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Enter the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest fine art, photography judged competitions

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 7 p.m. ET

The 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest is just weeks away, taking place May 3-7.

The event offers some excellent exhibition opportunities for fine artists and photographers ages 16 and up, including the annual Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions. Entries for these judged competitions are eligible for ribbons and cash prizes and will be on display throughout the festival at the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex (5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston). Fine art and photography entries will be accepted at the Charleston Area Convention Center on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 2 and 3, from noon to 7 p.m. Entries should be delivered to the Exhibit Hall loading dock at the rear of the Convention Center, which can be accessed from Amsterdam Street via West Montague Avenue. Artists may enter any combination of categories with a maximum of four entries total. A non-refundable fee of $10 per fine art entry and $5 per photography entry is due at drop-off. Complete details and entry instructions for all exhibition opportunities are available for download at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. There is no pre-jury process or application to complete.

Judged Fine Art Competition & Exhibition

Fine artists aged 18 and up are invited to enter original work into the annual North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Fine Art Competition & Exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,550. There are eight accepted media categories: acrylic, oil, drawing, pastel, watercolor, printmaking, printed new media, and 2-D mixed media. Awards will be at the sole discretion of the judge, independent curator and multidisciplinary artist Michaela Pilar Brown. Brown studied sculpture and art history at Howard University, though she has always been a maker of things. Her work can be found in private and public museum collections across the U.S. Brown is the 2018 grand prize winner of the Artfields juried art competition and has been selected for numerous artist residencies from Vermont to New Zealand. She serves as a facilitator with Artists U, a grass roots professional development non-profit using open-source materials to share professional development tools and strategic planning with artists, as well as on the board of directors for One Columbia and the Barabara Deming Memorial Fund, the oldest ongoing feminist granting agency. Formerly the executive director of 701 Center for Contemporary Art (2020-2022), she is now the owner/director of Mike Brown Contemporary Art Gallery (formerly known as If ART) in Columbia.

Judged Photography Competition & Exhibition

Professional and amateur photographers aged 16 and up are invited to enter original prints into the annual North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Photography Competition & Exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $1,450. Submissions will be accepted in the Professional/Advanced division or Amateur division under the categories of Color and Monochrome. This year, awards will be at the sole discretion of the judge, Elizabeth Bick, assistant professor of Photography at the College of Charleston. Bick is a photographer influenced by her training in classical and modern dance. She has exhibited at the Norton Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Art, Fraenkel Gallery, Houston Center for Photography, and the University of Texas Visual Arts Center. Grants and awards include Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Houston Center for Photography Fellowship, Joan Mitchell Foundation, and The Rudin Prize. She has participated in the summer residency at American Academy in Rome, Ingmar Bergman Estate Artist Residency, La Napoule Foundation residency, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council workspace, and Santa Fe Art Institute residency. Her work has been critically reviewed in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Photograph Magazine, Hyperallergic, and TIME, and she has been commissioned by Public Art Fund, The Atlantic, Harper’s, and NY Times Magazine. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in photography from Yale University.
The Judged Fine Art and Photography Exhibitions are free and open to the public throughout the entirety of the North Charleston Arts Fest. Viewing times are:
  • Wednesday, May 3, 6-8 p.m.,
  • Thursday through Saturday, May 4-6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.,
  • Sunday, May 7, Noon-5 p.m.
Award winners will be acknowledged at Arts Fest Opening Celebration in the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday, May 3, 6-8 p.m. The free public celebration features food, music, a free raffle, live painting demonstration, and more, set among the hundreds of pieces of artwork on display. The Exhibition Encore will be held on Sunday, May 7, from 2-5 p.m. This free event serves as a closing reception for these exhibitions, allowing patrons to view the artwork in a festive atmosphere and make final decisions on purchases. In addition to the vast array of artwork on display, the event offers musical entertainment, a live painting demonstration, and complimentary “bubbles and bites.”
The 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest, set for May 3-7, will mark the event’s 40th year. The festival schedule offers something for all to enjoy, including concerts, dance performances, exhibitions, children’s programs, and more. All festival events and activities are FREE. For more information about the Arts Fest, to download the prospectus for the Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions, or for details on vending opportunities, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. For more information about other exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit the Arts & Culture section of the city’s website, northcharleston.org, or call 843.740.5854.

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Charleston artists wins North Charleston Arts Fest 2023 poster competition

The city of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department announced Christopher Dotson of Charleston as the winner of the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition.

[caption id="attachment_52409" align="alignright" width="300"] Forms in a Landscape | Christopher Dotson | Acrylic | 2023 | Click image to enlarge.[/caption] As the winner of the statewide contest, Dotson’s acrylic painting, titled Forms in a Landscape, will be used to promote the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest, taking place May 3-7. In addition, the artist was awarded a $500 cash prize and the piece has become part of the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection. Forms in a Landscape was one of 62 entries from 33 artists working in 12 cities across South Carolina that were submitted for consideration for the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition. The “hieroglyphic” painting contains symbols that represent different animals, plants, and forces in nature, creating a world that is organic, spontaneous, and mysterious. “Raindrops, dew drops, and tears swirl their way through a landscape that is filled with colorful life,” Dotson explains. “Everything is unbound, but every form is linked to the other forms around it. Each form has its own identity, but every form is the genesis of the idea for the forms that surround it. It is an ecosystem.” Much like the other works in his Natural Instincts series, the painting was made to be experienced, not understood. “Above all else I want to create beauty in a pure form. Nature is the inspiration for that," Dotson said. Dotson earned a BFA from Appalachian State University in 1996. His paintings have been featured in a number of juried and group exhibitions throughout Charleston and Boston as well as on the CBS series "Reckless" and the Netflix series "Outer Banks." He is currently represented by Mary Martin Gallery in Charleston. Learn more about the artist at dotsonart.com. A collection of Christopher’s paintings works will be on display at Park Circle Gallery (4820 Jenkins Ave., North Charleston) May 3-27, 2023. The exhibit will feature Forms in a Landscape along with several other recent works in acrylic and oil. Admission and parking are free. The public is invited to meet the artist at the gallery at a free reception on Friday, May 5, 2023, from 5-7 p.m. T-shirts and posters featuring the winning design will be available for purchase during the festival.
For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest or other competition and exhibition opportunities, contact the city of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843.740.5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

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Time to enter the National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition

APPLICATION/SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Saturday, February 25, 2023 [caption id="attachment_52158" align="aligncenter" width="947"] Click image to enlarge.[/caption]

Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the 17th annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, a key part of the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest.

Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibit and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $19,750. A $1250 honorarium is given to all artists accepted into the show to assist with transportation, installation, de-installation, and incidental expenses. Once all pieces are installed, the juror will award Best in Show ($1,000), Outstanding Merit ($500), and up to three Honorable Mentions ($250 each). The application is strictly available online and may be accessed via the link at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. An application fee of $35 allows artists to submit up to four entries for consideration. Deadline for submissions is Saturday, February 25, 2023. Artists in need of assistance with any part of the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person. Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this 11-month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought provoking, extraordinary sculptures throughout the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park. Set on the banks of the Cooper River, Riverfront Park features 10 acres of walking paths, a boardwalk and fountain, an expansive lawn with performance pavilion, children's play areas, and picnic sites. An estimated 50,000 people visit this public park annually to enjoy the amenities located in the heart of the city’s arts community.
The juror for the 2023/2024 competition and exhibition is Vivianne Lee Carey, sculptor and instructor of art at Converse University in Spartanburg. Carey was born in Millville, New Jersey, of which Carl Sandburg wrote, ”Down in southern New Jersey they make glass. By day and by night, the fires burn on in Millville.” As a sculptor that forms metal and glass by fire, the poetic lines are an affirmation of the materials she utilizes in her work. She received her a bachelor's of fine arts from Converse in 1981, and a master's of fine arts from Winthrop University in 2016. She has been honored to have received several grants for regional public sculptures and her work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeast.
The 17th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition will be on display May 3, 2023, through March 17, 2024, at North Charleston Riverfront Park (1001 Everglades Ave. in North Charleston). A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Charleston Area Convention Center on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, the National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843.740.5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

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Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition opens entry period

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 [caption id="attachment_52174" align="aligncenter" width="948"]Visitors to North Charleston Arts Fest browse entries displayed on tables at Palmetto Hands in an indoor exhibition hall Browsing the Palmetto Hands exhibition at North Charleston Arts Fest. Submitted photo.[/caption]

Fine craft artists from across the state are invited to participate in the 21st annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition.

As the state’s longest-running fine craft competition and exhibition, objects selected for 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 Fest, to be held May 3-7, 2023. A $16 entry fee applies, which covers the artist’s first entry if accepted into the exhibition. Each additional piece the artist chooses to enter will be $15. Artists may submit up to four entries. The application is strictly available online and may be accessed via the link at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Artists in need of assistance with the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person. Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique exhibition offers fine craft artists from across South Carolina the opportunity to exhibit their inspiring objects in the media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and three-dimensional mixed media. Thousands have enjoyed the refined talents of South Carolina fine craft artists during past annual exhibitions.
We are pleased to announce the juror for the 2023 competition is Karen A. Stock, professor of fine art at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. Stock earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She began teaching at Winthrop in 2004. Her specialty is modern and contemporary European art. She guest-curated an exhibition at Winthrop titled “Performing Gender” and investigates gender issues in her scholarship. Stock also received a Fulbright teaching scholarship and spent six months teaching art history in Beijing.
The 21st Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition will be on display May 3-7, 2023, at the Charleston Area Convention Center (5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston). A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Convention Center on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, 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.

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African American fiber artists sought for annual exhibition

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 1, 2023

The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is seeking entries from African American textile artists from across the nation for a special exhibition presented as a component of the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest, set to take place May 3-7.

[caption id="attachment_51687" align="alignright" width="300"] Together As One | L. Brown | submitted image | Click to enlarge.[/caption] African American artists, ages 18 and up, living in the U.S. and working in the medium of fiber are invited to participate in the 16th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition, titled "Sister Girl Friends (and Brothers, too)." The exhibition will be on display at North Charleston City Hall, opening on the first day of the Arts Fest, May 3, 2023, and remaining on view until June 18, 2023. A $30 entry fee allows artists to submit a maximum of four entries for consideration. Up to two entries per artist may be selected by the curator of the exhibition. Artwork submitted for consideration does not have to be complete at time of entry. Artists may enter works in progress. The application can be accessed online at https://NorthCharlestonCulturalArtsDepartment.SlideRoom.com. Read the exhibition parameters carefully. Terms and regulations must be followed exactly or entries will not be accepted. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
Curated by award winning master art quilter and curator, Torreah “Cookie” Washington, this unique exhibition offers African American fiber artists a showcase to display their original and innovative designs. Isadora James once said, “A sister friend is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning a life.” This year’s theme looks to celebrate friendships between sisters (and brothers, too), both familial and those chosen along the way. The challenge for this year’s exhibit is for artists to create a fiber art piece that explores the special bond between sister girlfriends and the strength that can be drawn from these cherished relationships. Sister girlfriends support, defend, encourage, trust, and advocate for one another. They show up in every way. Following the close of the exhibition, up to 20 works will be selected to tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2023/2024 Traveling Exhibitions program. Sites across South Carolina may request the exhibit to tour in their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists. The 16th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition: "Sister Girl Friends (and Brothers, too)" will be on display 8 a.m.-8p.m. daily from May 3-June 18, 2023, on the 1st and 2nd floors of North Charleston City Hall (2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston). Admission is free. A free public reception in honor of the participating artists will be held at North Charleston City Hall on Thursday, May 4, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, the annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843.740.5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

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2023 North Charleston Arts Fest poster design competition underway

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Thursday, December 15, 2022

The City of North Charleston is calling upon South Carolina visual artists to participate in the 40th Annual North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition.

[caption id="attachment_51449" align="alignright" width="325"]Promotional flyer for this call for entries. Click image to enlarge[/caption] The winning piece will become the official poster design of the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest, taking place May 3-7, and will be featured on all promotional materials and merchandise, including posters, billboards, print and digital advertisements, television commercials, program booklets, apparel, online, and more. The winning artist will receive a $500 purchase award and a solo exhibition at Park Circle Gallery during May 2023. In addition, the winning piece will become part of the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection, which is displayed throughout City Hall. The deadline to submit works for the competition is Thursday, December 15, 2022. There is NO entry fee to participate in the North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition. The competition is open to South Carolina residents ages 18 and older. Categories of work accepted are: acrylic, oil, drawing, pastel, watercolor, and 2-D mixed media. Entries must be submitted online at http://NorthCharlestonCulturalArtsDepartment.Slideroom.com by the December 15 deadline. Artists may enter a maximum of three pieces into the competition. The North Charleston Arts Fest is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department. The annual five-day celebration of arts and culture highlights regional and local artists and performers in the areas of Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Art, Media Art, and Literature. For more than 38 years the festival has made quality arts programming affordable and accessible to the widest spectrum of the public, attracting thousands of residents and visitors from throughout the Southeast and beyond to experience free and modestly priced performances, workshops, exhibitions, and activities in a variety of venues, including libraries, community centers, schools, businesses, and parks. The event has matured into one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the state of South Carolina. Previous Arts Fest Design Competition winners include:
  • Deborah Kinard of Kiawah Island, SC (2022),
  • Christine Bush Roman of Johns Island, SC (2020/2021),
  • Joseph Kameen of Graniteville, SC (2019),
  • Hamed Mahmoodi of Greenville, SC (2018),
  • Judy McSween of Charleston, SC (2017),
  • Lisa Shimko of Charleston, SC (2016),
  • Karole Turner Campbell (KTC) of North Charleston, SC (2015);
  • Amiri Geuka Farris of Bluffton, SC (2014);
  • and Linda Elksnin of Mt. Pleasant, SC (2013).
For more information about the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest and other participation opportunities visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com, or contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at 843.740.5854 or culturalarts@northcharleston.org. Artists in need of assistance with any part of the submission process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.

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Mushrooms to take over Charleston’s Hampton Park

Illuminated site-based installation coming in November

You've been warned: More than 100 (illuminated) mushrooms will take over an area of Hampton Park in Charleston from Nov. 5 through Dec. 11.

This art display relaunches Art in the Park, a public art initiative organized by the nonprofit Charleston Parks Conservancy. North Carolina artist Meredith Connelly, who encases lighting in industrial materials to reveal their organic qualities, has created more than 100 hand-sculpted illuminated mushrooms using a heavy-duty thermoplastic. The installation components range in height from 8 to 12 inches and will be integrated into the natural setting of the popular Charleston park resulting in an immersive and interactive experience for all ages. Several of Connelly’s past installations have welcomed more than 250,000 visitors, and her work has been shown at various museums and venues throughout the Southeast. Connelly is excited to bring her work to the Charleston community, she said. Connelly has been conceptually exploring fungal formations for the past three years and has used light as a material for over a decade. As part of her creative process, she hikes and “photographically forages” for inspiration, she explained. She then examines the diverse blooms, colors, and spaces that fungal specimens inhabit. “Neither plant nor animal, fungus has incredible and dynamic characteristics. The function and role of mushrooms across the globe are incomparable,” Connelly said. “They are an interconnected network, and research shows they communicate using electrical impulses through their mycelium, much like neurotransmitters within the human mind. They have the capability to heal the environment, the body, and activate dormant areas of the brain.” “We’re thrilled to relaunch our Art in the Parks program with this incredible piece by Meredith Connelly,” said Natalie Jones, director of programs for the Charleston Parks Conservancy. “Meredith’s nature-inspired art ties so well into our organization’s dedication to building stunning public spaces and encouraging people to connect to their parks.” The Conservancy has organized other public art installations in city parks, but the Art in the Park program has been on hiatus since the pandemic. For more than 15 years, the Conservancy -- through public-private partnerships -- has had a hand in renovating and beautifying more than 20 parks in the City of Charleston. “Mushrooms is a temporary installation that will be configured and installed directly on the grounds of the park. Through this process, I fall into collaboration with nature, light, and the environment, and a visual conversation is formed,” Connelly said. “I use placement and cast light from the installation components to create focal points or highlight the architectural elements in the natural setting, and those elements then relate back to the work and the viewer. “I love bringing the forms back to the spaces that inspired them, and to me, it then feels complete; similar to a life cycle,” she added. “At the core, my work is about connectivity. The light connects the viewers, the natural environment, and the installation components in a way that molds and drives an authentic and approachable experience.” When Connelly is not installing glowing forms outdoors, she also creates hand-cut paper works reflective of the microscopic world and presses them in transparent materials that parallel microscope slides. The artwork will be installed in Hampton Park, 30 May Murray Drive, near the Rose Pavilion and on display through Dec. 11. As part of the Art in the Park program, the Conservancy is hosting a hands-on art workshop on lantern making at 4 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Rose Pavilion in Hampton Park. For registration details, visit charlestonparksconservancy.org. This project was funded in part by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Program through their joint administration of the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program and the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Art and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.
Learn more about the Conservancy and other upcoming programs at charlestonparksconservancy.org.

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North Charleston to present Juneteenth theatre production next week

The North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is set to host a special theatre performance in recognition of Juneteenth in North Charleston on Saturday, June 18, with "When I First Remember" presented by Lady in White Productions.

This original ensemble production is an interactive, storytelling journey full of song, dance, and dialogue appropriate for all ages. The play portrays the passage of African slaves to the Lowcountry and provides a unique and authentic insight into the Gullah Geechee and African American culture. Tickets are on sale via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/when-i-first-remember-juneteenth-event-north-charleston-cultural-arts-tickets-291785015837. Written by Queen Atterberry and directed by Samelia Adams, "When I First Remember" has been described as educational, poignant, and engaging. The cast features Nina Reinaldo, Rose Eunice Atterberry, Duane Branch, and Samelia Adams. Viewers will witness how enslaved Africans survived, adjusted, and adapted to a foreign environment and harsh circumstances, creating a new culture and identity in the Americas. Audience members will also learn about the origin and significance of the Juneteenth holiday. "When I First Remember" will be presented at Centerpoint Church at Remount, located at 1520 Remount Rd. in North Charleston. The performance begins at 7 p.m. and is approximately 1.5 hours long. Tickets are $30 per person. Parking is free. To purchase tickets, order online. Cash will also be accepted at the door. For information on the performance, visit www.facebook.com/WhenIFirstRemember.
For information on other programs and events produced or sponsored by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 843.740.5854 or visit the Arts & Culture section of the City’s website, www.northcharleston.org.

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Enter now! North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Fine Art and Photography competitions

ENTRIES DUE May 2-3, 2022 (details below)

The 2022 North Charleston Arts Fest is just one month away, taking place May 4-8.

The event offers some excellent exhibition opportunities for fine artists and photographers ages 16 and up, including the annual Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions. Entries for these judged competitions are eligible for ribbons and cash prizes and will be on display throughout the festival in Exhibit Hall A at the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex, located at 5001 Coliseum Dr. in North Charleston. Complete details and entry instructions for all exhibition opportunities are available for download at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. There is no pre-jury process or application to complete.

Judged Fine Art Competition & Exhibition

Fine artists age 18 and up are invited to enter original work into the annual North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Fine Art Competition & Exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,550. There are eight accepted media categories: acrylic, oil, drawing, pastel, watercolor, printmaking, printed new media, and 2-D mixed media. Awards will be at the sole discretion of the judge, Bryan Granger, director of exhibitions and public programs at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in Charleston. Granger has helped to organize exhibitions on artists such as Boehler & Orendt, Jennifer Wen Ma, Katrina Andry, Peter Eudenbach, Sara Angelucci, Tom Stanley, Marc Trujillo, Aurora Robson, Chris Jordan, and Colin Quashie. He has helped produce and write for catalogues on artists Marc Trujillo and Fahamu Pecou. He also served as Knight Curatorial Fellow at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach, where he helped to organize exhibitions on artists such as Piotr Uklański, El Anatsui, Eve Sussman + Rufus Corporation, among others. He also has curatorial experience with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, where he assisted with the organization of Form, Balance, Joy: Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art, for which he also contributed to the catalogue. He also has experience with the organizations Independent Curators International, the Artist’s Institute, and Minus Space, all in New York City. His writings have appeared in Daily Serving and Art Practical.

Judged Photography Competition & Exhibition

Professional and amateur photographers age 16 and up are invited to enter original prints into the annual North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Photography Competition & Exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $1,450. Submissions will be accepted in the Professional/Advanced division or Amateur division under the categories of color and monochrome. This year, awards will be at the sole discretion of the judge, Kevin Foltz. Foltz has worked for 30 years as a traveling photographer with a large variety of clients ranging from airline magazines, resorts, inns, and restaurants to Western Union and the Sony Corporation. Recently relocated to Charleston from Miami, Kevin continues to work on travel and culinary projects for the custom publishing industry throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. Although still involved in photography works, he now devotes much of his time to making art in many new mediums. Kevin considers himself to be a folk artist, encountering his muse when roaming. In his work he allows imagery recorded on the film plane to become a platform from which he dives into subjective interpretations of moments in time. Foltz says, “As long as the art is made with the intention of honest and unique self-expression it is worthy of reflection.”

Deadlines

Fine art and photography entries will be accepted at the Charleston Area Convention Center at 5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston, on Monday and Tuesday, May 2 and 3, from noon to 7 p.m. Entries should be delivered to the Exhibit Hall loading dock at the rear of the Convention Center, which can be accessed from Amsterdam Street via West Montague Avenue. A map and directions are included in the prospectus. Artists may enter any combination of categories with a maximum of four entries total. A non-refundable fee of $10 per fine art entry and $5 per photography entry is due at drop-off. The Judged Fine Art and Photography Exhibitions are free and open to the public throughout the entirety of the North Charleston Arts Fest. Viewing times are Wednesday, May 4, 6-8 p.m, Thursday through Saturday, May 5-7, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, May 8, Noon-5 p.m. Award winners will be acknowledged at Arts Fest Opening Celebration in the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday, May 4, 6-8 p.m. The free public celebration features food, music, a free raffle, live painting demonstration, and more, set among the hundreds of pieces of artwork on display. The Exhibition Encore will be held on Sunday, May 8, from 2-5 p.m. This free event serves as a closing reception and celebration of these exhibitions, allowing patrons to view the artwork in a festive atmosphere and make final decisions on purchases. In addition to the vast array of artwork on display, the event offers musical entertainment, a live art demonstration, and complimentary “bubbles and bites.”
The 2022 North Charleston Arts Fest, set for May 4-8, will mark the event's 39th year. The festival schedule offers something for all to enjoy, including concerts, comedy, dance performances, exhibitions, children’s programs, and more. All festival events and activities are free. For more information about the Arts Fest, to download the prospectus for the Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions, or for details on vending opportunities, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. For more information about other exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit the Arts & Culture section of the City’s website, northcharleston.org, or call 843.740.5854.

Jason Rapp

Park Circle Gallery to exhibit #SCartists Guevara, Shank

Opening today! The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department is offering concurrent solo exhibitions of mixed media works by Camela Guevara and photographs by Stephanie J. Shank.

They are on display at Park Circle Gallery through March 26, 2022. A free reception hosted by the artists will be held at the gallery on Friday, March 25, from 5-7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

render – Mixed media works by Camela Guevara

In render, Charleston based artist Camela Guevara contemplates the intersection of art and craft, activating ordinary art materials of canvas and plaster with fiber art and her distinctive painting style. The works evoke the tension between ephemerality and permanence, encasing knots within plaster like built up scar tissue. She contemplates our stubbornness and intractability in the face of change, and whether we can meet the needs of our society in terms of care and climate reality. Guevara graduated from the College of Charleston in 2010 with a bachelor's in studio art with a concentration in sculpture, printmaking, and painting and, in 2016, she attended the Penland School of Crafts for weaving. She has been teaching embroidery, sewing, and mending in workshops and one-on-one lessons since 2012 and served as the city of North Charleston’s 2017/2018 artist-in-residence, as well as the Gibbes Museum of Art visiting artist in May 2021. She received an SCAC Artists' Ventures Initiative grant for FY22. Her work has been displayed in several solo and group exhibitions in local and regional venues, including Greenville Center for Creative Arts, North Charleston City Hall and City Gallery, Virago Gallery, the Gibbes Museum of Art, Public Works Art Center, and Redux Contemporary Art Center. Camela is currently the sculpture studio technician at the College of Charleston, in addition to freelance sewist and graphic designer. Learn more about the artist at camelaguevara.com.

June – Photographs by Stephanie J. Shank

In her exhibit June, Stephanie J. Shank of Summerville presents a series of photographs that collectively represent a surrogate portrait of her grandmother’s domestic life, rich with tradition, southern craft, and feminine daily ritual. "June" is an investigation of memory, chore, and emotion, found through what remains of the feminine and material culture of the early 20th century. The featured photographs, presented in both pairs and grids, document the artist’s process of disentangling her grandmother’s narrative through her carefully collected and well curated belongings; the belongings that tie Shank’s family together as a whole. Through these intimate images, the photographer aims to explore and celebrate the life of her beloved relative, while also preserving part of her own history. Stephanie J. Shank received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography from Clemson University in 2007, and quickly transitioned to Savannah College of Art and Design where she received her Master of Arts in teaching in 2008, followed by her Master of Fine Arts in photography in 2020. She has served as program director for Sea Island School of the Arts, was a former photography instructor at Chapin High School, and has been a photography instructor at Summerville High School since 2018. Working as a freelance photographer since 2008, Shank has a portfolio of varied accomplishments, including numerous print publications and solo and group exhibitions throughout the southeast. Learn more about the artist at stephaniejshank.com.
The Park Circle Gallery is located at 4820 Jenkins Avenue in North Charleston. Admission is free and free street parking is available on Jenkins Avenue in front of the gallery, as well as on the adjacent streets and in parking lots close by. The gallery is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, and Noon-4 p.m. on Saturday. Staff and all visitors must wear a face covering while they are in the gallery. Hand sanitizer is provided upon entry. For more information about PCG, call 843.637.3565 or email culturalarts@northcharleston.org. For information on other Cultural Arts programs and artist opportunities, visit the Arts & Culture section of the city’s website at www.northcharleston.org.

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