, and two great-grandchildren; Hazel Griswold Flowers and Ada Griswold Flowers (Nashville, TN). He is also survived by his sister, Janet Kealey of Alexandria, VA. His family thanks his caregivers from Open Arms Hospice and Comfort Keepers for their excellent care in his final days.

For further information contact Mark Flowers:
FB-Mountain Tea Studios
Instagram-@markflowers
37 Mountain Tea Lane
Alexander, NC 28701
717/658-0915

The Winner of the 701 CCA Prize 2020 is Adrian Rhodes of Hartsville, SC

The winner of the 701 CCA Prize 2020 is Adrian Rhodes of Hartsville, SC. The winner was announced this past Thursday, December 3, 2020, during a live Facebook broadcast from 701 Center for Contemporary Art. Because of Covid concerns, only a small, intimate event took place at the center with the artists and a few of their guests present in addition to 701 CCA personnel.

Rhodes is the fifth winner of the bi-annual competition and exhibition for South Carolina artists 40 years and younger. The 701 CCA Prize 2020 exhibition will remain on view through December 20, 2020.


Adrian Rhodes, “Framing Interference: Abundance and Loss”, 2018, 12’ X 20’ 4” x 25’

Rhodes, 37, is the relative veteran of the 701 CCA Prize, having submitted to all four previous Prize competitions. Also in age and career, Rhodes was the veteran among the three finalists. The printmaker and mixed media installation artist holds both an BFA and MFA from Rock Hill’s Winthrop University and has exhibited widely and often throughout the Carolinas and beyond. She was selected for the “2019 701 CCA South Carolina Biennial” and the recent region-wide exhibition “Coined In The South” at the Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC.

The winner was selected by an independent jury panel consisting of three curatorial professionals. Rhodes will receive a paid, six-week residency at 701 CCA as well as a solo exhibition and an ad in a national art publication.

“Thank you so much, 701 CCA,” Rhodes said. “I am absolutely thrilled to have won the 701 CCA Prize 2020. I look forward to my residency and solo exhibition. I can’t wait to take over the entire gallery. It was an honor to show with two wonderful artists with amazing work.”


Adrian Rhodes, “Presence and Absence”, 2019, collage, 36” x 48” x 12”

“I was going to cry either way in the car on the way home,” Rhodes said, “but this is the better reason to cry.”
Regarding Rhodes, juror Tosha Grantham wrote in her catalogue essay that the artist’s “prints, mixed media sculptures and installations offer immersive experiences. Her spatial interventions are layered to a methodical theatricality.”

The other finalists were Morgan Kinne of North Charleston and Morgan McCarver of Moore, in the upstate. Sculptor and mixed media artist Kinne of North Charleston, 32, increasingly is making her mark in South Carolina and was included in the 701 CCA exhibition “The Shape Of Things” earlier this year. Kinne holds an BFA from Winthrop and an MFA from Scotland’s University of Edinburgh. McCarver, 24, of Moore in the Upstate, is the relative newcomer. The ceramicist and mixed media artist holds a BFA from Anderson University.

The independent jury panel selected the finalists and winner from 27 submissions, one less than in 2018, which had set a record for Prize submissions. The panel consisted of Grantham, an independent curator from Miami, FL; Pamela Saulsbury Wall, an independent curator from Charleston, SC; and Michael S. Williams, an independent curator in Raleigh, NC, and founder of the Black on Black Project.

“The jurors’ choices clearly show that South Carolina artists are producing contemporary art in a range of media that contribute to national conversations,” 701 CCA interim director Michaela Pilar Brown said. “The finalists, each working in a range of mixed media in sculpture, installation and printmaking, offer thoughtful, critical examinations of time and place. They bring singular voices to the work. This exhibition is timely, prescient even.”

701 CCA will publish an exhibition catalogue. The 701 CCA Prize winner will receive a six-week, paid residency at 701 CCA; a solo exhibition at 701 CCA; and an ad in a national publication.

Juror Pamela Wall argued that Kinne’s work “offers a window into [Charleston’s] deep and complicated history, hinting at the narratives constructed by the buildings themselves and the people who inhabit them.” McCarver’s work, juror Michael Williams wrote, “takes the viewer back to an era that is both nostalgic and burdensome, one weighing heavier on the viewer than the other depending on their background. The work takes the viewer to a time that mirrors the complexities we face in 2020.”

This year’s Prize is the fifth since Columbia’s 701 Center for Contemporary Art launched the project in 2012. The 701 CCA Prize takes place every other year, alternating with the also-biennial 701 CCA South Carolina Biennial for state artists of all ages. The Prize’s purpose is to identify and recognize young South Carolina artists whose work is exemplary in its originality, shows awareness of artistic developments and is of high artistic merit. “With the 701 CCA Prize, 701 Center for Contemporary Art has added a crucial component to the eco-system for artists and the visual arts in South Carolina,” 701 CCA board chair Wim Roefs said. “Prior to this 701 CCA initiative, the state did not have a prominent event to highlight the best young talent in South Carolina.”

For further inquiries, contact Michaela Pilar Brown by e-mail at (director@701cca.org) or calling 803/319-9949.

Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir, NC, Calls for Entries for “Exposures Photography Competition” – Deadline Jan. 8, 2021

Photographers from Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties in NC are invited to enter the “Exposures Photography Competition”.

The deadline to enter is midnight January 8, 2021.

Photographers from Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties in North Carolina are invited to enter the “Exposures Photography Competition”, a program of the Caldwell Arts Council. Due to COVID-19, there will be no traditional gallery show of entries or opening reception. Instead, the showcase of entries will be exhibited virtually on the Caldwell Arts Council website.

This year’s competition features judge Lynn Willis of Valle Crucis, NC. Up to $600 in cash awards will be presented, including $200 for Best in Show, $100 for Best Traditional Photo, $100 for Best Abstract Photo, and four $50 Honorable Mention Awards.

The competition is open to adult artists, ages 18 and up, who reside in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties of North Carolina. A low entry fee of $10 allows each artist to enter up to two photos, created since January 1, 2019. All entries and fees will be submitted online only by midnight on January 8, 2021. No in-person payment or submissions will be accepted. Find the complete prospectus at (www.caldwellarts.com).

The Caldwell Arts Council is currently closed to the public due to COVID-19, but is presenting different types of virtual programming.

For more information, visit (www.caldwellarts.com).

City of North Charleston, SC, Calls for Entries for “15th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition” – Deadline February 25, 2021

Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the fifteenth annual “National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition”, which opens in conjunction with the 2021 North Charleston Arts Fest. Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibit and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $19,750. A $1250 honorarium is given to all artists accepted into the show to assist with transportation, installation, de-installation, and incidental expenses. Once all pieces are installed, the juror will award Best in Show ($1000), Outstanding Merit ($500), and up to three Honorable Mentions ($250 each).

The application is strictly available online and may be accessed via the link at (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply). An application fee of $35 allows artists to submit up to four entries for consideration.


“Just Around the Bend” by Gregory Smith (2019/20 Best in Show)

Deadline for submissions is Thursday, February 25, 2021.

Artists in need of assistance with any part of the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.

Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this 11-month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought provoking, extraordinary sculptures throughout the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park in North Charleston, SC. Set on the banks of the Cooper River, Riverfront Park features ten acres of walking paths, a boardwalk and fountain, an expansive lawn with performance pavilion, children’s play areas, and picnic sites. An estimated 50,000 people visit this public park annually to enjoy the amenities located in the heart of the city’s arts community.

Due to the cancellation of the 2020/2021 competition and exhibition as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Daniel T. Beck has been invited back to serve as the juror for 2021/2022. Beck was first exposed to public sculpture as a child through his family’s business, Tatti Conservation. He has worked with his family since 1990 on conservation projects such as the collection at Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY. In 2018, Beck was a juror for the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture competition in Boone, NC. He is currently the Iron Studio Coordinator at the Penland School of Craft near Asheville, NC, where he has worked since 2011, facilitating blacksmithing, fabrication, foundry, and sculpture workshops. He maintains a studio practice at his shop in Spruce Pine, NC, and is about to start his third year teaching incarcerated artists through the AMCI/Penland Prison Arts Partnership.

The “15th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition” will be on display April 28, 2021, through March 20, 2022, at North Charleston Riverfront Park, located at 1001 Everglades Avenue in North Charleston. A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Charleston Area Convention Center on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, from 6:00-8:00pm.

For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, the “National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition”, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843/740-5854, e-mail (culturalarts@northcharleston.org), or visit (NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com).

Dare County Arts Council NC Announces A Call For Entry For The “43rd Frank Stick Memorial Art Show

Dare County Arts Council is now seeking entries for the “43rd Frank Stick Memorial Art Show,” which will open on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021.

“Although things will be a bit different for the “2021 Frank Stick Memorial Art Show”, we are really happy that we are still able to host this special exhibit and showcase the work of local and regional artists,” said Dare County Arts Council’s Gallery Manager Lynne Francis. “We have made some changes to ensure that the show can go on in a safe and responsible way.”

Artists wishing to participate in this year’s exhibition can find the prospectus and sign up for a specific time to drop off their work online at (DareArts.org/frankstickshow) and at the DCAC Gallery.

Artist and art teacher Robin York will judge the “2021 Frank Stick Memorial Art Show”. York taught at Manteo High School for 30 years and now teaches painting, drawing, pottery, batik, and art appreciation at the College of the Albemarle. She obtained a BFA in Painting and Drawing, and a Masters in Art Education at East Carolina University. Her work hangs in private homes throughout the United States and Europe, and has been displayed in the North Carolina Museum of Art.

“I look forward to judging the ‘Frank Stick Show’ in January,” said artist Robin York. “The show always spotlights the richly diverse, finely crafted talent that we have throughout Dare County. I’m sure that I will be both challenged and awestruck. It is my pleasure to judge this special exhibit.”

The “Frank Stick Memorial Art Show” is the longest running visual arts exhibit in Dare County, and is held in memory of Frank Stick. His influence on the Outer Banks as a preservationist and artist cemented his lasting legacy as one of the most important figures of the 20th century in the county.

Due to COVID-19, there will not be a formal opening reception at the DCAC Gallery for the “2021 Frank Stick Memorial Art Show”.

The show will be open for viewing during normal gallery hours from January 30 through February 27.

Businesses interested in sponsoring the “43rd Frank Stick Memorial Art Show” awards should contact Dare County Arts Council’s Executive Director Chris Sawin at (DareArtsInfo@gmail.com).

Dare County Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment and opportunity.

For more information about the show, please visit (DareArts.org/frankstickshow) or call 252/473-5558.

Lindsay D. Pettus Scholarship Fund Announced at USC Lancaster in Lancaster, SC

USC Lancaster announces the establishment of the D. Lindsay Pettus Endowed Scholarship Fund, which will be awarded to USC Lancaster students who live in Lancaster or Chester Counties in South Carolina.

The award is named for Lancaster historian and conservationist Lindsay Pettus, who not only leaves a legacy of supporting USCL, but also a legacy of helping establish USCL’s Native American Studies Center, both which will continue to benefit students for years to come.


USC Lancaster announces the establishment of the D. Lindsay Pettus Endowed Scholarship Fund, named for Lancaster historian and conservationist Lindsay Pettus. USCL’s Native American Studies Center houses the D. Lindsay Pettus Gallery which features the permanent exhibit, “The Story of Catawba Pottery.”

Campus Dean, Dr. Walter Collins noted, “It is impossible to quantify the influence that Mr. Pettus’s generosity has had on the USC Lancaster campus. We are grateful for his long-standing support, acts of kindness, and philanthropic benevolence that have had and will continue to have tangible impacts on the work of students and faculty.”

Pettus was instrumental in acquiring one of the Center’s most significant collections of Catawba and Native American culture, serving as the catalyst for the development of the Native American Studies academic program and the Native American Studies Center itself. The collection consists of around 1,000 pieces of Catawba pottery from around 88 potters, the largest collection of Catawba pottery in the world, as well as 65 Pamunkey and 37 Cherokee pots.

“Mr. Pettus was a strong supporter of the Native American Studies Center from the very beginning and he visited us several times a week,” said Center Archaeologist and Assistant Director Christopher Judge. “His donated collection of some 85 pieces of Catawba pottery includes some artists underrepresented in existing collections as well as some unique pieces.”

Some of these donated pieces can been seen in the permanent exhibit, “The Story of Catawba Pottery,” located in the Center’s D. Lindsay Pettus Gallery. While the Center is temporarily closed due to safety concerns regarding current spikes in COVID-19 cases, viewers can take a virtual look at the exhibit at (https://spark.adobe.com/page/PVXG1SVt5oUfD/).

For more information about the Native American Studies Center, visit (www.sc.edu/Lancaster/NAS) or call 803/313-7172.

Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, Announces Glenna Barlow is 2020 Museum Educator of the Year

The Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, is proud to announce that the South Carolina Art Education Association has bestowed its 2020 Museum Educator of the Year Award upon Glenna Barlow, CMA curator of education. Barlow was recognized at the 2020 SCAEA Virtual Conference on November 21, 2020, alongside other honorees.


CMA Curator of Education Glenna Barlow. Photo credit: Drew Baron.

“We all know the great work Glenna does at the CMA, but we are so proud her colleagues from across the state recognize her commitment to advancing museum education in South Carolina and beyond,” says Jackie Adams, CMA director of art and learning. “I am continually impressed by her unwavering dedication, excellence, and passion for growing museums as valuable learning spaces for all.”

An experienced museum educator as well as a trained teacher, Barlow earned her MS in elementary education with a specialization in the arts from the University of Mary Washington and her MA in art history from Virginia Commonwealth University, specializing in South Asian and Islamic art. She has served as a Fulbright Nehru Scholar in India, where she conducted research on ephemeral art created for festivals.

Currently in her sixth year at the CMA, Barlow is the museum’s lead educator, planning and overseeing the diverse educational offerings the museum provides to its community, from pre-K-12 students and educators to lifelong adult learners and the general public. She manages the Docent Corps, the museum’s 50-person-strong group of specialized volunteers who lead interactive tours and studio programs for all ages, and creates and executes ongoing academic tour and training programs spanning multiple exhibitions annually as well as the CMA collection.

Gladys’ Gang, one of Barlow’s signature programs, is a preschool program with a devoted base of dozens of families who regularly express their deep appreciation for fostering young art lovers before they enter the classroom.

In this particularly challenging year, Barlow adeptly redesigned strategies and approaches to meet educators and learners where they are — online. Her ability to creatively reshape content while successfully engaging educators was evident in such relevant and timely webinars as Doing The (Art)Work: Building an Anti-Racist Curriculum, Kickstart Your Virtual Art Class, and Fighting Fatigue with Digital Engagement. Each received rave reviews and global attendance as well as the attention of other museums including the Phillips Collection, whose staff have been developing their own DEAI education curriculum.

While her stellar academic programs define her successful outcomes as a museum educator, Barlow centers her work in deeper education strategies and methodologies that underpin effective museum education practices, in particular visual literacy and arts integration, highlighting the advantages of a multidisciplinary approach to learning. One of her primary goals during her time at the CMA has been to encourage teachers of all levels and disciplines, not just art teachers, to see the museum as a resource for both themselves and their students.

“Many students have grown up visiting the CMA through school field trips,” continues Adams. “Glenna’s work continues to honor this legacy through traditional educational practices but also through new and relevant work such as Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion, social and racial justice, adaptive virtual learning and resource models, and strong statewide educational partnerships.”

The Columbia Museum of Art is a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to lifelong learning and community enrichment for all. Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, SC, the CMA ranks among the leading art institutions in the country and is distinguished by its innovative exhibitions and creative educational programs. At the heart of the CMA and its programs is its collection, which encompasses 7,000 works and spans 5,000 years of art history. Established in 1950, the CMA now welcomes more than 150,000 visitors annually and is a catalyst for community creativity and education, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds. It is the recipient of a National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education, a National Park Foundation Award, and two Governor’s Awards for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina. In order to serve even more audiences, the CMA underwent a transformation. Funded by a successful capital campaign, the two-year renovation project garnered new collection galleries with a progressive thematic layout, new studios for artmaking, cutting-edge program and event spaces, an entrance on Main Street, and a revamped CMA shop. Overall, more than 20,000 square feet of functional space were added to the building’s existing footprint.

To learn more, visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).

Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, Announced the Winners of the “2020 York County High Schools Art Show”

The Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, announced the awards for the “2020 York County High Schools Art Show” in an online Gallery Talk with juror Dr. Bradley Sabelli. The video was released on Thursday, December 3, 2020, and is available to watch on the Arts Council’s website, Facebook page, and YouTube page. This year, 16 art teachers from 6 York County high schools, representing 3 districts, selected more than 70 works for exhibition. The students’ work will be on display in the Edmund Lewandowski Classroom Gallery at the Center for the Arts through December 31, 2020.

The following students received awards sponsored by the Yorkville Artists’ Guild for their artwork:


Best of Show, in memory of Sandra Schug Stevens, educator & artist, “Self Portrait” by Abe Shoaf

Best of Show, in memory of Sandra Schug Stevens, educator & artist “Self Portrait” by Abe Shoaf, South Pointe High School, Teacher: Ashley Beard

First Place “Vintage Reflections” by Maggie Deer, Fort Mill High School, Teacher: Kelly Lucarelli

Second Place “Brainwashing” by Lorien Greenlee, South Pointe High School, Teacher: Ashley Beard

Third Place “The Likeness of Me” by Jordan Robinson, Clover High School, Teacher: Olivia Chinnes

Honorable Mention “Dreamscape” by Rossie Letigio, Rock Hill High School, Teacher: Kim Looper

Honorable Mention “Single Father” by Syrrhia Alcide, Northwestern High School, Teacher: Sandy Queen

Honorable Mention “City Limits” by Arden Seeger, Fort Mill High School, Teacher: Marjorie O’Shea

Honorable Mention “Radial Playground” by Madeline Price, Fort Mill High School, Teacher: Anna G. Dean

Todd Baxter, Gerry King, and Dr. Bradley Sabelli of the Catawba River Art Guild served as jurors for the show. The York County High School Art Show is coordinated by the Arts Council of York County and the Catawba River Art Guild, and is sponsored by the Yorkville Artists’ Guild.

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 to (arts@yorkcountyarts.org), or visit (http://www.yorkcountyarts.org).

Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County in Wilmington, NC, Announces Public Art Commissions

The Wilmington International Airport (ILM) and the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County, in Wilmington, NC, have selected three public art commissions as part of ILM’s terminal expansion. (Over thirty submissions were received in response to the RFP.) The public art pieces capture the spirit of the coastal Cape Fear Region through permanent installations that welcome ILM’s patrons, enhance the facility, and contribute to the local cultural aesthetic.

“We received a lot of great art submissions from our community that showcased the incredible talent we have locally. The three selected art pieces really stood out and will bring a new, local feeling to the airport for anyone who flies in or out of New Hanover County. Each is unique and represents the beauty of our region, and will complement the newly-renovated look and feel of our airport,” stated Julia Olson-Boseman, New Hanover County Airport Authority Board Member and member of the Artist Selection Committee.

Two (2) separate terrazzo floor designs were awarded to 1) the collaborative team of Paul Hill and Jeff Hackney and 2) Jill Webb. Paul Hill and Jeff Hackney’s design “Venus Flytrap” is a two-dimensional design that will be located before the security checkpoint in a high-ceiling atrium area in the center of the main terminal. The Venus Flytrap has become a symbol of Wilmington and southeastern North Carolina; showcasing a unique attribute of our community. Jill Webb’s design “Loggerhead Labyrinth”, is a two-dimensional design that will be located post-security. Labyrinths are ancient symbols which invite playful interaction as well as mindful contemplation. It will provide a sense of peace and fun for children and adults in the airport. The inclusion of loggerhead sea turtles is a reminder of the Cape Fear Region’s coastal beauty. The path to the center of this labyrinth is an homage to sea turtles’ heroic annual journey from their nests to the Atlantic.

The design, fabrication, and installation of one (1) three-dimensional artwork was awarded to a collaborative creative team consisting of Paul Hill and Greg Hall. The collaborative team was selected to create and install a three-dimensional “Laurel Oak Tree” sculpture. This sculpture is a replica of the Laurel Oak tree and will be made of a stainless-steel trunk, branches and leaves and will encompass an open space post security; adjacent to the “Loggerhead Labyrinth.” The aim of the sculpture is to create a comforting, organic and natural atmosphere; creating a calm space for travelers between flights. A plaque on a plexiglass stand with a finished burl slab will be engraved with information about the tree’s significance to the region.

“We are proud to showcase our local arts community while presenting a special sense of place to our travelers. These artworks will uniquely express Southeastern North Carolina and our coastal environment beginning December 2021,” shared Granseur Dick, ILM Facilities Director.

Site 1: Venus Flytrap (mock-up, subject to change)
Artists: Paul Hill, lead artist, and Jeff Hackney, artist and sculptor



The Design:
The Venus Flytrap has become a symbol of Wilmington and southeastern North Carolina. The plant grows only in this region of NC and has become a protected species. The image is enhanced by the bronze forms used by terrazzo artists to separate the colors.

Paul Hill, a metal sculptor and painter, studied Fine Art & Design at Kent State University from 1966 – 1974. The untimely school delay was due to military service from 1967 – 1971 during the Vietnam War. From 1975 through 1985, Paul worked in various advertising agencies as Art Director and Creative Director for national clients such as Firestone Tire, Alcoa Aluminum et al.

Beginning in the early 90’s, Paul put down his brush and picked up a torch. His steel and mixed media sculptures are now seen in numerous corporate, residential, and public collections along the Eastern Seaboard. His work is permanently displayed at North Carolina Veteran’s Park, Fayetteville, North Carolina; won “Best in Show” at the Cary Visual Arts National Sculpture Competition, Cary, North Carolina; Biennial Sculpture Show, Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Detroit Diesel, MTU; Detroit, Michigan.
His sculpture, Southern Hospitality, a metal and glass rendering of the Venus Flytrap is a beloved attraction on Wilmington’s riverfront.

Paul Hill has collaborated with Jeff Hackney, a fellow sculptor and graphic designer. Jeff’s experience in public sculpture, construction, and restoration work, as well as graphic design support a design that can be readily translated into terrazzo.

Jeff Hackney is an independent graphic designer and design consultant who served as the creative consultant for Technique Mirage in Atlanta, Georgia. He created a one of a kind, hand painted, 12-inch wide motion film that was projected across the entire face of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, for its centennial celebration, Images in Motion. Graphic design work for the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill included an award-winning design for the North Carolina Literary Festival. He also worked for Kaleidoscope Graphics, Fourth Media, and Southern Belle, all of Atlanta, Georgia.

Site 2: Loggerhead Labyrinth (mock-up, subject to change)
Artist: Jill Webb



The Design:
Beauty. Peace. Local. Fun.
Labyrinths are ancient symbols which invite playful interaction as well as mindful contemplation. Unlike a confusing maze, a labyrinth has only one path and is soothing. We expect this one will be used to give restless children an activity and provide an unusual bit of peace and fun for adventurous adults in our airport. Travelers are often drawn to our area for the coastal beauty and the loggerhead sea turtles are a friendly reminder of that. The path to the center of this labyrinth is an homage to their heroic annual journey from their nests to the Atlantic. The baby turtles, cut from brass (image 03), mark the path into the center. Aggregate will include seashells. The colors used will mirror the colors of the sand and sea. It would be especially effective if additional brass sea turtles and shells could be inset into other areas of the airport to continue the theme and provide a bit of surprise, like a treasure hunt.

Public artist Jill Webb is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill where she earned a BA in Journalism. From 1992-2001, she worked in the film and television industries as an Assistant Director and Assistant Camera. In 2009, she won the Wilmington Business Journal and Cape Fear Green Builders Alliance’s Green Living Award for Riverfront Fountain and Elevated Park designs. She co-designed the Micro-Park at 200 Market St. for 1000 People Who Care.
Jill has also created numerous murals in Wilmington and Asheville, including at two Friends Schools, Cape Fear Academy, Old Books on Front, and the Brooklyn Arts District in Wilmington, as well as Mountain Valley Water in Asheville.

Site 3: Laurel Oak Tree (mock-up, subject to change)
Artists: Paul Hill and Greg Hall



The Design:
This sculpture is a replica of the Laurel Oak tree made of stainless-steel trunk, branches and leaves encompassing the space of site 3. A plaque on a Plexiglas stand with a finished burl slab will be engraved with information about the tree’s significance to the region.

Paul Hill, a metal sculptor and painter, studied Fine Art & Design at Kent State University from 1966 – 1974. The untimely school delay was due to military service from 1967 – 1971 during the Vietnam War. From 1975 through 1985, Paul worked in various advertising agencies as Art Director and Creative Director for national clients such as Firestone Tire, Alcoa Aluminum et al.

Beginning in the early 90’s, Paul put down his brush and picked up a torch. His steel and mixed media sculptures are now seen in numerous corporate, residential, and public collections along the Eastern Seaboard. His work is permanently displayed at North Carolina Veteran’s Park, Fayetteville, North Carolina; won “Best in Show” at the Cary Visual Arts National Sculpture Competition, Cary, North Carolina; Biennial Sculpture Show, Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Detroit Diesel, MTU; Detroit, Michigan.
His sculpture, Southern Hospitality, a metal and glass rendering of the Venus Flytrap is a beloved attraction on Wilmington’s riverfront.

Greg Hall is a UNCW graduate who earned his B.A. in sculpture, design, and ceramics. As a welder and fabricator, Greg has assisted in the hand fabrication of custom metal sculpture commissions for public and private buyers. He has a passion for maximizing the functionality of unique spaces as well as creating aesthetic atmospheres conducive to stimulating their performance and customer experience.

For further info contact Rhonda Bellamy at the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County by e-mail at (artscouncilofwilmingtonandnhc@gmail.com).