North Charleston Arts Fest reveals 2017 design competition winner
The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department has announced Judy McSween of Charleston as the winner of the 2017 North Charleston Arts Fest Design Competition. McSween’s oil painting, “Scraping the Sky II,” will be used to promote Arts Fest, taking place May 3-7. In addition, the artist received a $500 purchase award, and the piece will become part of the City’s Public Art Collection.
McSween’s design was selected from a total of 60 entries by artists from across the state. The selection was made by a review panel appointed by the Cultural Arts Department, who judged the entries based on quality, originality, appeal to festival patrons from a broad range of backgrounds, and ability to convey the spirit of the festival as a public celebration of arts and culture.
According to McSween, “Scraping the Sky II” evokes the exuberance of a new day and the anticipation of discovery. The piece was created after a summer trip the artist took with her husband, daughter, and nieces, where they explored galleries, parks, and restaurants. “I painted the fresh, inviting view recalling the vibrant city skyline when we embarked,” she explains. “It parallels how I approach a blank canvas – with a simple plan and with excitement to see what I’ll uncover along the way.”
McSween has participated in numerous regional art shows. She was the featured artist at The Saul Alexander Gallery located in the Charleston County Library in January 2016 and was invited to be an exhibiting member in Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Artists Exhibit that spring in Marion Square. Her work was selected for the 2010 Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibit and has been awarded Honorable Mentions in the North Charleston Arts Fest’s Judged Fine Art Competition. Her paintings have also been featured on the cover of the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Program Guide and the 2015 baseball novel, Dreaming .400.
For more information about the artist, visit judymcsween.com.
A new series of McSween’s abstract land and sea inspired scenes, including the winning work, will be on display at the North Charleston City Gallery throughout May 2017. The gallery is located within the Charleston Area Convention Center at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. Admission and parking are free. The public is invited to meet the artist at the gallery during the Arts Fest Expo from 11 a.m. -5 p.m. on May 6 & 7, 2017. T-shirts and posters featuring the winning design will be available for purchase.
For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.