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Applications open for 46th Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, April 1, 2022


Call for applications is open for the 46th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.

[caption id="attachment_48377" align="alignright" width="301"] Provided photo. Detail.[/caption] Information can be found at www.pmacraftshow.org/application. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2022, with a late deadline of April 19, 2022. The juried PMA Craft Show features 13 categories of fine craft including ceramics, furniture, jewelry, fiber, glass, emerging artists and more, and will be in-person at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia Nov. 11-13, 2022 with a preview party on Thursday, Nov. 10. PMA Craft Show artists keep 100% of their sales from the Craft Show. You might remember that #SCartists Flavia Lovatelli (Columbia) received the Excellence in Fiber Arts in the 2021 show. Her winning work is shown at right. The museum’s largest single fundraiser, the PMA Craft Show has raised close to 14 million dollars in its now 45-year history. Presented by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, funds raised support museum initiatives, including education, acquisitions, and special exhibitions.

Jason Rapp

Announcing three 2022 Folk Heritage Awards recipients

for immediate release

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In 2022, the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards will be presented by the General Assembly to three recipients being honored for work keeping the state’s traditional art forms alive.

Two practicing artists and one arts advocate will be recognized as ambassadors of traditions significant to communities throughout the state. Their traditions embody folklife’s dynamic, multigenerational nature and its fusion of artistic and utilitarian ideals. The 2022 recipients are:
  • Justin Guy (Edgefield): Artist, Traditional alkaline-glazed stoneware pottery
  • Ann Phillips (Sumter): Artist, Quiltmaking
  • Duncan Rutherfurd (Aiken): Advocacy, custom knifemaking
The Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award is named for the late State Rep. Jean Laney Harris of Cheraw, respected as an outspoken advocate and ardent supporter of the arts and cultural resources of the state. Up to four artists or organizations and one advocate may receive awards each year. The program is managed jointly by the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) and the University of South Carolina McKissick Museum. Community members make nominations to recognize exemplary artistic achievement/advocacy. An independent advisory panel appointed by the lieutenant governor and president of the Senate select the recipients, who must be living and practicing in the state. As McKissick Museum Executive Director Jane Przybysz notes, “This year’s recipients in the artist category have become masters of longstanding South Carolina traditional arts. The practice of turning stoneware from local clays dates to the first decade of the 19th century in Edgefield, South Carolina. And we know that—by the time the Sumter Agricultural Association was offering a premium of $2 for the best patchwork quilt in 1852—quiltmaking was a well-established craft in South Carolina communities. For centuries, South Carolina’s blacksmiths kept alive the knowledge of metalworking that enabled them to craft knives among the myriad of other tools famers relied upon. This year’s folklife advocate has worked to amplify the revival of custom knifemaking that arose in response to our citizens’ continued love of the outdoors.” “The recipients of this year’s Folk Heritage Awards embody not only South Carolina’s rich artistic traditions, but also our broad diversity as a people and society,” South Carolina Arts Commission Executive Director David Platts said. “Their crafts – now recognized as art forms in their own right – represent an important connection to, and recognition of, South Carolina’s cultural past. At the same time, they remain an integral and vibrant part of communities across the Palmetto State today. These artists do exceptional work that enriches the lives of all South Carolinians, and for that we are all fortunate and grateful.” Recipients of the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards and South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts are honored during a video presentation of the South Carolina Arts Awards. The SCAC and McKissick Museum are finalizing plans for the 2022 awards and will announce details on a later date.

About the 2022 Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award Recipients

Justin Guy | Edgefield | Artist, Traditional alkaline-glazed stoneware pottery From his roots in the Trenton area of Edgefield County, JUSTIN GUY has achieved acclaim as a potter after working in the craft more than 30 years. Fascinated by the pottery from a young age, he graduated from the University of South Carolina, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus on ceramics. After school he was artist-in-residence at Taiwan’s Tainan National University for the Fine Arts, where he learned Taiwanese and other Asian ceramic processes, specifically as they relate to the tea cultures in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Additional travels across the U.S. and Europe yielded further revelations a professional ceramicist should know. Guy returned to South Carolina and began a teaching career in higher education institutions, serving multiple times at UofSC Aiken with stops at Columbia College, and Piedmont Technical College in between. Additional artist residencies during his career include the McKissick and South Carolina State museums, the Columbia Museum of Art, and area schools. His works have received honors in multiple instances of the Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition and the South Carolina State Fair. Guy is currently the master potter of the Phoenix Factory’s Old Edgefield Pottery, which has produced pottery in South Carolina for more than 200 years. Ann Phillips | Sumter | Artist, Quiltmaking For centuries, South Carolina women have contributed to their communities artistically, culturally, and socially through the making of quilts. Though Alabama born, ANN PHILLIPS of Sumter is a 40-year contributor herself. As a child, seated under her mother’s quilt frame, she threaded needles and learned to make a secure knot. However, she didn’t begin quilting until her husband’s military job landed the Phillipses in Sumter; Phillips felt their new country home needed quilts. Central to her approach is taking a traditional quilt block pattern and using it in a new way to great visual effect. Phillips has shown immense creativity and elevated the artistry of quiltmaking. She will change the set of a block, put it on point, or frame it with multiple borders or use non-traditional fabrics and colors with the same pattern. Quilting groups in South Carolina invite her for trunk shows and presentations to demonstrate taking a traditional, simple quilt block design and doing something new with it. Phillips’ work is regularly included at the South Carolina State Fair, and she shares her skill in her community: Through partnerships at her church, she assists in making quilts for a Sumter pregnancy center, all babies born to Shaw Air Force Base families, and for area assisted living centers. Duncan Rutherfurd | Aiken | Advocacy, Custom knifemaking The gift of a knife to elementary-aged DUNCAN RUTHERFURD sparked an interest that resulted in tireless dedication to raising public awareness and appreciation of South Carolina’s knifemaking tradition. Rutherfurd is an encyclopedia of information on knifemakers in the state, though he is not one himself, and today’s knifemakers have him to thank for advocacy efforts that keep the tradition strong. Knifemaking, though specialized, has roots in blacksmithing—an essential trade for the farmers of a state dominated by agriculture. Though blacksmithing is no longer widespread anywhere, knifemaking proliferates in South Carolina because of Rutherfurd’s modernizing influence. In late 1970’s he helped organize and promote a knife show for the Aiken Arms Collectors Association. At the time, such shows were the primary way makers reached large audiences. At one of those early shows, while exhibiting his vast collection of South Carolina knives (which he still does today), he conceived of what became the South Carolina Association of Knifemakers (SCAK), a network of support and learning as makers and marketers during the pre-internet 1980’s and 1990’s. As internet usage exploded, Rutherfurd used his IT background to mentor SCAK members on using it to market their wares and themselves as makers. SCAK members recognized Rutherfurd’s tremendous contributions to South Carolina’s knifemaking community with an honorary membership. He served as an advisor to McKissick Museum’s curatorial team on the exhibition Carolina Knives: The Roots of a Revival in 2021. Rutherfurd’s collection was core to one of its storylines and provided a bridge between the older generation of knifemakers and a new generation, which recently organized the South Carolina Custom Knifemakers’ Guild.
About the University of South Carolina McKissick Museum The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum tells the story of southern life: community, culture, and the environment. The Museum is located on the University of South Carolina’s historic Horseshoe with available parking in the garage at the corner of Pendleton and Bull streets. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. The Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. The Museum is closed Sundays and university holidays. For more information, please call at 803.777.7251 or visit https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/mckissick_museum/.
About the South Carolina Arts Commission The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in four areas: arts learning, community and traditional arts, artist development, and arts industry. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for #Arts4SC and #SCartists content.
South Carolina Arts Commission News Release, Media Contact: Jason L. Rapp, Communications Director. jrapp@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8899

Jason Rapp

Tuning Up: #SCartists in the news

Good morning! 

"Tuning Up" is a morning post series where The Hub delivers curated, quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order...
  Cecil Williams might have a Governor's Award for lifetime achievement, but he sure isn't slowing down. This Times & Democrat story goes into great detail on a new wall art series of his works. Moments of Grace – The South Carolina History That Changed America tells the story of African Americans’ fight for equal rights over decades:

Using his skills in photography, art, and computer graphics, the 84-year-old started the series in 1999. He has just completed 60 of what will be a series of 100 images that depict the state’s history, culture and heritage and how it all intertwines with African Americans’ fight for justice and equality.

Go check it out. Video included! From an award recipient to an SCAC fellowship recipient we go! Per a release from Clemson University comes news on Valerie Zimany (Craft Fellow, 2020): "Professor Valerie Zimany, chair of the Clemson University Department of Art, was one of ten U.S. artists inducted into the International Academy of Ceramics in 2021. Zimany was nominated by members of Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Candidates elected by the Council will be introduced during the 2022 General Assembly in Geneva by the President of the Academy." Read more from the College of Arts, Architecture, and the Humanities here.

Jason Rapp

SCAC selects five for Emerging Artist grant

Up to $1,500 grant includes mentorship, more


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COLUMBIA, S.C. – A ceramicist, a dancer, a painter and fiber and installation artists make up the five #SCartists receiving South Carolina Arts Commission Emerging Artist Grants in FY2022. The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) defines emerging artists as being at an early stage in their artistic career development with no basis in age. Five South Carolina artists were selected to each receive an up to $1,500 Emerging Artist grant from the SCAC in the current fiscal year (2022). They are, left to right:
  • Robyn Arnold of Central (dance)
  • Evelyn Beck of Anderson (fiber)
  • Jordan Sheridan of Columbia (installation)
  • Adrian Smith of Darlington (painting)
  • Jordan Winiski of Greenville (ceramics)
In addition to financial support, the artists will benefit from mentorship and professional support facilitated by the SCAC and Artist Development Director Ce Scott-Fitts. The combined benefits are intended to deepen artistic practice and foster artistic excellence; encourage career growth, advancement, and sustainability; and provide professional development and opportunities for collaboration. The SCAC awarded an inaugural class of emerging artists in 2021. Work resulting from their grant can be explored in an online exhibition on SouthCarolinaArts.com. An online exhibition of works by the new class of emerging artists is expected to be available in late summer 2022. “It means a lot to be considered an ‘emerging artist’ in my 60s,” fiber artist Evelyn Beck of Anderson said. “Art is a second career for me, and I’ve devoted myself to it completely. This recognition and support for my project spurs me forward and makes me feel that I’m heading in the right direction.” “Funding for emerging artists is crucial for cultivating a community of young creators who are able to discover their artistic voice. I am so thankful for this opportunity,” ceramicist Jordan Winiski of Greenville said. Beyond funding support, Arnold, Sheridan, and Smith expressed that they anticipate benefit from the mentorship provided by the Emerging Artist program, summed up by Arnold: “I am amazed by how comprehensive and engaging the emerging artist program is. The other grant recipients and I not only receive funding to create, but we also get to meet once a month as a group and meet individually with Ce (Scott-Fitts), the artist development director. That means receiving an incredible support group of other artists as well as personalized insight and direction into our emerging journeys.” The application period for the next round of the Emerging Artist Grant is to begin in Fall 2022. The SCAC will announce it on The Hub (https://www.scartshub.com/), on its social media at @scartscomm (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) and other channels.

About the South Carolina Arts Commission

The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in three key areas: arts education, community arts development, and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for #Arts4SC and #SCartists content.

Jason Rapp

All levels of ability and experience welcome at 2016 S.C. Clay Conference

Registration deadline is Feb. 5. SC Clay ConferenceMaking Clay Personal is the theme of the second annual South Carolina Clay Conference, taking place Feb, 26-28, 2016, at the Newberry Firehouse Conference Center in Newberry, S.C. Presenters Michael Sherrill, Glenda E. Guion and Bill Griffith will take attendees through the journey of creating objects in clay that are uniquely personal and expressive of the individual artist. All levels of ability and experience are invited to attend. “I hope that the topic of making clay personal will open a dialogue about sorting out what is important to the clay artist when, at times, the choices seem endless,” says Guion. “We are bombarded with visual images and fragmented thoughts on a daily basis, either through our physical experiences or the new 'virtual realities.' Regardless of the clay material resources or the artist experience, trusting your gut instincts to develop a personal visual language for your work can be the most challenging part of creating the work.” Sherrill and Guion will take the stage on Friday and Saturday to demonstrate their work while interacting with attendees, answering questions and offering inspiration for finding a personal clay voice. On Sunday, Griffith will introduce attendees to the personal journeys of many well-known clay artists. “As makers, we often can reach a point when we become disengaged with our work and feel a need to change technically or aesthetically using new materials, forms and or content,” says Griffith. “Why and when does this occur and how and where do we find inspiration and motivation to make this meaningful shift? My lecture will include images and testimonials from several well-known ceramic artists who have experienced this transition, along with their personal thoughts and perhaps some helpful suggestions." The conference is presented by the Newberry Arts Center, which is a part of the City of Newberry Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. “Our goal in having a yearly conference is to bring together clay artists and potters from across South Carolina in an effort to build a stronger clay community," says conference organizer Marquerite Palmer. "By joining together once a year, we gain knowledge from collaborative conversations, share upcoming workshop information statewide, and discuss individual challenges and successes. Through interaction, communication and education, we hope to move clay forward for the benefit of all S.C. clay artists and potters.” All conference attendees, amateur and professional, are encouraged to bring pottery and sculpture to sell at the 2016 S.C. Clay Conference Pottery Sale. The sale is open to the public and advertised throughout the state. A small percentage of sales is used to support the Newberry Arts Center and the conference. Art work from this year’s presenters will also be available for sale. Some of Newberry’s top restaurants will provide food for meals, the reception and the Saturday night barbecue. Coffee, drinks, snacks and more are also included in the registration fee. Several vendors will be displaying their pottery-related items as well as offering demonstrations and information. Registration is $225 for attendees and $125 for students. For more information and or to register, visit www.southcarolinaclayconference.com or contact Marquerite Palmer, mpalmer@cityofnewberry.com, (803) 321-1015. The South Carolina Clay Conference’s purpose is to assist in the growth and direction of South Carolina potters through presentation, demonstration, and networking opportunities. Conference organziers seek to create a flourishing clay community in the state of South Carolina, with the aspiration to move clay forward. Via: S.C. Clay Conference  

Ceramics class leads Governor’s Cup organizers to commission handmade trophies from Redbird Studio

According to The State newspaper, the organizers of the Governor's Cup road race have commissioned one-of-a-kind ceramic trophies from Redbird Studio and Gallery in Columbia. (See photos of the trophies being made.)

Winners of the Governor’s Cup this fall won’t be handed the standard, commemorative coffee mug once they cross the finish line. Instead, they’ll be getting an original work of art by ceramic artist Virginia Scotchie. Event organizers commissioned the unique trophies to add more prestige to the half-marathon, a mainstay on the calendars of competitive runners since 1973 and now the premiere race in the Midlands. It will be held Nov. 9. Last week, Scotchie began making 200 trophies out of clay dug from a pit in Bethune, a raw and symbolic product. "We really wanted to work with a clay that was from South Carolina," said Scotchie, an art professor and head of the University of South Carolina ceramic studio area. The design is evocative of the state capitol, with a winner’s ribbon and medal draped below the dome. One detail — the color of the glaze — is still under discussion. The artist is leaning toward bronze or indigo blue. “People are going to be talking about this,” said Rick Noble, vice-chairman of the board of the Carolina Marathon Association, the sponsoring organization. “Frankly, most awards at races are pretty mundane.” The finished trophies will not be uniform, of course, since they’re handmade. This is the first time the Governor’s Cup has commissioned handmade trophies. They were the brainchild of Sarah Blackwell, a runner and member of the Governor’s Cup Committee who took a class at Redbird Studio over the summer. She got to looking at some of the work on display in the gallery and approached Scotchie and her partner at Redbird, Bri Kinard, about designing a trophy. “I wanted to have something people actually wanted to display on their mantle,” Blackwell said. The original trophies will go to first-, second- and third-place finishers in the various age groups participating in the half-marathon or the 8K. An 8K is basically five miles, a step up from the more traditional 5K for people who’ve been working on their endurance.
Via: The State

Historic Columbia Foundation debuts exhibit on ceramics in 19th-century Columbia

On July 26, Historic Columbia Foundation will debut From Landrum to Leeds: Common Ceramics in 19th-Century Columbia, a new exhibit highlighting examples of the Foundation’s collection of locally made and used ceramics. The exhibit will be on display at the Robert Mills House through January 31. The exhibit draws on HCF's growing collection of locally made and imported ceramics, including various dining, cooking and storage wares common in 19th-century Columbia, S.C. In addition to Edgefield pottery and a variety of imported English ceramics, exhibit highlights include examples from the Landrum-Stork pottery, which was located in what is today Forest Acres. From Landrum to Leeds is shown as part of the regularly scheduled guided tours of the Robert Mills House. Ceramics are highlighted in a focus gallery and displayed in period-appropriate settings throughout the house. Tours run at the top of the hour Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (last tour starts at 3 p.m.) and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. (last tour starts at 4 p.m.). Free for HCF members, tours are $6 for non-member adults and $3 for non-member youth. Tickets can be purchased at the Gift Shop at Robert Mills, 1616 Blanding Street. HCF’s Second Sunday Roll in August will focus on ceramics as well. John Sherrer, Historic Columbia Foundation’s director of cultural resources, will lead this tour exploring the ceramics interests of 19th-century Columbians. Starting with a guided tour of From Landrum to Leeds, participants will then travel by bus to Forest Acres to see the former location of the Landrum-Stork pottery. Other stops include Main Street, where locals purchased a variety of domestically produced and imported wares for their homes and businesses during the 1800s. The Sunday Roll takes place Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. For more information about the exhibit and the tour, visit Historic Columbia Foundation's website. Images Above: blue shell platter. Made in Leeds and other English manufacturing centers, shell-edge style dishes, serving platters and other forms were popular among residents of Columbia and Richland County. Right: alkaline-glazed stoneware storage jug. Landrum-Stork pottery is a local expression of the alkaline-glazed tradition made famous in Edgefield, S.C. About Historic Columbia Foundation In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House from demolition officially incorporated as the Historic Columbia Foundation. Over the next five decades the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of seven historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization serves as a model for local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Via: Historic Columbia Foundatin  

Don’t forget about these upcoming opportunities…

Here are some deadlines we shared earlier, and now that they're almost here, we want to be sure you don't miss out on the opportunity to take advantage of them!

January 31:

  • The 2013-2014 Southern Circuit Tour provides independent filmmakers with the paid opportunity to participate in a six-venue tour of the Southeastern United States, screen their films for new audiences, and engage audiences in discussions about the content and production of their films. Read more >>

February 1:

  • The 4th annual Charleston Film Festival will review shorts and feature-length films from filmmakers from SC, NC and GA. Cash prizes of $2,500 will be awarded for best regional films; the Grand Prize includes a one-week exhibition at Terrace Theater. Read more >>

February 7:

  • The ArtFields festival juried competition has extended its deadline for new works (2- and 3-dimensional). Three emerging or established artists residing in the Southeastern states will receive career-changing cash prizes that honor their exceptional talents. Top Prize is $50,000 with People’s Choice and Juried Panel Winner prizes of $25,000 each. Read more >>

February 15:

  • South Arts is accepting applications for partner venues to host filmmakers and their work for the 2013-2014 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, providing communities with an interactive way of experiencing independent film. Read more >>

March 15:

  • Carolina’s Got Art! invites amateur and professional artists in South Carolina and North Carolina to enter its 2013 juried shows, with more than $15,000 in cash and prizes. Read more >>
  • The 12th annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition is presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Festival. Objects juried into the show may compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,500. Read more >>
 

Fine craft artists invited to apply for Palmetto Hands Competition & Exhibition

Fine craft artists from across South Carolina are invited to participate in the 12th annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition. Objects juried into 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 Festival, to be held May 3-11, 2013. Applications are available online. Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2013. Presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique exhibition features objects of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and three-dimensional mixed media. Up to 30 works will be selected to tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s Traveling Exhibitions Program. Sites across South Carolina may request the exhibit to tour in their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists. Karen Derksen, director of Winthrop University Galleries and lecturer for the Department of Fine Arts and the Department of Design at Winthrop, will jury this year’s competition. Derksen has coordinated collaborative community projects including the public art installation of Carla Stetson’s "The Red Line" in Rock Hill, MUSE Fest, Pecha Kucha Charlotte and the Artist & Civic Engagement Projects at Winthrop. She has juried a number of exhibitions, acted as small festival representative for the Edmonton Arts Council Festival Granting Jury and served on the panel for the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design 2011 Craft Research Fund Grants. Derksen is also one of the founding members of Media, Art, Design, Exposed in Edmonton. The exhibition will be on display May 3-11, 2013, at the Charleston Area Convention Center. An opening reception and announcement of awards will be held May 3. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Festival, Palmetto Hands, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. [caption id="attachment_3239" align="alignright" width="390"]Susan Lenz, Handed Down Susan Lenz, Handed Down, Best in Show 2012[/caption] Via: North Charleston Arts Festival

National tour of South Carolina face jugs comes to Columbia

The Columbia Museum of Art and McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina have collaborated to bring to South Carolina an exhibit focused on 19th-century face jugs. "Face Jugs: African-American Art and Ritual in 19th-Century South Carolina" is the first exhibition in nearly 30 years to bring together a collection of this African-American pottery. Objects in the show come from private and public collections, including McKissick Museum, the New-York Historical Society, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, among others. The Columbia Museum of Art is the only South Carolina venue on the national tour for the exhibition, which has been jointly organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Chipstone Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting American decorative arts scholarship. The exhibition is a masterworks show celebrating the aesthetic power of these objects and suggesting new ways to consider their uses and cultural meanings. African-American potters produced the ceramic face jugs in the Edgefield District (present-day Aiken County) in the mid-19th century. These expressive faces featuring bulging eyes and bared teeth seem mysterious to modern-day viewers. Although anthropomorphic ceramic vessels have been made for centuries in almost every part of the world, those made in Edgefield are unique. Why do they look the way they do? What did they mean in their own time? How were they used? These questions and more are explored in the exhibition. The exhibition runs through Dec. 16 at the Columbia Museum of Art. A daylong symposium, "Unmasking the Mysteries of Face Jugs," takes place Dec. 8. Visit McKissick Museum's website to register for the symposium. Via: Columbia Museum of Art, McKissick Museum  

Milly