Southern Arts Society: A Fresh Look 2023 awards presented

The awards were presented Saturday, June 24, at Southern Arts Society for their latest competition “A FRESH LOOK. There are only two more weeks to see the exhibit, as the show ends July 29. Much of the artwork is available for sale. Artists from around the region submitted over eighty works of art to be judged for cash prizes. Artists were asked to show their most recent work, taking a fresh look at the world around them. The theme for this show is very open, allowing for a wide variety of subject matter to be entered. Judging the show was Jane Allen Nodine, Distinguished Professor Emerita and retired Gallery Director at the University of South Carolina Upstate, where she served as head of the art program for over twenty years. Miss. Nodine selected First, Second, Third place prizes along with three merit awards.

Artists participating in the exhibit are: Susan Arrowood, Mary Bartrop, Todd Baxter, Janice Booth, Arlene Calvert, Carl Childs, Barbara O’Neal

Davis, Ellen Devenny, Janet

Dyer, Faith Gaillot, Dianne W.

Garner, Timmy Hord, Mimi Irwin, C.M. Kakassy, Robert

E. Klar, Emma Kay Lewis, Rosie Little, Janet Littlejohn, Lori McAdams, Bertie McClain, Kathleen McDermott, Jill Meeks, Martha Moore, Tom Pacheco, Katrin Paschakarnis Breitkreutz, Linda Pellerin, Alex Pietersen, Patricia Pietersen, Cass Roberts, Robert Silver, Austin Walker, Jenna Webb, and Joe Zdenek.

Miss Nodine made the following comments about the show overall, “It is an honor for me to be invited to judge the 2023 Southern Arts Society competition, A Fresh Look. I was pleased to see a variety of styles, media, and subject matter represented, and I congratulate you all for taking the risk to make your work public.”

She continued, “In this exhibition I selected works that met several criteria; technical skill – using established principles of design and composition as well as mechanical mastery, conceptual works – works that prod and challenge the viewer with ideas and images that veer from conditioned responses of beauty and aesthetics, vernacular works – works that may seem awkward and out of character to most established principles of design but in some manner poke at our sense of time, space, and reality.”

“While subject matter and composition are crucial to work, I encourage artists to pay close attention to mechanical skills such as paint application or physical construction. Look at master works and original works by established artists. Practice mixing colors, vary brush strokes and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This is where we learn our most important lessons,” she said.