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| Second Place Award, Book II S.H.I.E.L.D. by Tom Timond, watercolor, acrylic monoprint, inkjet transfer |
The Pickens County Cultural Commission is pleased to announce that the Pickens County Museum of Art & History’s “Thirty-Sixth Annual Juried South Carolina Artist’s Exhibition” reception and awards ceremony was held on Saturday April 25. The competition was open to all artists working in any medium, 18 years of age or older and living in South Carolina. The exhibition is on view until June 11, 2015.
The panel of jurors for this year’s competition represents the best and brightest in South Carolina. Associate Professor and Gallery Director at Coastal Carolina University, Jim Arendt is an artist whose work explores the shifting paradigms of labor and place through narrative figure painting, drawing, prints, fabric and sculpture. Victoria Cooke joined the curatorial staff at the Columbia Museum of Art in January 2013. She holds an M.A. in art history, specializing in 18th and 19th century French painting from Tulane University and became a doctoral candidate in Art History at the University of Delaware before deciding to devote her career to museum work. Director of Hampton III Gallery for over 25 years, Sandra Rupp works with numerous living artists, as well as the several artists’ estates, focusing mostly on Southern artists, particularly those with a SC connection.
Arendt, Cooke & Rupp spent April 10th looking at and contemplating a vast array of paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, ceramics, fiber and other mediums created by the hands of South Carolina artists. This made for the difficult task of selecting works for, and eliminating works from, the final show. The impressive final selection of 149 works of art represents 110 individuals currently creating visual art in this state.
About the jury, Sandy Rupp stated, “A nice variety of various mediums and subjects faced the judges as we attempted to narrow down the selections for the exhibition. Congratulations to all who submitted to the jurying process and who have the courage to face an empty canvas or pick up a tool.”
Jim Arendt added, “The pleasure and difficulty of selecting this year’s show from so many outstanding submissions is a credit to all the hard-working artists who submitted work. My co-jurors and I were able to select those pieces that displayed the highest level of technical skill, content, and innovation.”
Victoria Cooke summed up the day saying, “It was thrilling to see artists that embraced such a diverse array of materials, subject matter and modes of expression. I think that every visitor to the exhibition will find art that touches them and thrills them, art that challenges their expectations and even art that amazes them and makes them laugh.”
The awards for this year’s competition represent not only a cross section of what is taking place in the visual arts of South Carolina today, but are also a fair representation of the variety of artists actively “at work”. Our panel of jurors chose the ceramic with mixed media sculpture, “Balancing Act” by Greenville’s Diana Farfán as the First Place Award. Second Place was presented to
Tom Dimond (Clemson University Professor Emeritus of Art) of Seneca for his mixed media, “Book II S.H.I.E.L.D.” The Third Place honor went to Greenville’s Ryan Roth for his acrylic on paper painting, “Business Laocoön”.
Juror’s Choice Awards were bestowed upon
Tanna Burchinal (MFA in Art-sculpture, 2014) of Clemson for her monoprint, “I 57”, and to Clemson’s
Sam Wang (Clemson University Professor Emeritus of Art) for his photograph, “VW Van”.
In addition to the above awards, the jurors presented Honorable Mention Awards, denoting artwork of special interest, be presented to:
Steven A. Chapp (MFA in Art-printmaking, 1984) of Easley for his reduction linocut print, “The Debate”; to Spartanburg’s Jim Creal for his ink monotype, “Cursive Practice”; to Deborah Feiste of Central for her assemblage, “Jack”; to Seneca’s Amanda Mensing for her oil painting, “Indian Motorcycle”; and to Kathleen B. Wood of Greenville for her sterling silver jewelry piece, “Tree Box with Pendant Lid”.
The Museum’s Director, Allen Coleman chose the acrylic with wood painting, “High Lonesome Sound # 5” by Glen Miller of Greenville as the recipient of the 2015 Director’s Choice Award.
Thanks to the kind sponsorships of Pickens County & the Pickens County Cultural Commission along with Mary Howe Benjamin, Roger Benjamin, Sherrill F. Benjamin, Mrs. Doreen Heimlich, Ms. Larissa Heimlich, Philip & Gilda Hendricks, Mr. Chris Hepler, Wayne Kelley, Shirley Reese, Mrs. Shirley Sarlin, the Susan B. Benjamin Memorial Fund and the Seth Schafer Heimlich Memorial Fund, the Pickens County Museum selected five works that, within the scope of their mission directive, will be added to the museum’s permanent collection.
The Pickens County Cultural Commission’s Purchase Award honoring Shirley Sarlin was presented to Melody M. Davis of Salem for her oil painting, “IF”.
The 2015 Susan B. Benjamin Memorial Purchase Award was presented to Mary E. Barron of Seneca for her oil painting, “First Light”.
The 2015 Seth Schafer Heimlich Memorial Purchase Award was presented to Kathy Moore of Belton for her assemblage, “Nonconformity”.
Additional Museum Purchase Awards were made to Easley’s
Steven A. Chapp for his linocut, “The Debate”, and to Bev Peeples of Taylors for her photograph, “Floating”.
In addition to the fifteen works of art singled out for special mention, there are one-hundred and thirty-four others on the walls and pedestals throughout the museum’s Sealevel Gallery, G-1 Gallery and Focus Gallery. No matter where your individual taste in art may lead, you will find some satisfaction in this exhibition. The variety of work represented is a generous reflection of the community of artists presently at work in South Carolina.
Other Clemson University Art Department students and alumni represented in the exhibition include: Eric Benjamin (BFA in Art, 1996); Marty Epp-Carter (MFA in Art-printmaking, 2009); Terry Jarrard-Dimond (MFA in Art, 1979); Hilary Siber (MFA in Art-painting; Hilary Siber (MFA in Art-painting, expected May 2015); and Sam Wang (Professor Emeritus, photography);
The Pickens County Museum of Art & History is funded in part by Pickens County, friends and members of the museum and a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
No matter where your individual taste in art may lead, you will find satisfaction in this exhibition. The variety of work represented is a generous reflection of the community of artists presently at work in South Carolina.
Located at the corner of Hwy. 178 at 307 Johnson Street in Pickens SC, the museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is free but donations are welcomed. For more information call the museum at (864) 898-5963 or visit www.pickenscountymuseum.org.
If you’d like to learn more about events going on in Pickens County, do be sure to visit www.visitpickenscounty.com/calendar website – you’ll always be just a click away from the many great experiences throughout this area.
