My Feelings on ArtFields 2019

I’ve just posted my response to the 2019 ArtFields over at our blog Carolina Arts Unleashed (http://carolinaarts.com/wordpress/). People have been asking me what I think about ArtFields, even though I don’t go there anymore. I’m protesting their lack of transparency. It clear the folks at ArtFields don’t care what I think but others do and they keep bugging me about it. And, I don’t like it when ArtFields tries to claim things that are not true. We have enough of that going on in our country now. If you’re one of those folks who just has to know what I think – there it is. Now don’t bug me until next year. I’m work on our June issue.

ArtFields Finally Posts the Remaining Award Winners – Two Days After the Competition Ends

ArtFields 2017 Merit Award winners include:

Deighton Abrams of Seneca, SC, for “Winter Kept Us Warm/Shanty Shanty Shanty”

Natalie Daise of Georgetown, SC, for “She Rises I & II”

Kendall Garner of Anderson, SC, for “Grasp”

Lisa Humphreys of Atlanta, GA, for “Ringleader”

Dapper Bruce Lafitte of New Orleans, LA, for “A Blue Throw Down”

Kelly Oakes of Charlottesville, VA, for “Determined”

Kate Osmond of Murrells Inlet, SC, for “Granary”

Bow Smith of Charleston, SC, for “Curtains”

Janet Swigler of Columbia, SC, for “Room for Magic”

Joseph Walton of New Orleans, LA, for “Spy Boy Ricky”

Six of the 10 are from South Carolina maintaining the 60% ratio of how many artists in the competition were from SC – 60%. Isn’t that something how that turned out.

And again when looking at the photos of the ten award winners I have to wonder what the judges were thinking or what they were told to pick. If these are some of the best of the “Masterpieces” (ArtField’s words not mine) out of the 400 + in the competition – oh my. But if you didn’t go see this exhibit, go check the artworks on the ArtField’s website before they take them down.

These winners will cost this competition a lot of entries next year – like I say if there is a next year.

2017 ArtFields Results – Well Some of Them

Well, some of you might have been losing sleep wondering who and what won the 2017 ArtFields competition. I didn’t go this year – you should know why if you’re a regular follower of me or “Carolina Arts”. Looking at these results tells me many who were in this competition won’t be happy with the results. From looking at the artist’s gallery on the ArtFields website I can see that they had to be near the bottom of the barrel to fill out the 400 + slots for this year’s exhibit. There was a lot of good and even great art included but there was a lot of so, so art too. And some entries just make you wonder how they made the cut. But go see for yourself – if you also didn’t go. In my opinion this group of winners will cost them many an entry next year – if there is a next year.

This was an art event most of the media missed or didn’t care about. My Google Alerts only came up with articles in the Florence newspaper or local TV stations. They even tried to hype a controversy, but it didn’t get much attention either.

So here are the results they have reported, incomplete as is:

The top prize winner was Alexi Torres (Atlanta, GA), who won $50,000 for her oil on canvas piece “Spiritual Security- Safe in Prayer.”

Brittany Watkins (Tallahassee, FL) won the juried prize of $25,000 for her mixed-media piece “Except Self plus Elsewhere.”

The top 2-D people’s choice winner was Michael Geddings (Lexington, SC). He received $12,500 for his painting Hopeful Soul.

The Top 3-D people’s choice winner Haley Ard (Pamplico, SC). She won $12,500 for her piece “Made-Up” which uses cosmetics.

(What a surprise that local artists win these two awards.)

Category award winners for the ArtFields competition include Matt Bryant (digital media – Vance, AL), Heather Mae Erickson (sculpture – Sylva NC), Jessica Burke (drawing – Statesboro, GA), Gardner Cole Miller (installation – Sumter, SC, but bio says Miami, FL, based), Brant Barrett (photography – Surfside Beach, SC), Connie Lippert (Mixed Media – Seneca, SC) and Maggie Evans (painting – Savannah, GA). Each winner received $1,500.

I got most of all this info from an article in the “Florence Morning News”, ArtFields has just posted the top four winners on their Facebook page and website. And here it is after noon on the Sunday after the event and they still have no word about the ten Merit Award winners. I guess it was too far passed their bedtime Saturday night for them to post the total results anywhere.  So ten participating artists still have hope. Good luck.

Franklin G. Burroughs – Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, Plans Trip to ArtFields© 2016

Join the Franklin G. Burroughs – Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, for a fun-filled day experiencing the art of ArtFields© in Lake City, SC, Monday, April 25, 2016, from 8:30am – 4pm.

The fee is $60 for members or $65 for non-members (includes transportation, ArtFields© guide with map and lunch).

Watch a video about ArtFields© (https://vimeo.com/126649339)

Tommy Davis and Billy Miller, Myrtle Beach artists and Museum Board Members who both have works in this year’s competition, will be joining us.

Schedule:
8:30am – Bus leaves from the Art Museum. Please BYO coffee and snacks.
10:30am – Arrive in Lake City. ArtFields© Education and Community Outreach Coordinator, Carla Angus, welcomes us and gives us this year’s highlights.
11:15am – 12:30pm – Walking tour of ArtFields© with an ArtFields guide.
12:30pm – Lunch at Crossroads on Main, Lake City’s new boutique hotel.
1:45 – 3:30pm – Walking tour of ArtFields© with an ArtFields© guide.
3:30pm – Tour of the Winners of the 2015 ArtFields© art competition at the ROB.
4pm – Bus leaves for the Art Museum. Beverages and snacks are provided.

Reserve your seat by Wednesday, April 20, 2016. For reservations and information, call the Art Museum at 843/238-2510 or purchase your tickets online by following the links below:

Art Museum Member ArtFields© Roadtrip Ticket ($60) at (http://myrtlebeachartmuseum.myshopify.com/products/2016-art-fields-road-trip-art-museum-member).

Non-Member ArtFields© Roadtrip Ticket ($65) at (http://myrtlebeachartmuseum.myshopify.com/products/2016-art-fields-road-trip-non-member).

Franklin G. Burroughs – Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is located at 3100 S. Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

For further information call the Museum at 843/238-2510 or visit (www.MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org).

Editor’s Note: Why are there not more arts organizations in the Carolinas planning road trips to ArtFields©? Seems like a good idea and a good price for a worry free trip.

Hannah Davis Joins ArtFields© in Lake City, SC, as Director

ArtFields©, an annual competition that draws the Southeast’s most talented artists and art enthusiasts to Lake City, SC, for a nine-day celebration of art and community, announces Hannah Davis as its new director. With extensive experience in management and planning, Davis will lead the ArtField©’s team and further the success of the South’s most engaging art competition and festival.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Hannah to the team,” said Ashley Jacobs, Executive Director, Lake City Creative Alliance.  “With her extensive knowledge of the arts community and passion for leadership, we look forward to her new initiatives helping our program continue to grow locally and nationally.”

A College of Charleston graduate, Davis received her Bachelor of Arts in Historic Preservation and Community Planning. She also received graduate training from the Jekyll Island Management Institute, a program of the Southeastern Museums Conference, and Francis Marion University’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute. The Florence native has more than seven years of management experience, most recently serving the Community Museum Society Inc. in Lake City as the gallery and exhibitions manager. During her time with the Community Museum Society, Davis’ ambition and vision drove the Jones-Carter Gallery renovation project to Smithsonian standards, bringing world-renowned artists to the Lake City community and helping foster growth of the art community.

She began her involvement with ArtFields© in 2013 serving as a Competition Venue host in the Jones-Carter Gallery. She has since been involved with the marketing, advertising, artwork installation, catalog design and program development for the festival.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome the opportunity to take on the role of director of ArtFields©,” said Davis. “I’m looking forward to helping shape the future of ArtFields© and creating a long-term vision and plan for the arts and culture community in Lake City.”

ArtFields© is a charitable program and event of the Lake City Creative Alliance, which is sponsored by Lake City Partnership Council, a federally-recognized Section 501(c)(3) organization located in Lake City, South Carolina. Its mission is to improve the quality of life and promote the well-being of citizens residing within the greater Lake City area through, among other things, educational offerings and activities that foster and develop culture and arts within the community.

ArtFields© 2016 will take place April 22-30, 2016, in Lake City, SC. To learn more about ArtFields©, visit (www.artfieldssc.org) and/or connect with the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ArtFields© Calls for Volunteers for Upcoming Lake City, SC, Art Competition – Deadline to Volunteer is Apr. 17, 2016

ArtFields©, the South’s largest and most engaging art competition and festival, is seeking volunteers for the 2016 event. This year’s ArtFields© will take place Apr. 22-30, 2016, in downtown Lake City, SC.

ArtFields© is looking for volunteers to greet guests in the reception center and galleries, host and assist visiting artists, help stage the artwork for exhibition and assist with festival events and celebrations.

“Our volunteers serve as the heart and soul of ArtFields©, offering their time and commitment to make the event a success for the visitors and artists alike,” said Carla Angus, ArtFields© Volunteer Coordinator. “These volunteers get the true, hands-on ArtFields© experience.”

In 2015, 190 active volunteers logged in over 2,700 hours of volunteer time. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and attend a volunteer orientation. The first orientation and kickoff will be held at 6pm, Feb. 4, 2016, at the Bean Market in Lake City.

Those interested in joining this year’s team of volunteers are encouraged to visit the ArtFields© volunteer page at (http://www.artfieldssc.org/about/volunteers/). The volunteer recruitment deadline is Apr. 17, 2016.

To learn more about ArtFields© 2016, visit (http://www.artfieldssc.org) and/or connect with the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ArtFields© is a charitable program and event sponsored by Lake City Partnership Council, which is a federally-recognized Section 501(c)(3) organization located in Lake City, SC. Its mission is to improve the quality of life and promote the well-being of citizens residing within the greater Lake City area through, among other things, educational offerings and activities that foster and develop culture and arts within the community.

To learn more about ArtFields©, visit (http://www.artfieldssc.org).

Crossing South Carolina’s Great Flood Plain to Go See Some Great Black and White Photographs of America at the Jones-Carter Gallery in Lake City, SC

We’ve just posted a blog about a trip to go see the exhibit, America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscapes of Clyde Butcher, on view at the Jones-Carter Gallery in Lake City, SC, on view through Jan. 2, 2016, over at Carolina Arts Unleashed (http://carolinaarts.com/wordpress/). Lake City is the home of ArtFields© a community based art exhibit and competition with $110,000 in cash prizes, which will take place Apr. 22 – 30, 2016. For further info about it visit (www.artfieldssc.org).

Image shown is “Moon over Tetons” by Clyde Butcher. All images are courtesy of Clyde Butcher Galleries.

Jones-Carter Gallery and the Community Museum Society in Lake City, SC, Invite You to a Special Evening with Artist Clyde Butcher – Sept. 24, 2015

Join the Jones-Carter Gallery and the Community Museum Society in Lake City, SC, at the National Bean Market, at 111 Henry Street, next to the Jones-Carter Gallery, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, from 7pm until, for a special evening with artist, Clyde Butcher

Come check out the Jones-Carter Gallery’s fall exhibition, “America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscapes of Clyde Butcher”. The evening will include a lecture by Clyde Butcher and book signing. Books and other merchandise will be available for sale on site. Admission is FREE and seating is limited for this one-night engagement.

“America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscapes of Clyde Butcher”, on view through Jan. 2, 2016, is a collection of 56 large-scale photographs of the American landscape, spanning breathtaking sites across the United States, from the coast of Maine to the Badlands, to the Everglades and to the Great Smoky Mountains.

Ochopee

Badlands

Butcher’s work has been compared to that of famed photographer, Ansel Adams, and Butcher has shot several of his photographs in the same location as some of Adams’ most treasured work. Emmy-winning filmmaker Ken Burns says, “Like the work of Ansel Adams, Clyde Butcher’s remarkable photographs give us an access to nature we rarely see or experience. They not only reveal the intimate and majestic beauty of the Everglades—and the need to save this fragile environment—they also remind us of the abiding kinship we mortals share when we work together to preserve these magnificent places. Butcher’s art is a national treasure.”

Large groups are encouraged to call ahead at 843/374-1505

ArtFields© 2016 Begins Accepting Entries Today – Sept. 14, 2015

ArtFields®, the community-focused art festival that awards $110,000 to artists from the twelve Southeastern states each year, in Lake City, SC, will begin accepting submissions for the competition on Sept. 14, 2015, through the ArtFields© website (www.artfieldssc.org). Running until 11:59pm on Nov. 13. 2015, this submission period is open to all interested artists who currently live in the Southeast (defined as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) and offers all artists a shot at winning their share of $110,000 in cash prizes during the ArtFields© Finale party, to be held on Apr. 30, 2016.

Since 2013, the ArtFields© competition has offered life-changing amounts of money to talented artists as diverse as experimental environmental master Craig Colorusso, assemblage artist Kirkland Smith, and denim topography artist James Arendt. During the nine days of the festival, 400 works of art are hung in local venues—ranging from restaurants to boutiques to pottery studios—and open for the public’s vote. In incorporating art into the daily life of Lake City, ArtFields© enriches the lives of residents and visitors, as well as artists—indeed, the average sales of art during ArtFields© stands at $22,000. The ArtFields© festival (running from Apr. 22 – 30, 2016) draws thousands of visitors from across the Southeast and beyond, all of whom can vote in the People’s Choice 2-D and 3-D prize category ($12,500 each) and the $50,000 Grand Prize. Jurors award the $25,000 prize and select ten artists for The Citizens Bank Merit Awards of $1,000 each.

Each year, ArtFields© receives submissions from students, industry professionals, renowned artists, and amateur strivers, so no matter what level of recognition or attainment, all artists are encouraged to submit; your single submission to ArtFields© may yield benefits beyond your expectations.

Submissions will be accepted between 12:01am on Sept. 14 through 11:59pm on Nov. 13, 2015. Please visit (www.artfieldssc.org) for more information.

ArtFields® is a charitable enterprise supported by the Lake City Community Foundation and the Lake City Partnership Council and through collaboration with the Community Museum Society and the City of Lake City.

For more information about the ArtFields® or the submission process for artists, please contact Sandy Cook, ArtFields© at 843/374-0180 or e-mail to (artteam@artfieldssc.org). For more about the community of Lake City, please contact Rob Bockman at 843/374-0138.

Editor’s Note: Making the cut of 400 is a big accomplishment. Being in this group you have a change at winning one of the cash prizes, but you could also sell you work or have it noticed by a curator and selected for a future exhibition or to be on the cover of an arts publication.

I’m also including a few pictures of what “one” entry can look like:

“Self-Portrait as Bunnies (Bad Boy)” by Alex Podesta of New Orleans, LA

“From the Edge of the Highway: 200 Views” by Mary Gilkerson of Columbia, SC

“Family Dollar, General Tree” by Robert Snead of Charleston, SC

Patz and Mike Fowle of Hartsville, SC, were winners of the Artfields© 2015 3-D People’s Choice Award

Patz and Mike Fowle of Hartsville, SC, were winners of the Artfields© 2015 3-D People’s Choice award ($12,500), for their work “Consume”, which was announced on May 2, 2015, in Lake City, SC, home of ArtFields©.

Detail of “Consume” by Patz and Mike Fowle

Contemporary sculptors, Mike and Patz Fowle, share a passion for creativity and collaboration. They utilize innovative processes and various media to create unique sculptures for public and private collections. The couple’s largest work of art, “Big Bleu Birdnanna”, is a 23-foot tall, kinetic metal sculpture located in the Cultural Arts Corridor adjacent to the Florence County Museum in Downtown Florence, SC. Patz Fowle and Mike Fowle support the visual arts community as teaching artists and have been Artists-in-Residence as far away as Tokyo, Japan.

The Fowles offer the following artist statement, “Creating art is a wondrous journey from the conception of a juicy idea to the final aesthetics; it’s what propels our spirits as creative beings! With a whimsical and colorful and nod to contemporary culture, our mixed media installation “Consume” turns discarded plastic into a swirling school of fabulous, funky fish. As you walk around and through the installation you become part of the art. We hope to encourage the use of non-traditional art materials and to also spark dialog about post-consumerism waste and the plight of our oceans and fish due to plastics. After all, as the old saying goes, “You are what you eat!”

To see a list of other winners from ArtFields© 2015 visit (http://www.artfieldssc.org/artfields-announces-the-2015-winners/).

To view more of their works visit (www.patzfowle.com).