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The Citadel invites artists of all ages to submit designs for 175th celebration

Citadel design contestThe Citadel invites artists of all ages to submit designs to be considered as the image commemorating the military college’s upcoming 175th anniversary. The milestone anniversary will be celebrated during the 2017-18 academic year. The winning design, which will be announced at the first home football game on Sept. 2, will grace t-shirts, banners, posters, and The Citadel magazine. The winning artist will receive $1,000. Entries are being accepted through May 1, 2017. Submission requirements:

  • All designs must be vertical in orientation.
  • All media is acceptable.
  • Entries must be submitted in one of three ways: as a high-resolution digital image, a stretched canvas, or bound foam core. Digital submissions should be emailed to DesignContest@citadel.edu.
  • A signed consent waiver must be submitted via postal mail.
The winning artist will be notified by Aug. 1 and will be invited to the Sept. 2 football game against Newberry College in Johnson Hagood Stadium, where the unveiling will take place. Find complete contest details online. Via: The Citadel

SC professional artists under 40 invited to apply for 701 CCA Prize

Application deadline is Sept. 3; eligibility requirements have changed. 701cca_logo701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, S.C., announces the third installment of the 701 CCA Prize, a biennial art competition and exhibition for professional South Carolina artists 40 years and younger. This juried project will result in a November – December exhibition for the competition’s three finalists and an award celebration announcing the winner. The application guidelines and package can be downloaded at www.701cc.org. Applications are due by Sept. 3. The application fee is $25. With this third installment of the 701 CCA Prize, 701 Center for Contemporary Art has dropped the requirement that applicants should have had a solo exhibition in a professional exhibition venue in the past two years. “During the past two installments, we noticed that several serious, talented young artists wouldn’t apply for the 701 CCA Prize because they hadn’t had a solo exhibition in a professional venue in the two previous years,” 701 CCA board chair Wim Roefs said. “To open up the competition and exhibition and include all young, major talents in the state, we, therefore, have decided to drop that particular requirement.” The 701 CCA Prize’s purpose is to identify and recognize artists 40 years and younger whose work is exemplary in its originality, shows awareness of artistic development and is of high artistic merit. The 701 CCA Prize will be awarded to one young, professional South Carolina artist for outstanding art production since January 1, 2014. The winner will receive a six-week, paid residency at 701 CCA; a solo exhibition at 701 CCA; and an ad in a national art publication. The previous two winners were James Busby of Chapin in 2012 and Shannon Rae Lindsey of Columbia in 2014. (Lindsey's work is pictured above.) For further inquiries, contact info@701cca.org or call Wim Roefs at (803) 238-2351. About 701 Center for Contemporary Art 701 CCA is a nonprofit visual arts center that promotes understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of contemporary art, the creative process and the role of art and artists in the community. The center also encourages interaction between visual and other art forms. 701 CCA is located at 701 Whaley Street, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201.  During exhibitions, hours are Wed, 11–8; Thu-Fri, 11-5; Sat, 11-5; Sun, 1-5. For more information, visit www.701cca.org.

VELUX USA and Arts Center of Greenwood invite submissions for international art competition

VeluxVELUX, an international company that manufactures window units and sky lights, is sponsoring an art competition in observance of its 75th anniversary. VELUX USA, located in Greenwood, S.C., is partnering with the Arts Center of Greenwood to facilitate the regional competition. Emerging (ages 21-35) 2-dimensional artists who work in oils or acrylics and who are residents of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia are eligible to participate.

  • Three artists will be chosen and submitted to the international committee
  • From the three artists submitted, one will be chosen to represent VELUX USA
  • That artist will be commissioned (paid) to produce an original piece using the theme of light and skylights
  • This piece will become part of a 21-piece exhibition and collection that will travel internationally
  • 12 of the 21 pieces will be chosen to be part of a VELUX calendar
Submission information:
  • The program is open to emerging (ages 21-35) 2-dimensional artists who work in oils or acrylics
  • For consideration, please submit a short artist statement, bio, CV and three to eight examples of current work in the form of high quality (300 dpi) digital images (jpg) on CD for review
  • With submission, please include a letter naming a purchase price for an original piece you would produce if chosen to be the USA representative
  • All submissions will be evaluated by local representatives from the Arts Center and from VELUX in consultation with several art critics
  • All submissions must be received (not postmarked) on or before July 30
Read the complete submission guidelines (PDF): Velux Packet (International Painting Competition) (3) For more information, contact Anne Craig (864) 953-2461, artscentergreenwood@gmail.com or Jennifer A. Smith (864) 953-2452, jenlovesthearts@gmail.com Mail submissions to: The Arts Center 120 Main Street Greenwood, SC 29646 Via: Arts Center of Greenwood

South Carolina artists among prize winners at Artfields

Although the top prize at Artfields went to a Louisiana artist, South Carolina artists won the remaining top three awards and five of 10 in the honorable mention category. Artfields, held April 24 - May 2 in Lake City, S.C., attracted 1,000 entries from across the Southeast, an increase of 35 percent from 2014. Four hundred artists were invited to participate. Top prize winners: Top Prize ($50,000) Charles Anderson (New Orleans, Louisiana) for Central City Juried Prize ($25,000) Bretta Staley (Orangeburg, S.C.) for Third Heaven People's Choice (2-D) ($12,500) Melissa Askins (Manning, S.C. ) for Sisters Under a Canopy of Oaks People's Choice (3-D) ($12,500) Mike and Patz Fowle (Hartsville, S.C.) for Consume (pictured above)   From Lake City News & Post

Article by Donna Tracy

The Village Green in Lake City filled with artists, families, and visitors from across the Southeast - and beyond – Saturday night and waited expectantly to hear who would take home prizes in the region’s largest art competition. Around 400 artists were competing for the $110,000 in prizes and just one got to go home today with a $50,000 Top Prize: Charles Anderson of New Orleans whose “Central City” was housed in Joe’s Barber Shop. Anderson said he doesn’t have any specific plans for the money yet but will use it not only to forward his own artistic career but also to give back the community that is the inspiration and subject matter of his works as well as Gregory – also known as Baby G – whose arresting expression was captured by Anderson in charcoal and graphite and has hung in Joe’s Barber Shop for the duration of the competition. “I was really amazed by the competition; I was really amazed by Joe’s Barber,” he said. “It was all so professional and you really don’t see this level of professionalism in just everything. From the booklets, to when I call people answer, … The whole experience is just beautiful and really rejuvenating.” Though Anderson hadn’t figured out what he would do with the prize money should he win, he does know that – like ArtFields – he wants it to be a part of his community and knows he wants to give part of his prize money to an organization called “Cease Fire” that he helped create to help stop violence in New Orleans. Anderson said he decided to enter ArtFields after finding out about the event through the online site Craigslist. Like many in the inaugural years of the competition, he at first thought the prize amounts were a mistake. “You don’t hear of art prizes being $50,000; It’s $1,000 and a residency for five weeks,” said Anderson. Anderson said attending the competition was done on a whim and he has been astounded by the ArtFields experience – including the hospitality of the area, the organization of the competition and the quality of the artwork he was competing against. “I am amazed. The work is phenomenal,” said Anderson who added that he has left many art shows angry because the work showed so little heart. “Here, I love about 95 percent of what is here. It’s just outstanding. Entitled “Central City” after the area in which Anderson worked for several years, the piece will now find a permanent home in Lake City as an ArtFields piece. Also remaining in Lake City will be the work that won the $25,000 winning Juried Prize, which was awarded to Bretta Staley for “Third Heaven” Works from previous winners are currently housed in the Inn at the Crossroads and the ArtFields Gallery – no word yet on just where “Central City” or “Third Heaven” will be displayed. TOP PRIZE Charles Anderson for Central City JURIED PRIZE Bretta Staley for Third Heaven PEOPLE’S CHOICE (2-D) Melissa Askins for Sisters Under a Canopy of Oaks PEOPLE’S CHOICE (3-D) Mike and Patz Fowle for Consume  HONORABLE MENTIONS, with special consideration provided by The Citizens Bank: Townsend Davidson (Charleston, S.C.) (Supercritical Flow) Kate McNeil (Charleston, S.C.) (Inference) Susie Ganch (Bale: Diptych) Matt Bryant (Ana10G0US) Aron Belka (To Market, To Market) Mary Gilkerson (Columbia, S.C.) (Minervaville, 100 Views) Brant Barrett (Surfside Beach, S.C. ) (Murphy Island Youth Hunt, 2013) Loren Schwerd (Peak) Robert Logrippo (Villa Cannery) Stacey Davidson (Rock Hill, S.C.) (Lake Norman) Tyrone Geter, one of the four judges who determined the winners, said the hardest thing about judging the works was “trying to be fair.” “Also, everything here is elevated. It’s just one of those unique things with the people involved in it…people are just starting to really get into it,” said Geter who said the Lake City community – the volunteers and venues – have really embraced the artwork as their own. “It’s just such a wonderful plan.” Geter said he expected the quality of art to continue growing in future years. “You’re really going to get top-flight artists competing in this event,” said Geter. “Because it’s not just the money; it’s that you just get treated so darn good and the city is so relaxing.” Judges for the Juried Prize and Top Prize were:
  • Chad Alligood - curator of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, and a former Cranbrook Art Museum curator who recently researched the State of the Art show developed from visits to 1,000 art studios in 80 cities and small towns.
  • Tyrone Geter - a painter who has exhibited worldwide, a professor of art at Benedict College, and an art gallery curator.
  • Jay Heuman, an art museum educator and curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston where he works collaboratively to organize more than 120 public programs a year.
  • Cecilia Stucker - the founder of Curating & Collections, a curatorial consultancy to private and corporate collectors, who splits her time between New York City, Los Angeles and Paris.

Opinion: ArtFields is an exquisite exhibit for Lake City

From SC.now.com

A tiny, tired, old tobacco town already was starting to transform before ArtFields came along two years ago, but Lake City still was somewhat of a blank canvas. Now that ArtFields III is underway, look at Lake City now. Seriously. Go there. If you’ve never gone, you won’t believe your eyes. If you’ve been there previously, you won’t believe your eyes.
What’s new? The boutique hotel that was under construction last year on Main Street is open now, and it is a striking addition to a charming, bustling downtown.
What’s old? The restored W.A. McClam Livery Stables, the Bean Market, the Jones-Carter Gallery that used to be a feed-and-seed store, the ROB (Ragsdale Old Building) that formerly was a tobacco warehouse, the Whitehead Infirmary and … we could go on and on.
The Elegant Bee is old and new. It’s a period furniture and design boutique on Sauls Street that Karen Fowler recently opened in a building once owned by her grandfather.
Fowler is one of the visionaries who started ArtFields, but she stepped down as the executive director after last year’s event and now is experiencing the festivities as a merchant. She epitomizes the energy and can-do spirit of Lake City people. Some impressive paintings that are entered in the 2015 competition hang on her shop’s walls.
Merchants are what this extravaganza is all about. Making this the truest of community events, owners have bought in to the fact that their small businesses are on display while they display art. Art is on display at 39 venues, almost all of which are within walking distance of each other. The dividend is big. The economic impact of the inaugural ArtFields was estimated at $5.4 million.
ArtFields isn’t just an event for art lovers. Art likers can appreciate the works, too, and lovers and likers alike can vote for their favorite entries and enjoy opportunities to interact with the artists. If you appreciate performing arts, too, you might be interested in the Florence Symphony Orchestra’s performance at 5 p.m. today at the bucolic Moore Farms Botanical Gardens.
ArtFields is a celebration of artists from the Southeast, a neglected region filled with talented individuals who come from 12 states to enjoy getting back in touch with their grassroots. Approximately 800 pieces of art were submitted for the inaugural ArtFields. Roughly 1,200 pieces were submitted this year. The number of pieces accepted has remained at approximately 400.
Bring your debit and credit cards. Much of the art is for sale, and there are some big price tags on some of the art.
Don’t forget, this is a competition. Big prize money is at stake. Winners will divide $110,000.
But the big winner is Lake City.
Photo by Fred Salley, Meade Agency

Writers, poets, playwrights: enter the Porter Fleming Literary Competition!

Writers age 18 and over residing in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are eligible to apply for the Porter Fleming Literary Competition. Entries must be postmarked no later than Feb. 2, 2015. Entries must be original, previously unpublished in print or online media and not accepted by any publisher at the time they are entered. Manuscripts previously submitted to the Porter Fleming Literary Competition may not be resubmitted. Submit as many entries in as many categories as you wish. Competition categories:

  • Fiction – short stories only (2,500 words maximum)
  • Nonfiction – article or essay (2,500 words maximum)
  • Poetry – (up to three poems per entry, not to exceed five pages total per entry)
  • One-Act Play – (professional format required, limited to 15 pages)
Awards (cash awards in each category):
  • First Place – $1,000
  • Second Place – $500
  • Third Place – $250
View the complete guidelines and application online. Organized by the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia, the Porter Fleming Literary Competition is in its 22nd year of recognizing outstanding writing and writers. The competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming, one of Augusta’s leading citizens and foremost philanthropists. Via: Morris Museum of Art

InTIREnational Art Contest open to Upstate individuals and teams

In its second year, the InTIREnational Art Contest challenges participants to create a work of art with an international theme using up to four scrap tires donated by Michelin. Entries will be on display around the Upstate during Upstate International Month in March 2015. Two winners will be selected -- a People's Choice Award, and one selected by a panel of judges. The public will have the chance to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award at www.inspiredtires.com. Each winning entry will receive a $5,000 donation to a charity, school, or nonprofit of its choice. The InTIREnational Art Contest is part of Upstate International 2015, a month-long series of community events and activities that celebrate the cultural diversity of South Carolina’s Upstate. The contest is open to all legal residents of South Carolina who reside in the Upstate area. Individuals as well as teams, including schools, universities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, are eligible. Online registrations will be accepted through Jan. 16. Once entered into the contest, participants will have four weeks (from January 26 to February 20) to complete their artwork with the winner announced at an event at Michelin’s corporate headquarters on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. The contest is limited to the first 50 registrants. Find out more and register here. Via: Michelin North America Inc.

S.C. artists 40 and younger invited to apply for 701 CCA Prize

701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, S.C., announces the second installment of the 701 CCA Prize, a biennial art competition and exhibition for professional South Carolina artists 40 years and younger. The project will take place this year with a juried process resulting in a October – December exhibition for the competition’s three finalists and an award celebration announcing the winner. Eligible artists are invited to apply for the prize by September 8, 2014. Complete guidelines and the application are available online. [caption id="attachment_2729" align="alignright" width="184"]James Busby, Mirrorball work by 2012 701 CCA Prize winner James Busby, (Mirrorball, 2012)[/caption] The project’s purpose is to identify and recognize artists 40 years and younger whose work is exemplary in its originality, shows awareness of artistic developments and is of high artistic merit. The 701 CCA Prize will be awarded to one young professional South Carolina artist for outstanding art production since January 1, 2012. Aside from the age requirement, eligible artists must currently live in South Carolina. They must have or have had a solo exhibition in a museum, art center, regular commercial gallery or a designated gallery space in a cultural facility between September 1, 2012 – September 1, 2014. They also must fulfill several practical requirements outlined in the application guidelines. The application fee is $25. An independent jury of three art professionals will select three finalists for the 701 CCA Prize. The three finalists will be included in the 701 CCA Prize Exhibition from October 30 – December 21, 2014, at 701 CCA. The exhibition’s opening reception will be October 30. The 701 CCA Prize Winner will be announced during the 701 CCA Prize Celebration on November 27, 2014. The 701 CCA Prize Winner will receive a six-week, paid residency at 701 CCA; a solo exhibition at 701 CCA; consultation services from a professional advertising and marketing firm; and an ad in a national publication. The jurors for the 701 CCA Prize 2014 will be announced later. For more information, contact director@701cca.org or call Sheldon Paschal at (803) 319-9949. Related: Artist James Busby wins inaugural 701 CCA Prize. Via: 701 Center for Contemporary Art

Fine craft makers – enter the Made in the South Awards

Made in the South AwardsGarden & Gun Magazine is accepting entries for the 2014 Made in the South Awards contest. The competition encourages craft makers from around the South to submit items that are noteworthy and exceptional in the categories of food, drink, outdoors, style & design or home. Deadline to enter is August 1, 2014. Garden and Gun’s editors and a panel of expert judges will select one winning entry and several honorable mentions in each category. Their stories will appear in the Made in the South Awards feature article in the December 2014/January 2015 issue of the magazine. The overall winner will receive a $10,000 grand prize. South Carolina artists have fared well as winners or runners-up in previous competitions. In 2011, Williams Knife Company of Greenville was the overall winner. Other South Carolina artists recognized in previous competitions: 2013

2012 More information and the application form are available online. Image: Charred commode, Moran Woodworked Furniture. Photo by Tara Donne. Via: Garden & Gun Magazine

S.C. artists among prize winners at ArtFields

[gallery ids="12369,12368,12367"] Congratulations to the three South Carolina artists who won prizes during ArtFields, held April 25- May 4 in Lake City:

More from the Florence Morning News:
Two is better than one, right? ArtFields judges threw a curve ball Saturday night when they announced they were awarding two juried prizes instead of the planned one. The two juried prizes, with each winner receiving $25,000, went to John Eric Riis of Atlanta, for his diptych “Neoclassic Male and Female Tapestry,” and Charleston’s Robert Snead for his cardboard “Family Dollar General Tree.” The additional awarded funds will be sponsored by the Lake City Partnership Council, the organization responsible for putting on ArtFields. Top prize and $50,000 went to Craig Colorusso of Rogers, Arkansas, for his “Sun Boxes Mach II,” which was on display at the Pole Barn behind the Bean Market. Two South Carolinians won the people’s choice award. Charleston’s Colin Quashie and Cheraw’s Joshua Refearn were both on hand to accept their awards. They each received $12,500 checks for their works: Quashie for the two-dimensional “Out of Bondage I,” and Redfearn for his three-dimensional piece, “Think.”

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