March 2011

Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg Features Works by Young Artists

The Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg will present the exhibit, Focus on Youth Juried Art Exhibition, featuring works of students in grades nine through 12 in Spartanburg County schools, on view in the Guild Gallery at the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg, SC, from Mar. 8 - 25, 2011. A reception and awards presentation will take place on Mar. 17, from 6-7:30pm. The exhibit will be juried by Scott Cunningham, Assistant Director of the Spartanburg Art Museum.
Robert Urban, local artist and art teacher at Dorman High School, is the coordinator of the exhibit, working with the Guild and area high school art teachers to provide a showcase for young artists.

“I would encourage community members to come see the show,” Urban says of the exhibit that gives some students their first opportunity to exhibit in a professional gallery and compete for monetary prizes.

“The quality of art produced by high school students in Spartanburg County is extremely impressive. High school art students in our county are consistently some of the top art students in South Carolina. Excellent facilities and art educators, outstanding parental support and, of course, great students, complete the picture,” Urban says of the strong art education programs that develop quality artists in local schools.

Prizes of more than $350 will be presented to the award winning artists, and the David Benson Award will be presented to the art teacher with the most student pieces represented in the juried exhibition.

Sponsoring the top four prizes is Wet Paint Syndrome, LLC, a professional art studio space in Hillcrest Specialty Row. Owner of Wet Paint and Assistant Dean for Studio Art at Wofford College, Kristofer M. Neely - himself a graduate of Spartanburg County Schools - wants to “continue finding ways to encourage emerging local artists and art students.”
An anonymous donor has offered a $50 prize for the best entry in photography.

Laura Pinkley, executive director of the Artists’ Guild, explains that sponsoring the youth exhibit allows the Artists’ Guild not only to collaborate with local art education programs, but also to encourage young artists by giving them an opportunity to exhibit in a gallery that is open to the public free of charge. One of the missions of the Artists’ Guild as a professional art organization is to foster a relationship with young artists that will allow them to continue to develop a relationship with the larger art community in Spartanburg.

For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings or contact Laura Pinkley at 864/764-9568.

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