UNC Asheville (Asheville, NC) Craft Campus Director and noted artist Brent Skidmore was recently selected to exhibit new works at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte, NC. The exhibition, "Possibilities: Rising Stars of Contemporary Craft in North Carolina," features work by six craft artists chosen for the quality and complexity of their work. The exhibition is on view through Nov. 30, 2008. Skidmore has three pieces in the show, including a mirror, table and clock crafted from wood and mixed materials. "I strive to always strike a balance that is unique and possibly new to the viewer, adding a different perspective to what we all think of as furniture and sculpture," he said. Skidmore, who joined the University in July 2007, has exhibited works in dozens of solo and group shows throughout the US and abroad. Previously, he was a full-time studio artist in Charlotte for seven years prior to accepting a teaching position at the Kendall College of Arts and Design, Ferris State University in Grand Rapids, MI. In addition, he has taught workshops throughout the country, including the Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts and the Appalachian Center for Craft. He has served as a member of the Energy Xchange planning board, the Penland School of Crafts woodshop planning committee and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design advisory board. He is a founding member of the Furniture Society in Asheville, and currently serves on the boards of the Craft Emergency Relief Fund in Monpelier, VT, and the UNC Center for Craft, Creativity & Design in Hendersonville, NC. He holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Murray State University and a master of fine arts degree from Indiana University. For more information, call the Mint Museums at 704/337-2000.

Apr. 24-25, 2009 marks the newest Metropolitan Arts Council event "Flat Out Under Pressure, an effort by the professional local artists, area businesses and individuals and the city of Greenville that moves Greenville a little more greener by putting pedestrian recycling bins on Main Street. This initiative challenges 2-D (including drawing, painting, print making, and photography, rather than 3-D i.e. sculpture) ­ or "flat"-artists to compete "out" in the Greenville area "under pressure" in a timed 24 hour juried event. The top ten artists will be featured on the front and back of the new stainless steel bins, and the sponsors will have the sides of the bins for advertising purposes. Sponsorships are now available through the Metropolitan Arts Council. Not only will the artists be honored with their work being exhibited in this Outdoor "Art Gallery" with a purpose, but they will also compete for prizes. First prize winner will receive two tickets to Italy and a week stay at an exquisite villa in Tuscany near the art city of Cortona, as well as $1000.00 that is given by sponsor Vantage World Travel in Greenville. Student artists in high school or college may also participate and have a wide array of prizes as well, but will not be featured on the recycling bins. Artist and student applications will be available soon through the Metropolitan Arts Council. Mayor Knox White and the Greenville City Council unanimously endorsed the project, however the city was unable to provide any funding or support for services. All of the costs of the bins which include the purchase, shipping, transfer of artwork and sponsor information, retrieving recycled goods from the bins by a private company and cleaning of the bins will be provided by the sponsors. The city has given a map with the locations of the bins and the space on the sidewalk to place them. It is not an inexpensive endeavor, according to Janette Wesley, local artist and project developer. The cost to sponsor a bin is $6,400.00. The bins are sturdy and beautiful, and cost around $1,500.00 each. Servicing the bins will cost about $3,600.00 each for one year according to Elizabeth Garrison, the owner of Ever Green Recycling, and the remaining costs are for the shipping costs, the transfer of artwork, cleaning, and administration costs. Wesley said "I actually consider it a bargain. If you would advertise in a local magazine or newspaper for one year, it would cost much more than that. And besides, you are saving the landfill from growing ever larger and reducing the need for creating new landfill sites. You are also informing Greenville's visitors and residents about our great local art and teaching children that recycling is the right thing to do. Greenville will also know more about area businesses that support the arts and green initiatives, and the businesses will get their message out on Main Street." Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to power a TV or a 100-watt light bulb for three hours.The 36 billion aluminum cans landfilled last year had a scrap value of more than $600 million. (Someday we'll be mining our landfills for the resources we've buried.) Info provided by (www.oberlin.edu/recycle/facts.html). Recycling waste materials supports about six times as many waste-related jobs as there would be if the same materials were treated as trash.Info provided by (www.buyrecycled.com/facts.htm). American consumers and industry throw away enough aluminum in a year to rebuild our entire airplane commercial fleet every three months. Info provided by (www.buyrecycled.com/facts.htm). South Carolina is Home to World's Largest Plastic Bottle Recycling Plant. The United Resource Recovery Corporation (URRC), headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, is a leader in PET recycling technology. For more information contact (www.greenvillearts.com).

Kimberly A. Alvis, an award-winning fine artist based in Chapel Hill, NC, recently donated a 35" by 40" oil on linen painting to help raise funds for Triangle Day School in Durham, NC. Founded in 1991, Triangle Day School (www.triangledayschool.org) is an independent, co-ed, non-sectarian, non-profit school with a current enrollment of 200 students, including the artist's two sons. The painting, entitled "Horses in a Pasture," is indicative of Alvis' affinity for representational art that captures "the essential beauty inherent in every object as honestly as possible," she says. "Each painting springs from my initial impressions. However unlike most impressionists, I am unable to resist the richness in shadow and colors as I see them. I am also unable to resist the challenge of making a three-dimensional object look realistic within a two-dimensional medium. I strive to capture the form of an object as it emerges into light and express it in terms of paint." "Horses in a Pasture" was sold at auction during a school fundraising event. Originally from Staten Island, NY, Alvis graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1987 with a BA in Art. Since then she has studied at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, the Fechin Institute in New Mexico, The Ecole Albert Defois School in France, and The Art Students League and Parson's School of Design in New York City. Alvis' work has been exhibited internationally at such venues as at The Art Students League, The Salmagundi Club and the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit in New York City and the Huntsman Fine Arts Gallery in Aspen, Colorado. Alvis is represented locally by Sommerhill Gallery in Durham and The Little Art Gallery and Craft Collection in Raleigh, NC. For more information and to see more of the artist's work, visit (www.alvisart.com).

The Arts Council of Lincoln County in Lincolnton, NC, formally announced today the resignation of Shelly Johnston, Executive Director. Effective Aug. 15, 2008, Johnston's resignation enables her to accept an offer to move on to a long-sought-after career within the education system, and to finish her own studies as part of her Masters. Johnston held the position of Executive Director for the last year, providing a significant contribution to, and impact on, the revitalization of the Arts Council. Her personal enthusiasm along with her desire to promote art of all kinds throughout the county and for any age, particularly young and old, has enabled considerable achievement, for which the Arts Council is immensely grateful. We wish her all the very best in her future endeavors. The Arts Council of Lincoln County is a non-profit organization, partially funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln County, the City of Lincolnton, and Lincoln County Schools. The mission of the Arts Council is to develop, promote, and nurture all art as creative endeavors to our community. For further information call 704/732-9044 or visit (www.ArtsLincolnNC.org).

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is pleased to announce that Elliott DeMerell has been named Director of Institutional Advancement and will assume his new position at the Gibbes on Sept. 15, 2008. DeMerell joins the Gibbes from the Children's Home Society and Family Services of Saint Paul, MN, where he served as Senior Development Officer.  Prior to his position with the Children's Home Society, DeMerell worked in development positions with the St. Paul College of Visual Arts, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, the Science Museum of Virginia and the South Carolina State Museum. DeMerell is a native Charlestonian who was raised one block from the Gibbes above his family art gallery and frame shop. According to DeMerell, "I grew up taking art classes at the Gibbes and have always had a personal connection to the Gibbes and the local arts community. I'm delighted and excited to be able to bring my experience from several major museums around the country to further the Gibbes' mission of supporting the arts in Charleston." "We are so pleased that Elliott was interested in returning home to Charleston with the goal of working at the Gibbes.  He brings a vast knowledge of institutional development from some impressive institutions and we are looking forward to his contributions to the museum and the community," said Gibbes Executive Director Angela Mack. DeMerell is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and has been a member of the American Association of Museums since 1993. Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858 (celebrating 150 years in 2008), the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905.  Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection and presents special exhibitions throughout the year. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives. As the aesthetic heart of the Lowcountry, the Gibbes serves the community by stimulating creative expression, increasing economic vitality through tourism, and improving the region's superb quality of life. For further information visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC, has been awarded three grants totaling $75,000 from the North Carolina Arts Council. These grants will support the museum's general programs, the development of the Minnie Evans Study Center, and an artist residency between New Hanover County high schools and Hiroshi Sueyoshi, the artist in residence of the museum's Clay Studio. "We're grateful for the continued support of the North Carolina Arts Council and the NC General Assembly in our community, because without public support, we couldn't sustain the qualitative level of programming our community has come to expect," said the museum's director Deborah Velders. The North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, awards grant money each year to provide diverse arts experiences for citizens in all 100 counties of North Carolina. To be eligible for Arts Council funds, organizations must produce programs of artistic merit that encourage community involvement. Grants require that matching funds be raised by the applicant organization. The Cameron Art Museum is the only art museum in southeastern North Carolina. The museum presents 6-8 changing exhibitions annually; ongoing family and children's programs (Kids @ CAM, summer camps, and after school programs); a unique program of tours for Alzheimers patients and their caretakers (Connections); interdisciplinary programs (lectures, music, films, literature, dance); and ongoing workshops and classes in ceramics at the Clay Studio with resident master artist Hiroshi Sueyoshi. The Museum's permanent collection of fine arts, crafts and design includes work of both historical and contemporary significance. Specific works in the permanent collection are shown in selected exhibitions at the Museum. For more information about the museum visit (www.cameronartmuseum.com).

Award-winning fine artist Kimberly Alvis of Chapel Hill, NC, has donated one of her oil paintings to Works of Heart, the Triangle area's premiere charity art auction to benefit The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina (AAS-C), which will be held on Oct. 11, 2008, in downtown Raleigh, NC. Alvis' painting, entitled "The Pumpkin Patch," is 18h x 24w oil on linen with a retail value of $950. "I'm so happy to be a part of any effort to combat this disease," Alvis said. The 2008 Works of Heart gala and auction marks the 18th year of the annual event to raise money for those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. "At no time has it been more apparent that our success is tied to the success of the artists whose works are on display," said Adam Cave, the 2008 chair of the Works of Heart Art Committee. Cave notes on the organization's website that this year's event is set to surpass one million in total dollars raised since the auction was launched in 1991. For complete information visit (www.worksofheart.org). Originally from Staten Island, NY, Alvis has had her work exhibited nationally at such venues as The Art Students League, The Salmagundi Club and the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, all in New York City, and the Huntsman Fine Arts Gallery in Aspen, Colorado. Alvis' representational art has received numerous awards, including Best In Show two years in a row from The Arts Students League Annual Student Exhibition in New York City. She is represented locally by Somerhill Gallery in Durham and The Little Art Gallery and Craft Collection in Raleigh. For more information and to see more of the artist's work, visit (www.alvisart.com).

Winners of the 2008 NICHE Top Retailer Awards were honored on Aug. 3, 2008, in a ceremony held at the Philadelphia, PA, Buyers Market of American Craft. The Grovewood Gallery in Asheville, NC, was named Retailer of the Year. The coveted Top Retailer Award was presented to 33 retailers and gallery owners in several categories. Sponsored by "NICHE" magazine, the exclusive trade publication for retailers of American craft, the annual Top Retailer Awards program recognizes craft retailers who are committed to fair business practices and to growing and strengthening the North American craft community. Earlier this year, professional fine craft artists throughout the US and Canada nominated more than 600 galleries, retail stores, arts nonprofits, museums and guilds in various categories for the 2008 competition. More than 300 applications were submitted for consideration by an independent jury of craft industry professionals. "This awards program honors galleries and retailers for their commitment to supporting the artists," said Wendy Rosen, publisher of "NICHE" magazine. "It's not about the biggest sellers or fanciest shops. The 'Top Retailers' are often mentors who work hard to build and maintain good relationships with emerging and established artists." Winners in each category will be published in the Autumn 2008 issue of "NICHE" magazine and posted online at (www.AmericanCraft.com).

Redux Contemporary Art Center in Charleston, SC, is delighted to announce that it has hired the newest addition to its staff, Director of Development, Kyle LeGette. LeGette is an alumnus of the College of Charleston, graduating in 1998 with a BA in Studio Art, and has worked as the Assistant Director and grants writer of the Charleston Academy of Music (CAM) since 2005. She will begin to work with Redux this month and will help to design and implement fundraising strategies to achieve the annual and long-term development goals of Redux Contemporary Art Center. She will also provide leadership and strategic direction to maintain and expand support from individuals, corporations, foundations, special events, and other available sources. LeGette will serve briefly as an interim Executive Director of Redux as the Redux Board of Directors and Search Committee conducts a national call for the Executive Director position. The call for a new Executive Director is scheduled to be released by Aug. 15, 2008, and details will be posted on the Redux website at that time. For further info contact Redux at 843/722-0697 or visit (www.reduxstudios.org).

The Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, is pleased to announce the allocation of two small grants awards for the third quarter of 2008. Recipients include: Terry Roueche, $1,000. To enhance performance space, purchase chairs, a dimmer board and theatrical lighting units; and Zan Maddox, $1,000. To create promotional materials for galleries and frame shop. Small Grants are available to individual artists, non-profit organizations, teachers and schools throughout York County, SC. These grants are designed to support specific arts activities that promote the individual artist's professional development or career advancement and/or to support a wide variety of quality arts projects and programs that promote excellence in an arts discipline and make such excellence accessible for general community-wide audiences. The Arts Council allocates $18,000 annually to small grant awards. Organizations and individual artists may request up to $1,000 per grant and may receive up to two grants in a calendar year. Applications for the Oct. - Dec., 2008 grant period are due Sept. 1, 2008. Information and applications are available through the Arts Council at 803/328-2787, or on the web at (www.yorkcountyarts.org). This small grants program is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation.

Famed North Carolina basket maker Billie Ruth Sudduth will be honored at a reception from 5-7pm, on Sept. 26, 2008, at UNC Asheville's Reuter Center. The reception, hosted by UNC Asheville and the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, will celebrate Sudduth's 25 prestigious years in basket making. A special exhibit of Sudduth's baskets culled from numerous private collections will be on view for one night only. A video retrospective of Sudduth's work will also be presented. Light refreshments and music by Asheville hammer-dulcimer player Susan Weatherford will round out the evening. After leaving a 20-year career as a school psychologist in 1989, Sudduth began spending more than 10 hours a day in her Bakersville, NC, studio making, collecting and writing about baskets. Her destination studio is known as JABOBS, an acronym for "Just a Bunch of Baskets." Sudduth's baskets, which are often derived from mathematical formulas discovered by 13th-century Italian mathematician Fibonacci, are in the collections of the Renwick Gallery in Washington, the Museum of Art and Design in New York, the Asheville Art Museum, the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Art in Wisconsin, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte. She has been selected to exhibit at the prestigious Smithsonian Craft Show 13 times. In 1997, Sudduth was designated a North Carolina Living Treasure, the state's highest honor for creative excellence in crafts. The event is free but reservations are required. For more information or to RSVP by Sept. 19, 2008, call the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement at 828/251-6140. The reception kicks off a weekend basket making workshop with Sudduth as part of the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement's Studio Master Series. Other distinguished artists who have taught courses in the series include photographer Tim Barnwell, painter Julyan Davis, conductor Daniel Meyer, furniture maker Gary Rawlins and painter Deborah Squier.

Five individuals and one organization have been selected to receive the 24th Annual Raleigh Medal of Arts, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission (Raleigh, NC) has announced. The recipients are Lucy Daniels, Dr. Charles (Chuck) Davis, Lenard D. Moore, Susan Newberry, Jeffery H. Richardson, and Capital Bank. The Raleigh Medal of Arts is awarded for lifetime extraordinary achievement in the practice of, or in support of, local arts. Originally based on the National Medal of Arts, the program was inaugurated in 1984 by the Arts Commission so that excellence in the arts could be given special recognition. Over the past 24 years, 122 medals have been awarded. The recipients have ranged from businesses like Progress Energy, arts organizations such as North Carolina Symphony, to artists such as sculptor Thomas Sayre and choreographer Robert Weiss. The 24th Medal of Arts ceremony will take place on Oct. 8, 2008, at 7pm in Fletcher Opera Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. The ceremony will feature special guests (to be announced shortly) and performances, followed by a festive reception. The event will be free and open to the public. For more information about the selected medal recipients, please visit (www.raleighnc/gov) or contact the Arts Commission office at 919/890-3610; or e-mail to (Belva.parker@ci.raleigh.nc.us).

Acclaimed Southern artist Jim Harrison was honored for his many contributions to art and the State of South Carolina on June 5, 2008 by the South Carolina House of Representatives in Columbia, SC. Citing Harrison as a "nationally and internationally acclaimed artist" and as "one of the Palmetto State's Chief Art Treasures," the resolution congratulates Harrison on his more than 38 years as a successful artist and on the occasion of his 20th anniversary of Jim Harrison Gallery in Denmark, SC. The resolution was presented by Representative Bakari Sellers who represents District 90 of Bamberg, Barnwell and Orangeburg Counties. For further info you can call the gallery at 803/793-5796 or visit (www.jimharrison.com).

Mountains To the Sea Gallery in Charleston, SC, has been selected for the 2008 Best of Charleston Award in the Art Galleries & Dealers category by the US Local Business Association (USLBA). The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties. The US Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington, DC, based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising. The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America. For further info contact the Mountains to the Sea furniture and gallery at 843/722-1144 or visit the USLBA at (www.USLBA.net).

Calling all art lovers! This past week TAP (Transylvania Arts Promotion) and TC Arts (Transylvania Community Arts Council) launched the new arts website (www.artsofbrevard.org) to promote all arts in Transylvania County. "Our area is known throughout the country as a "Vibrant Arts Hub", so the first thing TAP wanted to create was a "Virtual Arts Hub": one place where a visitor or resident could get all the information about all the arts in our area" said Paula Wesley, website administrator for the TC Arts Council. The website's goal is to include all serious artists, emerging as well as world renown, all arts venues, and all arts events from Transylvania County. If you are an artist or an arts organization in the county we invite you to log on to (www.artsofbrevard.org) and register your information. This website was created for area residents and visitors who are interested in the arts. TC Arts Council invites everyone to log onto the site to see the interactive calendar of arts events, which can be selected by date or art classification. Be sure to check out the directory of amazing artists, arts organizations and arts venues in Transylvania County. Each artist has their own profile page where musicians can stream their music, and fine arts and crafts artists can display images of their artwork. Then click on the Art Tours button for complete information on the 4th Friday Gallery Walks, the 14 sculptures in town and the Scenic Hwy. 276 South Galleries and Studios. Tammy Hopkins, Executive Director for the TC Arts Council said, "This site is made possible through a grant from the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority and funds from the Transylvania Community Arts Council. We are excited to have all artists, arts organizations and tourism entities working together to promote our community." Hopkins states that, "This process began back in the winter of 2007 as individual artists, musicians, writers, performers, and representatives from the Transylvania Community Arts Council, Brevard Music Center, The Porter Center for the Performing Arts, Brevard Little Theatre, Brevard Orchestra Association, Heart of Brevard, Brevard Chamber of Commerce, arts organizations, and arts businesses, all came together to start TAP (Transylvania Arts Promotion) and promote ALL arts in the county." The TC Arts Council would like to thank all of those who have made TAP possible. Thanks to: Lessa Brandon, Tammy Hopkins, Joan VanOrman, Carol Dodson, Sue Hershey, Patricia Travis, Joe Narsavage, Lynne Warner, Gary Heisey, Patti Black, and representatives from the Brevard Music Center, the Porter Center for the Performing Arts, Chamber of Commerce, the Heart of Brevard, and all the artists and arts organizations that have bought into the concept of promoting ALL ARTS in the County. The TC Arts Board of Directors would also like to thank the TAP web team, who through many hours of volunteer work created this site: Paula Wesley, Candace Thompson, Karen Alcorn, Sue Hershey, and Tammy Hopkins. Thanks to Jack Christfield and Sue Hershey for some of the photos used in the site. And a special thank you to the web designer Adam Khoury at (www.flashbuilding.com). For questions about the arts in Transylvania County and to donate, contact Tammy Hopkins at the Transylvania Community Arts Council at 828/884-2787. Or go to the "Contact Us" page on the website at (www.artsofbrevard.org).

After 21 years with the South Carolina Watermedia Society (SCWS), Kim Richards has left the organization to move back to Washington State. The society has hired a new director, Damita Jeter, from Lexington, SC. Jeter earned her BA in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina and has extensive experience as a meeting and special events planner. The new contact information for SCWS is: Damita Jeter, SCWS Executive Director, 80 Ridgecreek Dr., Lexington, SC 29072. Phone: 803/351-2721; e-mail at (scwatermediasociety@gmail.com) or visit (www.fineartsemporium.com).

As the Columbia Museum of Art continues its 10th Anniversary on Main Street in Columbia, SC, visitor numbers soar with an 18% increase of attendance and outreach during the past fiscal year. During that year, which ended on June 30, 2008, 128,288 people reaped the benefits of a world-class collection, a variety of educational and outreach programming for all ages and traveling exhibitions from all over the world. "In looking at its impact, the Museum brings to the city center a dynamic energy, economic vitality, and creative presence that has contributed significantly to the revitalization of Main Street and the quality of life in the city," executive director Karen Brosius said. Attendance and outreach steadily increased over the past five years. The Museum's fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. In the Museum's 2004 fiscal year, overall attendance and outreach was at 58,481 which grew to 91,983 in the 2006 fiscal year and then again to 128,288 in the 2008 fiscal year that just ended. The Museum attributes its rise in attendance and outreach to its continuing expansion of education and outreach efforts to reach a more diverse audience and to vigorous and effective marketing efforts. Exhibitions from around the world are shown at the Museum that provoke thought, encourage creativity and enrich the lives of visitors. Generous funding from Richland County, the City of Columbia, the Columbia Museum of Art Commission and from museum supporters makes each exhibition possible. For further information call the Museum at 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).

Presbyterian Hospital in Huntersville, NC, recently purchased Wayne Trapp's kinetic sculpture, "Afternoon at the Circus". The sculpture is 12' h x 6' d and is constructed of stainless steel. The colorful glass balls inside the piece were hand-blown by Ryan Blythe, a master glass-blower from Banner Elk, NC, who previously worked with Dale Chihuly. Trapp has worked in stone and steel for over 30 years creating lavish, even colossal, outdoor pieces and smaller more unique indoor sculptures for corporate and private clients. Trapp received his BFA from Ohio State University. He also studied at the Pratt Institute, the Art Students League, and The Institute of Art in Pittsburgh. His bold and exuberant works grace innumerable public and private collections. For more information visit (www.waynetrapp.com).

The Arts Council of Beaufort County will present, "Seeking Common Ground: Beaufort County's Arts Summit", on Aug. 18, 2008, from 10am to 4pm at the Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island, SC. Artists and everyone else who is part of the arts industry county-wide will discuss: the creative economy; arts partnerships; copyright protection; arts in education; cultural plans, and more. In other words - all the factors that impact the growing creative economy in Beaufort County. This summit is open to all Beaufort County artists, arts organizations and interested parties. To participate in the arts summit, RSVP to Colleen at the Arts Council of Beaufort County at 843/379-2787. To deepen the conversation, the Arts Council of Beaufort County is offering a nine-question survey in preparation for the summit. The idea-provoking survey can be characterized by Question #9: If you had three wishes for Beaufort County's creative economy, what would they be? The survey will be online through Aug. 8, 2008. To take the survey, and for more information about the arts summit visit (www.beaufortcountyarts.com).

Szostak Design of Chapel Hill, NC, has been selected to provide design services for a master plan and major renovation to the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), an art museum located in Winston Salem, NC's Buena Vista neighborhood near Wake Forest University. SECCA was founded in 1956 to provide gallery space for local artists, but has expanded since then to provide a venue for artists from around the United States, with an emphasis on the Southeastern states. SECCA opened at its current location, 750 Marguerite Drive, on the estate of James G. Hanes in 1977. Hanes bequeathed his home and grounds for SECCA in his will. Szostak Design hopes that this project will further SECCA in its mission to educate and involve audiences in the art of our time. Work is slated to begin on the art center in the fall of 2008. For more information contact Szostak Design by calling 919/929-5244; e-mail at (info@szostakdesign.com) or visit (www.szostakdesign.com). Contact SECCA at 336/725-1904 or visit (www.secca.org).

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is inviting visitors to interact with the Museum's Permanent Collection on its newly enhanced web site. Enjoy art activities for all ages, videos and lots of great information on a variety of objects in our permanent collection. Select an interaction at (www.gibbesmuseum.org/explore/interactions) and explore a signature work of art from the Gibbes collection. Using the work as a launching point, interactions offer an in-depth exploration of the artists, subjects, and styles that have shaped the art of Charleston and the south. The Museum is also inviting viewers to visit its new blog found at (www.gibbesmuseum.org) and join in the discussion. They hope you will become an active participant on the Gibbes' site and use it as a means to share your thoughts, reflect upon a visit to the museum and build a personal relationship with art. The blog is for you, so don't be shy! For further information contact the Museum at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuesum.org).

South Carolina photographer Eric Horan will be featured on two episodes of "Wild Photo Adventures TV", a new television series to begin airing weekly on PBS, SC-ETV beginning July 5, 2008. Produced and hosted by Doug Gardner, "Wild Photo Adventures TV" is the first series of its kind devoted entirely to photographing wildlife in their natural habitat. Season I, includes thirteen, 30-minutes episodes where viewers will be guided to favorite photo destinations of a select group of wildlife and nature photographers across North America. "We'll be showcasing the environment and the wildlife that inhabit it - while offering tips and some pretty ingenious tools photographer's use in the wild," said Gardner. Throughout Season I of "Wild Photo Adventures TV", viewers will travel coast to coast with Gardner and a different photographer on each episode exploring a variety of natural and man-made habitats for wildlife. Among the adventures will be in search of burrowing owls at Cape Coral, FL, exotic wading birds along Florida's Gulf coast, underwater photography of Manatee on Florida's Atlantic coast, White-tailed deer at Cades Cove, TN, dramatic waterfalls in the Appalachian Mountains, Elephant Seals in southern California and into one photographer's backyard for a songbird habitat created just for photography. Horan will co-host Episode 6, titled "Photographing Wildlife in the Lowcountry of South Carolina" and Episode 12, titled "Exploring the Wilds of the ACE Basin". In both episodes, viewers will travel along with Horan and Gardner in search of prime nesting and feeding activities of the Brown Pelican, Oyster Catchers, dolphin and a variety of coastal wading birds along the scenic shorelines, inter-coastal waterways and barrier islands surrounding Beaufort, Hilton Head Island and Charleston. The first airing of Episode 6 is on SC-ETV is planned for Aug. 9, 2008 at 4:30pm, however checking local listings is advised. The series is also available online at the producer's website at (www.wildphotoadventures.com). Horan has been photographing the coastal southeast since 1981. He started his commercial photography business, Eric Horan Photography, Inc., on Hilton Head Island in 1996. In 2000, he added the publishing arm, Southern Light Photographic for the distributing arm for his products including calendars, prints, note cards and books, including his tabletop photography book, "Carolina Nature, A Photographer's View of the Natural History in the Carolinas". He currently leads photo tours in the Lowcountry and in Costa Rica. "A great thing is that people call me all the time to share an interesting wildlife sighting," said Horan. "I've built a nice repertoire of locations to share with other photographers interested in learning more about outdoor photography." Horan has received numerous awards from juried art exhibitions to prestigious international competitions. Among the most notable are The Carnegie Museum Natural World Photographic Exhibition, Studio Magazine International Annual Design Competition, Timberpeg Annual Architectural Award for Photographic Excellence, Piccolo Spoleto Annual Juried Art Exhibition and the South Carolina Wildlife Magazine Annual Photography Exhibition. His images have been selected for editorial publications and include Business Week, Cruising World, Fortune, McCall's, the New York Times Sunday Travel, Outside, Sail, Sandlapper, Smithsonian, Southern Living, Tennis and Time. Books where his photography is featured include South Carolina, A Compass American Guidebook (published by Fodor's), Outside Magazine's EXPOSURE (deemed 100 of their finest photographs over 15 years), Lowcountry A-Z and National Geographic Books. Horan is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers and founding member of the South Carolina chapter. He is also a member of the Carolina Nature Photography Association, the Beaufort Camera Club and the Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce. A frequent contributor and presenter to local civic organizations, Horan has recently donated over 1000 of his 2008 calendars to South Carolina veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. For more information call 843/524-3037; e-mail to (erichoran@horanphoto.com) or visit (www.horanphoto.com) or (www.southernlight.biz).

Green Rice Gallery, a fine arts gallery showcasing the works of over 100 talented local and national artists, in Charlotte, NC, is branching outside its gallery walls to offer a new service that brings art directly into area homes and offices. Green Rice Gallery Without Walls will offer complimentary in-home personal consultations and interior business services. The complimentary personal art consultations offer buyers the opportunity to have a gallery associate provide guidance and recommendations on artwork style, color and size. The goal is to understand the buyers' interests and tastes and bring that vision directly into the home to try on the walls. The gallery associate can also work with artists and buyers on commission pieces to get that perfect look and fit to complement their space. In addition to the personalized in-home consultations, Green Rice Gallery Without Walls will offer a corporate component to bring interior art services into area businesses. From personalized art designed specifically for the business space to an artist leasing program that allows businesses to lease art from the gallery to enhance their space to art buying presentations. "Art is often times considered a luxury purchase and we want to show people they can have affordable original artwork and support local artists," said Allison Wolf, owner of Green Rice Gallery. "People are busy and we want to make it as easy as possible for people to shop for their home and business. The opportunity to work one-on-one with a gallery associate and try art out on your walls is attractive. It gives buyers confidence and piece of mind in what they are buying." For more information call 704/344-0300 or visit (www.green-rice.com).

"TRINITY", a twenty-six foot, 4,000 pound, sculpture, designed and constructed by renowned sculptor, Wayne Trapp of Vilas, NC, has arrived at the West Market United Methodist Church in Greensboro, NC. Trapp is well known for his commissioned works throughout the United States, as well as Puerto Rico, Germany and England. Gracing the courtyard in front of the church's bell tower, three vertical pieces reach to encircle a gold leafed globe. Made of core-tin steel, there are twelve projections on one of the vertical pieces representing the twelve disciples. Nine projections on another vertical piece represent the fruits of the Spirit. The structure invites the viewer's personal interpretation based on the perspective of his or her own individual faith. Placed in front of the historic church, which was constructed in 1893, the sculpture provides a complement to the spirit of the congregation, both proud of its heritage and progressive in nature. A gift to the WMSUMC congregation and to the community by Mr. and Mrs. William R. Soles, Jr., the sculpture was dedicated on June 8, 2008. For further info call 828/297-4722 or visit (www.waynetrapp.com).

After serving as executive director of Redux Contemporary Art Center in Charleston, SC, for nearly 3 years Seth Curcio has resigned his position effective Sept., 5, 2008. Curcio submitted his letter of resignation to the Board of Directors June 2, 2008. While reluctant to lose such an effective leader of Redux, the board supported his decision to leave and will begin a search for a new executive director effective immediately. Curcio has agreed to remain in an unpaid part-time curatorial position through January 2009, stating that an opportunity to dedicate more time to other creative endeavors was his main reason for resignation. During Curcio's leadership he has increased the operating budget over 35% and introduced new programming including a full education program with over 40 annual classes, workshops and an outreach program that serves the after-school programs at the Cannon St. YMCA, Boys and Girls Club and the Girl Scouts of America. He has also implemented several successful lectures, film screenings, and panel series to unite Charleston's artistic community and to provide a base to support contemporary artistic discourse. Most recently, Curcio curated the exhibition "The Constructed Image" which introduced the work of five up and coming national artists, garnering national press and elevating the quality of contemporary art exhibited by Redux. During his tenure membership has increased 110% as well as contributions from individuals, business and corporations, while he built the staff from 1 to 3 employees. Redux will add a Director of Development this summer. Curcio stated when his term ends in September he will immediately begin expansion of the online contemporary art publication, (www.DailyServing.com), which he founded in 2006. His first main project will be a book lead by Curcio and a small team of writers, due out sometime in 2009. In addition, Curcio stated that he is eager to return to his own studio practice and continue working on an ongoing series of paintings and photographs. For further information contact Redux at 843/722-0697 or visit (www.reduxstudios.org).

In a unified effort to celebrate the founding of The Gallery Guild of Henderson County, the charter members have planned a gallery tour in downtown Hendersonville, NC. On July 5, from 10am-5pm, the newly formed Guild will celebrate with this inaugural tour featuring special exhibitions in each of the 15 galleries belonging to the Guild. To help visitors locate each gallery, a newly published Gallery Guide to Henderson County will be available in the Visitor's Center on Main Street and in galleries wherever you see the red balloons. Each gallery will host a different exhibition and light refreshments will be served along the route. The new gallery guide will also indicate the style and purpose of each gallery. Galleries on the route are on and off Main Street, continuing down the Greenville Highway and on to Flat Rock, NC. This heart of Western North Carolina was made popular for its natural beauty and cool mountain air, but it now has a new identity as one of our nation's most noted arts' destinations. With its wide selection of musical event, theatrical production and the abundance of the visual arts, Henderson County continues to attract visitors from all over the world. More recently, many who have chosen Henderson County as a year-round home enjoy a community rich in the arts. Few areas in the United States can match the concentration of artists and galleries in this enchanting part of Western North Carolina. A multitude of galleries features a wide array of art from local, regional and international artists. Not only do visitors still come to the area to experience the mountains, but also come to collect the unique art found in our galleries. As for those who decide to make this area their home, most would agree that the accessibility to the arts was an important factor in making this decision and a location having so many galleries only adds to the quality of life. Mark your calendar for July 5 and experience the wonderful array of art as you follow the Gallery Guide of Henderson County: The best art destinations in the heart of Western North Carolina. Founding members of The Gallery Guild of Henderson County include: The Arts Council of Henderson County, Gallery Studio B, Hand in Hand Gallery, McCarter Gallery, Mona!, Mountain Song Gallery, Narnia Studios, Oliver's Southern Folk Art Gallery, Red Step Artworks, The Conn-Artist Studios & Art Gallery, The Funky Bungalow Mosaic Co., The Portrait Source, Wickwire fine art/folk art, and William Gordon Gallery. For more information and links to the gallery web-sites visit (www.galleryguild.com). At these web-sties you will be able to view works from each gallery, find important phone numbers, hours of operation and addresses.

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, announced that photographer Jeff Whetstone of Durham, NC, has won the 2008 Factor Prize for Southern Art and the $10,000 cash prize that accompanies the award. This is the first year of the Factor Prize which acknowledges an artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic achievement in any media while contributing to a new understanding of art in the South. Artists who work in or who are from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee or Virginia were nominated for the 2008 Prize online at (www.factorprize.org) through Feb. 10, 2008. Six panelists reviewed over two hundred and fifty applicants and narrowed the list to seven artists on Mar. 10. The seven finalists were Jose Alvarez, Radcliffe Bailey, William Christenberry, Henri Schindler, Philip Simmons, Stacy-Lynn Waddell and Jeff Whetstone. At the museum's Annual Meeting on May 19, the Gibbes announced that Jeff Whetstone had won the Prize. According to Todd Smith, former executive director of the Gibbes, "we chose Jeff Whetstone from among the seven short listed artists for his multivalent engagement with the Southern experience in both the human and natural realms. In his 'New Wilderness' series Jeff makes sense of that liminal space in our modern world between society and nature. The wilderness of the region that he seeks to portray is oddly familiar in its trappings yet eerily foreign in its presentation. In his recent body of work, the 'Post Pleistocene' series, Jeff Whetstone examines the marks that humans leave on the land and in particular the accreted marks left behind by generations of humans as they explored the caves of east Tennessee and Alabama. The building up of signs on the walls of these caves dates to the Civil War era and has continued into our times. This desire to leave a mark and to make the landscape our own is captured by Jeff's large-scale photographs. Finally, it was Jeff's willingness to engage in the most quintessential of southern tropes, the male redneck, that sets him apart. For all of us southern men, the shadow that the redneck persona casts on our lived and imagined experiences is a real one, and Jeff is one of the few contemporary artists who seeks to celebrate, challenge and make sense of the stereotype in all of its complexity." On the (www.factorprize.org) website, Whetstone noted, "I was raised in a rural setting. A duality charged the woods and fields of my native East Tennessee. I feared the wilderness and loved it. These conflicting attitudes developed the landscape as a character in my life, not merely a setting. It is the character of the land that has developed me." Jeff Whetstone was born in Chattanooga, TN, and has been photographing and writing about the relationship between man and nature since he received a Zoology degree from Duke University in 1990. After receiving his MFA in photography from Yale in 2001, he was awarded the prestigious Sakier Prize for photography. Whetstone's work has been exhibited at museums throughout the world. In 2006, his black and white photographs were included the "Gibbes Now!" exhibition. His photographs have received reviews in "The Village Voice", "New York Times", "New Yorker Magazine" and the "Los Angeles Times". Whetstone was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2007 for a body of work entitled, "New Wilderness". On his application for the Guggenheim Fellowship, Whetstone noted, "I am a biologist at heart. When I look at a landscape I see an ecological system and when I look at a human I see an animal." Whetstone currently teaches at the Art Department of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. Elizabeth and Mallory Factor, devoted collectors and patrons of the arts, established the Factor Prize to bring attention to southern artists. The Factors relocated to Charleston from New York City in 2006 and also maintain a family home in Gastonburg, AL. Elizabeth Factor, an attorney, was on the board of the Drawing Center and on the Whitney's Photography Committee while in New York City. Mallory Factor, a merchant banker and consultant, serves on many corporate and not-for-profit boards including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the American Theatre Wing and the TONY Awards Administration Committee. Angela Mack, Executive Director of the Gibbes Museum of Art, acknowledges "through the vision and generosity of Elizabeth and Mallory Factor, the Gibbes will have a consistent voice in the Southern contemporary art scene. We are grateful to them for this opportunity to recognize high-quality art pertinent to this region." Nominations for the 2009 award have already started on the (www.factorpize.org) website. The Factor Prize website not only serves as a nomination point for artists but it is also an archive of information about Southern artists that can be used by curators, collectors, academicians and the public. Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection and presents a series of special exhibitions annually. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives. As the aesthetic heart of the Lowcountry, the Gibbes serves the community by stimulating creative expression, increasing economic vitality through tourism, and improving the region's superb quality of life. For further information contact Marla Loftus, Director of Communications, Gibbes Museum of Art by calling 843/722.2706 x38 or e-mail to (mloftus@gibbesmuseum.org).

The Shain Gallery, one of the finest contemporary art providers in the Carolinas, celebrates its Tenth Anniversary and is proud to announce the launch of its new website (www.shaingallery.com). Shain Gallery represents a diverse group of artists with a wide variety of themes and colors. "The arrival of paintings for a show is greatly anticipated," says owner Gabrielle (Gaby) Shain-Bryson.  "Our website will allow us to provide detail about the artists and exhibitions and while online, visitors can sign up to receive our E-News. We have 'gone green' and will send our show announcements and calendar events via e-mail. Our clientele prefers first choice in purchasing new arrivals, and E-News will be a highly effective means of communication to meet their needs."  In addition to the E-News feature, the website offers an artist database complete with images of available works and biographies. "If a client sees an image on our website and knows it is what they are looking for," she continues, "they can receive our E-News and know exactly when it will be available at a show." Located in the heart of Charlotte, NC's historic Myers Park neighborhood, the Shain Gallery has earned its reputation and "Charlotte Magazine's" "Best Conservative Artwork" distinction by serving a discriminating clientele of regional homeowners and corporations.  Representing more than twenty nationally and regionally acclaimed artists, the Shain Gallery offers consultation and acquisition assistance, and an annual schedule of exhibitions.  "The gallery is open to the public and welcomes clients who are just beginning to collect art and those who have been collecting for years," says Shain-Bryson.  "We have a fabulous space to view the art and make it easy for collectors and art-lovers alike to come in and see what we have to offer." Cyndee Patterson of the historic Duke Mansion offers a wonderful endorsement for the Shain Gallery and its owner saying, "Gabrielle Shain-Bryson listens and understands that art is something that people react to differently - she finds your style and it is always perfect."  Collector Joan Zimmerman also praises her saying, "Gaby has introduced us to some wonderful art and artists. The personalized touch, along with the knowledge she delivers, makes Shain Gallery a special place." The current exhibition at the Shain Gallery is the work of Kim Schuessler.  With collectors spanning from Hawaii to the East Coast, Schuessler's work is always in high demand. She has over 25 exhibitions to her credit including several sell-out shows in collaboration with retail giant Neiman Marcus. For additional information about the Shain Gallery and its calendar of exhibitions, visit (www.shaingallery.com).

Claire Oakley, whose advertising clients have included Carmax and Visit Charlotte, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of The Art Institute of Charlotte in Charlotte, NC. Oakley has served as Account Director and Human Resource Director at BooneOakley Advertising Agency in Charlotte for the past seven years. "We are pleased to welcome Claire to the Board of Trustees. Her experience expands the dimensions of our membership as our college grows," said Dr. Marylouise Fennell, RSM, Board Chair. Brad L. Janis, President of The Art Institute of Charlotte, said, "Claire's background in advertising and fashion and her relationships with so many businesses throughout the greater Charlotte area are extremely relevant to The Art Institute of Charlotte as we continue to expand our programs of study and our outreach across the region." Oakley began her advertising career at Young and Rubicam in New York where she gained experience working on brands such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Thomas' English Muffins. She was Account Executive for the launch of Certs Mini Mints, and she also launched Choclairs Candy Bar. Later she moved to Margeotes, Fertitta & Weiss where she was the lead Account Manager on "New York Newsday". Switching paths, Oakley launched the Eileen Fisher Women's Clothing line in New York. Together with Eileen Fisher, her husband, and a handful of others, Oakley opened the first Eileen Fisher retail store on Madison Avenue and was involved in every aspect of the business - marketing, inventory control, merchandising, advertising and selling. Fashion Marketing & Management is one of the largest programs of study at The Art Institute of Charlotte. The Art Institute of Charlotte offers bachelor's degrees in Culinary Arts Management, Digital Filmmaking & Video Production, Fashion Marketing & Management, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Photography, and Web Design & Interactive Media; associate's degrees in Culinary Arts, Interior Design, Fashion Marketing, Graphic Design, and Web Design & Interactive Media, and certificates in The Art of Cooking, Residential Design, Digital Design, and Web Design. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools and is licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges and the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina. The Art Institute of Charlotte is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. For further info contact Susan Jetton, Director of Public Relations, The Art Institute of Charlotte by calling 704/357-5963 or e-mail to (sjetton@aii.edu).

The Board of Directors of The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is pleased to announce that Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs, Angela D. Mack, assumed the position of Executive Director on May 1, 2008. During her twenty-year tenure at the Gibbes, Mack has guided its collection mission in American art of the South with significant acquisitions including "Dutch Wives", 1977, by Jasper Johns, "Bombardment of Fort Sumter", 1886, by William Aiken Walker, "Corene", 1995, by Jonathan Green, and the video installation object entitled "Like Tears in Rain," 2006, by Janet Biggs. "We are especially pleased that Angela has agreed to become the new Executive Director," said President, Thomas S. White. "In her years as curator, she has been devoted to promoting the importance of the Gibbes as the steward of Charleston's visual history. This, together with her intimate knowledge of the museum's collection and understanding of the community it serves, places her in an ideal position to lead the Gibbes in the years to come." Mack is curator of the 2008 traveling exhibition "Landscape of Slavery: The Plantation in American Art" recently on view at the University of Virginia Museum of Art, Charlottesville, VA. The exhibition will open at the Gibbes on May 9. Additionally, Mack has organized or provided curatorial oversight for over three hundred exhibitions at the Gibbes that have included works by such artists as Louis Nevelson, Roy Lichtenstein, Larry River, Sol LeWitt, Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton, John James Audubon, and Lorna Simpson. In addition, she has served as a consultant for numerous city wide arts initiatives including the recent reinstallation design for the art collection at Charleston's historic City Hall. Mack's publications include "Landscape of Slavery:  The Plantation in American Art", (2007)  "Edward Hopper in Charleston" (2006), "Henry Benbridge (1743-1812): Charleston Portrait Painter" (2000), the award winning "In Pursuit of Refinement: Charlestonians Abroad, 1740-1860" (1999), "Merton Simpson: The Journey of an Artists" (1995), and "Corrie McCallum: A Life in Art" (1995). Her essay in the 2001 publication "Charleston in My Time: The Paintings of West Fraser" is the first comprehensive survey of landscape painting in South Carolina.  A contributor to several periodicals, she has written articles for "The Magazine Antiques", "Sculpture Magazine", "American Art Review", and "South Carolina Historical Society Magazine", and prepared several entries for "The South Carolina Encyclopedia" (2006) edited by Dr. Walter Edgar. Mack serves on the Board of the Charleston Civic Design Foundation and is a member of the Arts and History Commission for the City of Charleston. Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858 (celebrating 150 years in 2008), the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905.  Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection and presents special exhibitions throughout the year. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives. As the aesthetic heart of the Lowcountry, the Gibbes serves the community by stimulating creative expression, increasing economic vitality through tourism, and improving the region's superb quality of life. For further information call the Museum at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

The Upstate Visual Arts Board of Directors in Greenville, SC, is pleased to announce that Jonathan Taylor has been elected to serve as its President. Taylor has served as Treasurer on the executive committee and will continue to do so. Taylor is succeeding Joyce Moore who served as the UVA Board of Director's President for one term. The Board is also excited to announce that JJ Ohlinger has been elected as Vice President of Programming and Cindy Roddey has been elected as Vice President of Development. UVA is looking forward to moving ahead with its new executive committee. For further info contact Laura Linz, Director of Administration at 864/232-4433 or e-mail to (upstatearts@bellsouth.net).

The Hodges Taylor Gallery in Charlotte, NC, was recently honored as a recipient of a Settlers Award for 2008 by the Charlotte CENTER CITY Partners. The award recognizes the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit of businesses that have been key contributors to the quality of life in the Center City. In business since 1981 in uptown Charlotte, Hodges Taylor is Charlotte's oldest gallery and has led in bringing creativity to the uptown spaces. Committed to supporting art and artists of the Southeast and to art in corporate spaces, the gallery consistently showcases an invigorating and challenging collection of artwork. Over the years, the gallery has moved to various locations - always uptown - demonstrating both the vision of its owners and their dedication to the development of uptown Charlotte as a vibrant city in which to live and work. Our thanks to Charlotte CENTER CITY Partners and we look forward the continuation of the "Urban Evolution". For further info contact the gallery at 704/334-3799 or visit (www.hodgestaylor.com).

Mia Katrin for JEWEL COUTURE LLC's "Hearts of Gold" Tahitian and South Sea pearl necklace with diamonds was recently featured on the cover of "Southern Jewelry News" with a beautiful full-color photo of the necklace. The piece was designed especially for the American Heart Association's 50th anniversary prestigious white-tie "Heart of Gold" Heart Ball in Charlotte, NC, and has received wide national publicity. The Collections of Mia Katrin for JEWEL COUTURE LLC are receiving major national publicity, recently featured by "Jewelers' Circular Keystone" ("must have jewelry") and "Rapaport Report" ("sumptuous designs favored by Hollywood celebrities"), among others. The award-winning Precious Briolette Collection, featuring one-of-a-kind and limited edition necklaces of precious gems in 18-24 karat gold and platinum, is featured in top stores and galleries nationwide. Worn by A-List Hollywood celebrities, the versatile Collection of exuberance, spirit and style features cutting-edge style, the finest materials and meticulous workmanship. Katrin's syndicated monthly Byline column "Jewelry By Design" reaches 100,000 monthly through various media outlets, including "Southern Jewelry News", "Mid-America Jewelry News", "Jewelry Crafts Magazine", "Adornment Magazine", and (www.bestofartists.com). It is also available on the blog (www.miakatrin.com), and (www.jeweljewel.com), (click on New Monthly Byline, top left). The new Best Sellers Catalog is now available and being distributed upon request to top stores and galleries nationwide. Request your copy at (info@jeweljewel.com), 877/539-3569, (www.jeweljewel.com), JEWEL COUTURE LLC, Box 217, Fleetwood, NC, 28626.

The Arts Council of Lincoln County in Lincolnton, NC, has selected a new logo for our organization from the many entries submitted to our Logo Competition Contest. The winner, Karen Carnes of Lincolnton will receive all the fame and fortune of having her logo utilized daily by the Arts Council of Lincoln County and receive recognition on the Arts Council's new website, (www.artslincolnnc.org). Carnes is a local artist who is the proprietor of Hoke Signs & Graphic Designs of Lincolnton. All entries were considered and the Arts Council of Lincoln County thanks all participants for their time and efforts. For further information call the Arts Council of Lincoln County at 704/732-9044 or visit (www.artslincolnnc.org).

The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC, has received a grant from the Corning Incorporated Foundation to support Kids@CAM, a monthly educational program designed for children and families. Kids @CAM is a monthly series of programs that introduces children to an art museum. Children expand their imagination, creativity, and appreciation of the visual arts through treasure hunts, art activities, and gallery tours. This program provides children and young people with access to high quality art in all mediums, hands-on arts experience to encourage individual creativity - and an introduction to museums as important cultural resources in the community. Established in 1952 to administer to the charitable contributions of its sponsoring company, Corning Incorporated Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities where Corning Incorporated is an active corporate citizen. Donations from the Foundation to local organizations and to national and international institutions support programs and projects in the sectors of education, arts and culture, and health and human services. Recent studies show that children who participate in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair, are elected to class office within their schools three times more often, and are three times more likely to win an award for school attendance. For further information contact the Museum at 910/395-5999 or visit (www.cameronartmuseum.com).

Travelers Rest Arts Mission in Travelers Rest, SC, and Workhorse Creative of Greenville, SC, have put together a Self-Guided Studio Tour Brochure that offers people a chance to see what really goes on in an artist's studio. Six artists from Northern Greenville County participated in the project including: Greg and Joel Patton, Jo Ann Taylor, Bob Chance, David Young, Don Lewis and Darrell and Georgia Harrison. The brochure lists the artist's contact information and websites, and people are able to call the artists for an appointment to visit their studios. "The artists were happy to open their studios up to the public," says Nichole Livengood, who worked with Caroline Harrington of Workhorse Creative on the project. "It's a great opportunity to visit these artists year round, and purchase work for your home or for a special occasion." The brochures are available at shops and restaurants throughout Northern Greenville County. For more information, you may contact TRAM at (info@trartsmission.org).

Artist Steed Taylor creates series of road tattoos for the North Carolina Museum of Art Park Trail in Raleigh, NC. Taylor and community volunteers are creating "Invasive" - a series of road tattoos resembling invasive plant species painted on the paved surfaces of the Museum Park trails. The Museum Park's new work of art will cover more than 1,000 feet of Park trail, leading visitors from the Park entrance at the visitor parking lot, through the Park, and up to the Reedy Creek Pedestrian Bridge. The swirling painted patterns physically invade the trail, creeping in from the edges and flowing across the path. "Invasive" will be unveiled during the Museum's Earth Day Festival on Apr. 19, 2008. The outdoor event features music, tours, environmental workshops, and an unveiling of the new "Arts Ramble" trail. "Invasive" is the first project in an ongoing series of site-specific art projects, Art Has No Boundaries, commissioned by the Museum to encourage visitors of all ages and physical abilities to actively explore the Museum Park. This three-year series is part of the Active Community and Neighborhood grant program funded by the John Rex Endowment through the Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch of the N.C. Division of Public Health. The North Carolina Museum of Art's permanent collection spans more than 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt to the present, making the institution one of the premier visual arts museums in the Southeast. The Museum uses its collection to provide educational, aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural experiences for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. The Museum offers a series of changing national touring exhibitions, classes, lectures, family activities, films, and concerts. For further info call the Museum at 919/839-6262 or visit (www.ncartmuseum.org).

Eric Horan

South Carolina photographer Eric Horan will be featured on "Wild Photo Adventures TV", a new television series to air on PBS, SC-ETV and Time Warner Cable beginning in April 2008. Produced and hosted by Doug Gardner, "Wild Photo Adventures TV" is the first series of its kind devoted entirely to photographing wildlife in their natural habitat. Season I , in 13, 30-minutes episodes, viewers will travel across North America to learn from a select group of wildlife and nature photographers working on location in their favorite destinations. "We'll be showcasing the environment and the wildlife that inhabit it - while offering tips and some pretty ingenious tools these photographer's use to photograph in the wild," said Gardner. Horan will co-host Episode 6, titled "Lowcountry Wildlife". In Episode 6, viewers will travel with Horan and Gardner in search of prime nesting and feeding activities of the Brown Pelican, Oyster Catchers, dolphin and a variety of coastal wading birds. Horan will lead TV viewers on a photo expedition along the scenic shorelines, inter-coastal waterways and barrier islands surrounding Beaufort, Hilton Head Island and Charleston, SC. The first airing of Episode 6 is on SC-ETV, May 10, 2008, at 4:30pm. PBS and Time Warner stations will begin the series on a different airing schedule later spring. The series is also available online at the producer's website at (www.wildphotoadventures.com). Throughout Season I, viewers will travel coast to coast with different photographers each episode as they explore a range of eco-systems. These include burrowing owls at Cape Coral, exotic wading birds along Florida's Gulf coast, underwater photography of Manatee on Florida's Atlantic coast, White-tailed deer at Cades Cove, Tennessee, dramatic waterfalls in the Appalachian Mountains, Elephant Seals in southern California and right into one photographerís backyard for a songbird habitat created just for photography. Horan has been photographing the coastal southeast since 1981. He started his commercial photography business, Eric Horan Photography, Inc., in 1996. In 2000, he added the publishing arm, Southern Light Photographic for distributing his calendars, fine-art prints, note cards and books including his tabletop photography book, "Carolina Nature, A Photographer's View of the Natural History in the Carolinas". "A great thing is that people call me all the time to share a unique wildlife sighting," said Horan. "I've built a nice repertoire of locations to share with other photographers interested in learning more about photography and the lowcountry." Horan is a national member of the American Society of Media Photographers and founding member and former officer of the South Carolina chapter. He is also a member of the Carolina Nature Photography Association and the Beaufort Camera Club. A frequent contributor and presenter to local civic organizations, Horan has recently donated over 1000 of his 2008 calendars to South Carolina veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Horan has received numerous awards from juried art exhibitions to prestigious international competitions. Among the most notable are The Carnegie Museum Natural World Photographic Exhibition, Studio Magazine International Annual Design Competition, Timberpeg Annual Architectural Award for Photographic Excellence, Piccolo Spoleto Annual Juried Art Exhibition and the South Carolina Wildlife Magazine Annual Photography Exhibition. His images have been selected for editorial publications and include "Business Week", "Cruising World", "Fortune", "McCall's", the "New York Times Sunday Travel", "Outside, Sail", "Sandlapper", "Smithsonian", "Southern Living", "Tennis" and "Time". Books where his photography is featured include "South Carolina, A Compass American Guidebook" (published by Fodor's), "Outside Magazine's EXPOSURE" (deemed 100 of their finest photographs over 15 years), "Lowcountry A-Z" and National Geographic Books. For more information call Horan at 843/524-3037 or visit (www.horanphoto.com) or (www.southernlight.biz).

The South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC, will observe 20 years of service to South Carolina and the world Oct. 29, 2008. However, the celebration of this milestone will take place throughout the year, and in a number of ways. Many residents of the Midlands will notice that the 2008 AT&T telephone book and its smaller companion yellow pages feature the State Museum on the cover. This continues a partnership begun two decades ago, when the Museum was first on the cover of the phone book issued by BellSouth, AT&T's predecessor. Those who have received mail from the Museum have seen a colorful, celebratory 20th anniversary logo sticker affixed to the envelope. These will continue to appear through 2008. Advertising and promotional materials also will carry this logo. "These are a great start to our celebration, but there's a lot more to come to make this a special year," said Executive Director Willie Calloway. On Apr. 25, 2008, the Museum will open its first exclusive juried art show, the "State Museum 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition". On June 27, 2008, the Museum will open a special anniversary exhibit, "The South Carolina State Museum: 20 Years of Treasures". On Aug. 16, 2008, the Museum will open for a 20-hour marathon day of free programs and fun for the public, from 9am-5pm the following morning. Music, birthday cake, games, demonstrations, movies, stargazing and much, much more will highlight this pre-back-to-school extravaganza. A $120-per-ticket black tie gala will observe the date more formally on Oct. 30, 2008. Even "Images," the Museum's members' magazine is getting into the act: for the remainder of 2008, "Images" will be 20 pages long, up from its usual 16 pages, in order to provide members and other readers even more information about the State Museum and its activities. Plus, special 20th-anniversary editions of the Museum's signature events (including a second edition of the popular Museum Roadshow, coming in August) will punctuate the calendar from April to December. "This is a joyous occasion for the Museum," Calloway said. "To think that South Carolina went from being one of only seven states without a state museum in 1988 to opening - and maintaining - one of the finest in the land is really something to celebrate. "We began as 'South Carolina Under One Roof,' and that tradition of excellence in service to education, culture, tourism and recreation has continued to this day. It's a record all South Carolinians can be proud of, and we strive daily to keep that pride growing. "We can hardly wait to see what the next 20 years will bring!" For further information call the Museum at 803/898-4921 or visit (www.museum.state.sc.us).

Following artist Jason Craighead's recent participation in "Microcosm/Macrocosm," an exhibit of his new work along with that of artist Tricia McKellar, the City of Raleigh (NC) has purchased the largest piece he included in the show, "Travel Park 2," an 80-inch wide by 80-inch tall mixed media on panel painting. The exhibit was held in the Miriam Preston Block Art Gallery in the Avery Upchurch Municipal Building in downtown Raleigh from Feb. 1 to Mar. 13, 2008. The artist hasn't been told exactly where the city will display its new painting, "but I'm honored and delighted that the City of Raleigh now has a piece of my work in it's collection," he said. Craighead recently served as a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission's (RAC) 30th Anniversary Committee. He describes his current work as "ideas on construction, deconstruction, revitalization, and the energies produced in an urban environment. They're not depictions of reality, but responses to the visual treat that is everyday city life within the structure and chaos that surrounds us. There is beauty to be found in the grit if we choose to be observant." Craighead lives and works in downtown Raleigh. He is currently represented by Somerhill Gallery in Chapel Hill, NC, Broadhurst Gallery in Pinehurst, NC, Anne Irwin Fine Art in Atlanta, GA, and Bucks Gallery of Fine Art in Newtown, PA. For more information on the artist, go to (www.somerhill.com) or contact Kim Weiss at blueplate pr, at 919/272-8615.

Five paintings from the Museo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico will be loaned to the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, for 18 months beginning in May as part of an exchange between the two museums. The Ponce museum is recognized as one of the most important museums of European art in Latin America and, like the Columbia Museum of Art, was the recipient of a generous donation of Renaissance and Baroque works from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. The five paintings being loaned to Columbia will be integrated into the galleries to fill important gaps in the Museum's collection. Karen Brosius, executive director of the Columbia Museum of Art says, "The quality of these paintings is extraordinary and will complement our museum's collection in an important way - bringing to our visitors a greater understanding of 18th and 19th-century French painting." The paintings on loan include Charles Frederick Ulrich's famous "The Glass Blowers" (1883), which inspired the young Vincent van Gogh (who purchased an engraving of the painting) with its gritty depiction of modern urban life. The Columbia Museum of Art's French collection will be augmented by the loan with a painting by 19th century French academic artist William Bouguereauand with a mountain landscape by Gustave Courbet, long regarded as the father of the Realist movement in 19th-century art. A portrait of the Comtesse de Chatenois demonstrates the considerable talents of Elisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, the most successful and famous woman painter of the 18th century. One of only a few women admitted into the male-dominated French Academy of Painting and Sculpture, she became the official court painter to Marie Antoinette and subsequently fled France at the onset of the French Revolution. From November through February 2009 the Columbia Museum of Art's "The Seine at Giverny" by Claude Monet, Julien Dupré's "Home from the Pasture", and "Ferry Boat" by Jean Baptiste Armand Guillaumin will be loaned to the Museo de Arte de Ponce as part of the exhibition "The Path to Impressionism", which investigates 400 years of French landscape painting culminating in Monet and the Impressionists. The Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina's premier international art museum and houses an extraordinary collection of European and American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collections include masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, works by significant furniture and silver makers, and modern and contemporary art. In recent years the Museum's collection of Asian art and Antiquities has grown through generous gifts to the collection. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli's "Nativity", Claude Monet's "The Seine at Giverny", Canaletto's "View of the Molo", and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs that include lectures, films and concerts, and it is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina. Generous support to the Museum is provided by the City of Columbia and Richland County. For further info call the Museum at 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).

The North Carolina Museums Council has granted its 2008 Creative Award for Exhibition Catalogues to "Between Taste and Travesty: Costume Design by William Ivey Long", which accompanied the special, one-time exhibition of the five-time Tony Award Winner at the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC. The Council's criteria to choose "the Best of the Best" in multi-media categories include artistic quality, innovation of design and usability. "Between Taste and Travesty" contains articles by Michael Finegold, Howard Kissel, Don Quaintance, Alexandra Sargent, John Simon and Alex Witchel.  Designed by Don Quaintance (Public Address Design, Houston, TX), the catalogue features full-color photographs from the productions for which William Ivey Long designed the costumes, including "Hairspray", "Chicago" and "The Producers". It was published by the Cameron Art Museum in 2007 and with 72 pages with 104 color plates and 10 halftones. (ISBN978-0-9793359-0-7, $24.95). Catalogues may be purchased in the museum shop. The Cameron Art Museum presents ongoing, changing exhibitions in three areas of its museum facility designed by Gwathmey Siegel and Associations (New York City). For further information call the Museum at 910/395-5999.

The Scrolls have found a very good home in Special Collections at the Addlestone Library at the College of Charleston, Charleston, SC. Mary Walker said the following about the Scrolls Project, "as the custodian of The Scrolls it has been very important for me to find an appropriate place for them. They still need to be catalogued. This may happen by summer. After they are catalogued they will be available on the internet by Google. The College can choose to exhibit all or a part of them and the public can request to view them." Special Collections evaluates, acquires, organizes, preserves, and makes available printed and archival materials including the College archives, rare books and pamphlets, publications related to the history of South Carolina, manuscript collections, and library materials that are rare, valuable, or fragile. 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 Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC. For further info visit (www.cofc.edu/~speccoll/Main.html) or (www.thescrollproject.org).

The work of North Carolina ceramic sculptor Rose Tripoli Mueller is featured in the March-April issue of "Clay Times Magazine'. The illustrated work, titled "The Sage and The Boy", won First Place at Spartanburg County Museum of Art's Sidewalk Art Festival. Mueller graduated from the State University of New York Art School at New Paltz and is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. She is represented in Blowing Rock, NC, at the Guild's Parkway Craft Center in the Moses Cone Manor. In addition, her work is currently in the "Go Figure" exhibit at Hand in Hand
Gallery in Flat Rock through Apr. 27, 2008. She will also be included in the "Shine On Brightly" exhibit of
memorial art, opening Apr. 11, 2008, at Merrimon Galleries in Asheville, NC. For more information, contact Rose Tripoli Mueller at 828/248-1566 or e-mail at (rosetripolimueller@yahoo.com). Or look for her booth at the Guild Fair in Asheville from Oct. 16-19, 2008.

Artspace, Raleigh, NC's premier downtown visual art organization, received a $2,500 grant from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation in support of its artist residency programs. Since launching the residency programs in 2000, Artspace has fostered the careers of 18 promising young artists and supported the livelihood of 8 nationally accomplished artists. "Artspace is thrilled to receive this support from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation," said Executive Director Mary Poole. "Through the support of the Foundation Artspace is able to provide artists with a collaborative, dynamic environment in which to work and the community the unique experience of watching the creative process unfold before their very eyes." Artspace provides three artist residencies each year. Two 6-month residencies are awarded to North Carolina emerging artists through the Regional Emerging Artist Residency Program and 1-month residency is presented to an established artist each summer through the Summer Artist Residency Program. Each resident artist participates in Artspace's educational programs including classes, workshops, and tours. At the conclusion of each residency, the artist's work is presented to the public in a fully supported exhibition and gallery talk. Artspace's current Regional Emerging Artist-in-Residence is Casey Porn. Porn has been in residence at Artspace since January and will continue working in the building through June 2008. Born in Boulder, CO, and raised in Raleigh, Porn attended NCSU College of Design, earning a Bachelors of Art and Design. Her work depicts a variety of small animals and draws inspiration from current events and pop culture. In summer 2008 Artspace will introduce this year's Summer Artist-in-Residence Eileen Doktorski to the Triangle community. Doktorski received her MFA from the Yale School of Art and her BFA from Parsons School of Design in NYC. She was a Fulbright Scholar at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland, and has received awards for her work from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey State Council for the Arts, and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. During her residency Doktorski will be completing Deluge, a mixed media installation exploring the emotions surrounding an unplanned relocation. For more information about the Regional Emerging Artist Residency Program or the Summer Artist Residency Program, please visit (www.artspacenc.org) or call 919/821-2787.

Beginning Spring 2008, The Downtown Marriott in Columbia, SC, will provide a unique service to Hotel guests and visitors which will allow eager patrons of the arts to purchase tickets for the hottest local arts and entertainment happenings from one central downtown location in Columbia. Coleman, Columbia's very own Cultural Concierge will be the face of this unique and unifying endeavor, that brings some of Columbia's top cultural attractions together for the first time. Anyone that is visiting or staying at the Downtown Marriott will be able to purchase tickets directly from the convenient downtown outlet: Right There! Right Then! Anyone that is interested will also have the opportunity to pick up literature and information regarding local cultural events and happenings from the same spot. "We are looking forward to begin offering this gold-key service to our guests to further enrich their experience while staying in Columbia" said Peter Austin, General Manager of the Downtown Marriott. Participating organizations will include: The Colonial Center, Workshop Theater, Nickelodeon Theater, South Carolina Philharmonic, Columbia Classical Ballet, Trustus Theater, The Columbia Art Museum, and additional local galleries, museums and attractions. "This is a great new opportunity to help publicize the arts in Columbia, we are excited to be a part of it" said Rhonda Hunsinger, Executive Director of SC Philharmonic. Coleman Knows! aims to publicize and support all of the great arts and cultural gifts Columbia has to offer, and to create a new outlet for public access to local events with convenient purchasing of tickets from one individual 'box office'. The Columbia Marriott is at the heart of the warm city. The completely nonsmoking, 300-room hotel offers 27,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, a business center, several dining options, a concierge lounge, an indoor pool and easy access to the South Carolina State House. For further info contact Shayna Katzman, Account Director, Un-Limited Marketing Solutions at 803/556-8251.

The City of Spartanburg (SC) has announced details of Spartanburg Creative Energy, an exciting new initiative that promises to focus the community on a spectrum of creative endeavors while improving economic vitality and the quality of life throughout Spartanburg. From helping to connect people from all walks of life to existing cultural and creative opportunities in Spartanburg though communication and marketing efforts to helping germinate new creative endeavors, the launching of Spartanburg Creative Energy marks a turning point in the city's ongoing cultural renaissance. Spartanburg Creative Energy will seek to build on and increase the momentum gained by the opening of Hub-Bub's Showroom in 2005 and the Chapman Cultural Center last year. The goals of Spartanburg Creative Energy are to promote the city to its citizens and visitors by capitalizing on the creative energy it produces and promotes; promote all that is creative through a public awareness communication system; and engage creative energy in all. One of the first tangible results of Spartanburg Creative Energy is a new web site, (www.spartanburgcreativeenergy.com), that undoubtedly will become a clearinghouse for information on local cultural events and entertainment options while connecting residents to a variety of opportunities within the community. Jennifer Evins will chair the Spartanburg Creative Energy Steering Committee, a diverse group of 23 people from across the community. For further info contact Susan Schneider at 864/596-3068 or e-mail at (sschneider@cityofspartanburg.com).

The Arts Council of Lincoln County in Lincolnton, NC, has selected a new logo for our organization from the many entries submitted to our Logo Competition Contest. The winner, Karen Carnes of Lincolnton will receive all the fame and fortune of having her logo utilized daily by the Arts Council of Lincoln County and receive recognition on the Arts Council's new website (www.artslincolnnc.org). Carnes is a local artist who is the proprietor of Hoke Signs & Graphic Designs of Lincolnton. All entries were considered and the Arts Council of Lincoln County thanks all participant for their time and efforts. For further information please call the Arts Council of Lincoln County at 704/732-9044 or visit (www.artslincolnnc.org).

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, announced the Short List of Finalists for the 2008 Factor Prize. This is the first year of the Factor Prize which acknowledges an artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic achievement in any media while contributing to a new understanding of art in the South. Artists who work in or who are from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia were nominated for the Prize online at (www.factorprize.org) through Feb. 10, 2008. Six panelists reviewed the hundreds of applicants and narrowed the list to seven artists on Mar. 10, 2008. The six panelists for the 2008 Factor Prize were philanthropists Elizabeth and Mallory Factor who established the prize; Rebecca Demling Cochran, freelance art critic and Curator of the Wieland Collection; Walter Edgar, The Claude Henry Neuffer Professor of Southern Studies, the George Washington Distinguished Professor of History and the Louise Fry Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of South Carolina; Angela Mack, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs for the Gibbes Museum of Art; and Trevor Schoonmaker, Curator of Contemporary Art at The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. The seven artists selected for the 2008 Factor Prize Short List are Jose Alvarez, Radcliffe Bailey, William Christenberry, Henri Schindler, Philip Simmons, Stacy-Lynn Waddell and Jeff Whetstone. "We're delighted with the scope of artists chosen for the inaugural year of the Prize. Their work presents a wide array of styles, subjects and approaches. I applaud the panelists for putting forth a first-rate group of artists. The Gibbes has always supported working artists and the introduction of the Factor Prize into our programming only solidifies our engagement with art of our time. We look forward to announcing the winner in May," said Todd Smith, Executive Director of the Gibbes. The winner of the 2008 Factor Prize will be announced in May at a ceremony at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston. Nominations for the 2009 award have already started on the (www.factorpize.org) Web site. The Factor Prize Web site not only serves as a nomination point for artists but it is also an archive of information about Southern artists that can be used by curators, collectors, academicians and the public. The nominees include: Jose Alvarez - Born in 1968 in New York, Alvarez currently resides in both New York City and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He studied at the School of Visual Arts from 1992 to 1995, and in 2002 was included in the prestigious Biennial Exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. A painter, performance artist, and video artist, Alvarez incorporates unique media into his work including feathers, porcupine quills, and crystals. Radcliffe Bailey - A native of Bridgeton, NJ, Bailey lives in Atlanta, GA, where he received his BFA from Atlanta College of Art in 1991. Greatly inspired by jazz music, he is best known for his mixed media works and site-specific installations that explore his personal background and the history of African Americans. Bailey's work is included in the collections of many prestigious organizations including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the High Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. William Christenberry - For over forty years, Christenberry has used his drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography as a means to document his home state of Alabama. A resident of Washington, DC, he has taught at the Corcoran College of Art and Design since 1968 and has been included in numerous one-person and group exhibitions and the collections of art museums across the country. Most recently, Christenberry was honored with a major one-person exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC. Henri Schindler - A native of New Orleans, LA, Schindler is an acknowledged authority on Mardi Gras history and has served as artistic director for numerous New Orleans Carnival organizations, known as krewes. In this role, he is responsible for selecting themes, developing artistic concepts and designs, and overseeing float construction with the traditional materials of muslin, paint, and papier mache. Recognized for restoring Carnival celebrations to the classical traditions of the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, Schindler has received numerous awards and his work has been included in exhibitions on the history of Mardi Gras. Philip Simmons - A lifelong resident of Charleston, SC, Simmons is a celebrated metalworker who learned the art from local blacksmith Peter Simmons. Beginning in 1938, Philip Simmons focused his efforts on ornamental ironwork and has since created hundreds of gates, fences, balconies, and window grills throughout the city of Charleston. Among his many lifetime achievement awards, Simmons received The Order of the Palmetto in 1998, the highest honor bestowed by the state of South Carolina. His work is included in the collections of the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, NM, and the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta, GA. Stacy-Lynn Waddell - In 2007 Waddell received her MFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned the Outstanding MFA Student Award from the Department of Art and Art History. Waddell's work draws up on her experience as an African American woman as she explores the formation and maintenance of identity. She uses fire and heat to burn, brand, and singe her large-scale works of art. Jeff Whetstone - Born in 1968 in Chattanooga, TN, Whetstone has received degrees from Duke and Yale Universities. His photography has been featured in exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Amsterdam. He currently lives in Chapel Hill, NC, where he is an Assistant Professor in the University of North Carolina's Art Department. Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection and presents a series of special exhibitions annually. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives. As the aesthetic heart of the Lowcountry, the Gibbes serves the community by stimulating creative expression, increasing economic vitality through tourism, and improving the region's superb quality of life. For further information call the Gibbes at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuesum.org).

Charleston, SC's Museum Mile initiative kicks off Mar. 2008. The Mile offers visitors the most comprehensive array of historical and cultural attractions in downtown Charleston. It is situated along Meeting Street and runs from the Charleston Visitor Center to the Nathaniel Russell House. Charleston's Museum Mile on-going initiative helps visitors understand how easy it is to navigate this cultural corridor. Along the Mile visitors can discover six museums, five nationally important historic houses, four scenic parks, a Revolutionary War powder magazine, ten historic houses of worship and five historic public buildings including the Market and City Hall. Founding organizations with visitable sites include the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, The Charleston Museum, Gibbes Museum of Art, Historic Charleston Foundation, South Carolina Historical Society, Colonial Dames (The Powder Magazine) and the Washington Light Infantry. Representatives from all have shared their input and contributed greatly to the planning for this exciting joint endeavor. Also included as featured sites are the Confederate Museum, the Edmondston-Alston House and the City-operated Old Slave Mart Museum and Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. Getting about the Mile is simple - it is easily navigable by foot and public transportation. Pedestrian traffic and use of  DASH trolleys and CARTA buses is encouraged to traverse the downtown area, travel to sites in and outside of the Mile and link with tourist buses at the Charleston Visitor Center. This concentration of historic and cultural sites is also enhanced by a host of visitor-service amenities including ample public parking, numerous hotels, inns, restaurants and abundant shopping opportunities. The Mile is also close to other points of visitor interest, including Aquarium Wharf and Liberty Square, and provides a helpful central reference for exploring all that downtown Charleston has to offer. Startup marketing costs for Charleston's Museum Mile were made possible by an accommodations tax grant from the County of Charleston. The startup marketing program will include billboards, banners, brochures, a website (www.charlestonsmuseummile.org) and other promotional vehicles. Business sponsors include the Mills House, Sticky Fingers Ribhouse, and The Bank of South Carolina. For more information call 843/722-2996 ext. 235 or visit (www.charlestonsmuseummile.org).

The eighth annual Art With Heart art auction, held Feb. 2, 2008, in Charlotte, NC, at CenterStage@NoDa, grossed $138,000 for United Family Services' domestic violence programs and topped all previous records for proceeds and attendance. WCNC 6News anchors Colleen Odegaard and Bobby Sisk co-hosted the evening which was sold out in advance, attended by more than 725 people and featured over 275 pieces of art from top regional artists. Claudia Belk, a longtime supporter of United Family Services, served as Honorary Chair. Auctioneer Mark Pierman, moonlighting from his day job as president and CEO of United Family Services, presided over the live auction. The artwork donated by the Featured Artists Sharon Dowell, Scott Upton and Charles Walker collectively sold for $10,850 in the live auction. All three artists are represented by Center of the Earth Gallery in Charlotte. The Auction's artwork included but was not limited to paintings, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, and photographs. While bidding remained intense throughout the evening, especially in the live auction, the most hotly contested items included five untitled abstract oil on canvases by Jerry Brem and an oil on canvas entitled "Kiawah Marsh" by Jane C. Hall. There was also much competition over Penny Palmer Adkins's oil on canvas "Through The Trees," which closed at $2,300 and "Reflective Nude," a black and white watercolor by Heidi Kirschner. Artwork by Nancy B. Westfall, Hat Thompson and Nathan Rose also proved to be crowd favorites. This year's Emerging Artist winner, Diana Arvanites, garnered much attention with her mixed media on wood panel "The Equalizing of Space" and Emerging Artist runner-up Bryan Wood wowed the crowd with his gigantic digital collages. Renowned artist Andy Braitman continued his longtime support of Art With Heart by donating two pieces to the auction, one which was included in a raffle. Braitman's involvement with the auction has included serving as the Featured Artist in 2006, the Honorary Chair in 2007 and taking on the ongoing role of guiding and mentoring the auction's planners to help foster goodwill with the region's artistic community. Media and corporate sponsors for the 2008 Art With Heart include WCNC, Skirt! Magazine, Red F, Falfurrias Capital, KPMG, Englishman's Fine Furnishings, Center of the Earth Gallery, Delectables by Holly, winestore, ATCOM, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Grubb Properties, Morrison Arts Initiative, Morrison, Bank of America, Mayer Brown, Elizabeth Bruns, Inc., Afton Capital Management, The Bainbridge Crew, MECA Real Estate Services, Elements Design Company, Interact, Iwatsu America, The Breathing Room, Lighting and Bulbs Unlimited, Providence Gallery, Mitel Corporation, Nesting, 809 Design, ART Aspects, Schimmerhorn's Delivery, Fast Frame ­ East Blvd., Frame Gallery ­ Ballantyne, Harris Holt Gallery, The Great Frame Up ­ Huntersville, Art Source & Design and Atlantic Coast Art & Frame and St. Thomas Espresso Company. The event was catered by Delectables by Holly and the crowd was entertained by The Lovell Bradford Quintet. Plans for the ninth annual Art With Heart are under way. For more information on donating, volunteering or sponsorship opportunities, contact Dosty Quarrier, the 2009 Art With Heart Chair, at 704/576-3999. Started in 2000, Art With Heart is an annual auction that started when a group of local women decided to combine their extensive resources to plan a fun and educational benefit to help United Family Services launch programs for victims of domestic violence. Over 55 strong, the 2008 Art With Heart volunteer committee was led by Chair Liza Smith and Co-Chair Laura Monk. For more information, visit (www.artwithheartauction.com). United Family Services, a nonprofit United Way member, is a multi-faceted family service agency offering mortgage foreclosure and consumer credit counseling; employee assistance programs, individual, couple and family counseling; crisis intervention and victim assistance (rape); and domestic violence programs. Art With Heart benefits the agency's domestic violence programs including The Shelter for Battered Women and Victim Assistance Court Services. These programs provide safety planning and shelter, counseling and support groups, children's services, substance abuse services, court and legal advocacy, services for incarcerated women, on-site emergency room response to patients, training to medical professionals and dating violence prevention education. For more information, visit (www.unitedfamilyservices.org).

Robert E. "Bob" Jewell, Brookgreen Gardens' (Murrells Inlet, SC) President and CEO, was appointed to a three year term on the Board of Directors of the National Sculpture Society (NSS) at its February board meeting in New York City.
" We are delighted to have Bob join the Board of Directors for the NSS, in part because of his outstanding business and leadership skills but also because his participation on the Society's Board of Directors continues a long friendship between two organizations which support the goal of excellence in sculpture." said Gwen Pier, Executive Director of the NSS. " I am honored to have been elected to the Board of such a distinguished national organization," said Bob Jewell, "Brookgreen Gardens and the National Sculpture Society have had a relationship for as long as both organizations have existed. Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, who founded Brookgreen Gardens, were active members of the Society and its mission in many ways is similar to the mission of the Gardens." Founded in 1893, National Sculpture Society is headquartered in the Park Avenue Atrium building in New York City and is the oldest and most prestigious association of professional sculptors in the United States. Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, SC, and is open to the public daily. For more information, consult our web site at (www.brookgreen.org) or call 800/849-1931.

On Feb. 7, 2008, Teri Ostrom, owner of Artwerx Framing & Galleria in Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Susan Hauser of Susan Hauser Designs hosted an Art and Jewelry show to benefit the Cate Oxford Heart Fund. The show included local art, unique gifts and accessories and featured the hand-made jewelry collection created by Hauser. Ostrom noted, "that the holiday season is filled with a sense of giving, sharing and doing for others. It's easy to let that feeling slip after the holiday rush. This is our way of extending that Holiday spirit for ourselves and others." Hauser has contributed personally to the Cate Oxford Heart Fund previously and said, "celebrating Valentines Day has always been about what's in your heart and I feel that our Art & Jewelry Show could have a big impact for others." The evening was filled with good food, good wine, good friends, great art and jewelry. A raffle was held for Gift Certificates from Susan Hauser Designs, Illusions Hair Studio, Artwerx Framing, The Boathouse, Wine Awhile, and others. There was over $200 donated to the Cate Oxford Heart Fund @ MUSC. Cate Oxford is a four-year old girl who has survived four open-heart surgeries as an infant. Cate's late grandfather created the fund in 2002 to support research for heart defects in children. Ostrom opened the framing gallery with over 15 years experience and has been in the Park West location since Nov. 2004. Artwerx provides custom framing for all types of items, from your treasured artwork and photographs, to keepsakes like jerseys, collectibles and memorabilia. The Galleria is a unique, one-of-a-kind collection of original artwork, prints, giclees, hand painted gifts, custom mirrors, hand blown glass lamps, candles, and hand made jewelry. Charleston Jewelry artist and designer Susan Hauser creates delicate and intricate pieces inspired by her interest in neo-classic and European design with an updated twist. Taking time to search for the highest quality precious and semi-precious gemstones and pearls allows Susan to create stunning and unique pieces in both 14kg and sterling silver. For further information call 843/971-4643 or visit (www.artwerxframing.com).

In its continuing effort of "bringing arts to the people and people to the arts", the board of directors of the Blue Ridge Arts Council in Seneca, SC, recently named Bess Ciupak it's first executive director. Assuming the president's position vacated by Ciupak, is Seneca artist and businessman, Warren Carpenter. This change will allow Ciupak more time to devote to fund-raising and grant writing for the organization. "We have continued to grow and add more exhibits and art events each year. I am excited to be able to devote my time to developing funding sources and seeing even more exhibits come to Seneca," Ciupak explains. Blue Ridge Arts Center is an icon in Oconee County, founded in 1966 and housed in Seneca's oldest church building. With 400 members, much of the work of this organization is left to volunteers. The functions and facilities of the Blue Ridge Arts Council are financed by funds from memberships, donations, grants, fundraisers, class tuitions and art sales. BRAC is supported in part by the Max & Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Oconee County Arts & Historical Commission, and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. If you are interested in becoming a member, contact us at 864/882-2722 or visit (www.blueridgeartscenter.com).

The McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, NC, announces a partnership with current Artist-in-Residence, Sara Hughes and modern design company, Design Within Reach, located at 4310 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC. Creating a site-specific installation at the Charlotte location of Design Within Reach, Hughes will be designing art that will interact with the viewer. Since the space is not the traditional gallery setting where people expect to view art, this opportunity will give the artist a new way to connect with the community. Hughes says, "I chose to work in the windows of Design Within Reach as I see this as an intermediary space."  By doing so, the work can be considered public because the viewer does not have to enter the shop to see the art, however, the work is not displayed outside so it can be removed from the typical constraints and material restrictions of permanent public art. From Auckland, New Zealand, Sara Hughes examines the relationship between painting and the location and the architecture in which it is placed. Investigating how paintings operate within a physical space and how the placement of a work of art will affect the viewer. She is the recipient of the Frances Hodgkin's Fellowship at Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand and received both her BA and MFA from Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland. Call Devlin McNeil at 704/332-5535 or visit our website at (www.mccollcenter.org) for more information.

Asheville, NC's River Arts District is as exciting as the artists who line its streets and this spring one of its most treasured institutions is getting a celebrity makeover. Between 1994 and 2002, Brian and Gail McCarthy, co-founders of Highwater Clays and Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts, operated both businesses along Clingman Avenue. About five years ago, they relocated Highwater Clays to a new, larger location on Riverside Drive, leaving Odyssey to expand within the Clingman Avenue warehouse. Odyssey will get a facelift (including a ceramic mosaic mural) in February with an exciting new entrance that will enhance the center's artistic identity, eliminate guesswork as to which door is the entry, and provide even more space for programming. "The River Arts District has changed since we moved to Clingman Avenue and we feel that it is time to renovate a portion of Odyssey's exterior to reflect the creative energy of the neighborhood," Brian McCarthy said, adding that a ceramic mural will offer an eye into the thriving clay community honing their skills at Odyssey. Studio artists, students and Odyssey residents are thrilled with the proposed changes. "It will be a great advantage to have a new workshop area and for the kids classes to have a space of their own," said Odyssey studio artist Susan Musialowski. The McCarthys worked with Terry Meek, AIA, in the design phase of the project, and are working with Carolina Cornerstone on the construction of the distinctive new entrance. Work will begin in February and will wrap up by May 2008, when children's summer classes begin. For more information about Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts, Highwater Clays, or this project, contact Odyssey at 828/285-0210, e-mail to (odyssey@highwaterclays.com) or visit (www.highwaterclays.com/odyssey.html).

The Art League of Hilton Head on Hilton Head Island, SC, is proud to present its newly elected Board of Directors for the year 2008. The four officers, Terry Brennan, President, Marajeane Zodtner, Vice President, Barbara Snow, Secretary, and Michael Keskin, Treasurer, remain unchanged and are all serving another year. Chris Clayton represents the Pineland Station Gallery on the Board, Cheryl Eppolito became the new Membership Chair, Gabriele Hoffmann took over as Publicity & Advertising Chair, Juliana Kim heads up the Education Committee and Anita Stephens chairs the Art Advisory Council. The Council's five members, besides Anita, are N. Jack Huddle, Ted Jordan, Clayton Kittinger, and Arla Wible. The Art League's Members At Large - Kaye Black, Michael Cofield, Betsy Doughtie, Branch Elam, Jane Joseph, Kent Lee, and Nancy Watts - contribute valuable professional expertise, such as legal, computer, and business acumen to the League and nicely complement the abundant creativity from the artist members on the Board. "We are happy to have attracted such a diverse group of artists and professionals for our Board and are looking forward to an exciting array of events this year," says Terry Brennan. The Art League of Hilton Head is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the visual arts through education, exhibitions and partnerships for the cultural enrichment of the community and its visitors. It operates a Gallery staffed by volunteers for the display and sale of artwork by its members. For additional information contact the gallery at 843/681-5060 or check the website at (www.artleague.org).

Anderson University in Anderson, SC, unveiled a sculpture from noted sculptor Marc Mellon during Founders' Day ceremonies on Feb. 13, 2008. The sculpture, nearly two years in the making, depicts various university students engaged in learning related activities. It is being installed in the midst of the fountain in front of the Thrift Library on campus. The elements cast in bronze will interact with jets of water in the fountain, creating one of the most inspiring outdoor art features in the Upstate of South Carolina. The sculpture was commissioned by the members of the Rainey family of Anderson and the Stringer-Rainey Foundation. It marks the first major outdoor art installation on the Anderson campus. School officials call the new artwork a significant contribution in Anderson's bid to provide more outdoor artwork for area citizens to enjoy. Marc Mellon is one of America's premier figurative sculptors in bronze. His palette includes a mastery of anatomy, a unique ability to portray balance, gesture, and movement, and sensitivity as to how anatomy and gesture unveil the inner life of the subject. Mellon's commissioned projects include bronze busts of former President George Bush (in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution), Pope John Paul II (in the Papal Apartments, The Vatican), President Lee Teng-Hui of Taiwan, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, and Academy-Award winning actress Patricia Neal. His monumental statues of Kate Smith (Philadelphia) and Dr. Alton Ochsner (New Orleans) have become local landmarks. Mellon's sports bronzes have honored a who's-who in the sport world, including Michael Jordan, Chris Evert, Joe Namath, Mickey Mantle, and Arthur Ashe. In 2006, Mellon was selected, after a national search, to create the NCAA Centennial Sculpture for the Michael Graves designed NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. Founders' Day was established to honor the Anderson area leaders who saw the need for a place of higher learning in the city nearly a century ago and created what has become Anderson University. Anderson University is a comprehensive university affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention offering bachelors and masters degrees. Anderson is ranked in the Top Tier (top 34) of colleges and universities in the South by "US News & World Report". It is also among the top 11 Southern universities whose graduates accumulate the least amount of educational debt and one of "Americas 100 Best College Buys". Located in The Upstate region of South Carolina near the foothills of the Appalachians, Anderson University features a rigorous education in a supportive Christian environment. For further info contact Dale Ducworth at 864/622-6022 or visit (www.AndersonUniversity.edu).

The fundraising organization for the Greenville County Museum of Art in Greenville, SC, has endorsed a campaign to pay for an important new collection of nineteenth-century p1aintings, including a painting of the Reedy River Falls, the historic birthplace of Greenville. On Feb. 5, 2008, The Museum Association, Inc., unanimously approved a three-year commitment to dedicate funds from the annual Museum Antiques Show to the acquisition of a series of Southern landscapes by Joshua Shaw (1776-1860), a British-born painter whose work is owned by only a few American museums, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The Greenville County Museum Commission has already approved the acquisition. Shaw achieved critical acclaim and some popular success in England, painting landscapes in the "picturesque" style, characterized by an idealized approach to composition. His first foray in the New World came as a favor to American expatriate Benjamin West, who asked Shaw to oversee the installation of one of his paintings in Philadelphia. Shaw decided to remain in America, in part to secure a patent for his invention of a percussion cap for firearms. He took up residence in Philadelphia, PA, and began producing a series of American landscapes in collaboration with John Hill, who was a master of the aquatint technique of printmaking. Shaw traveled through New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, then headed south through the Carolinas to Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA. He painted iconic scenes in oil on prepared paper and canvas, returning them to Hill in Philadelphia to be reproduced as hand-colored engravings. Journeying north through Augusta, GA, and the western portions of South Carolina, Shaw was on his way to Table Rock when he discovered Greenville. "The picturesque was unlooked for," the artist admitted in a journal that recorded his trip. He found "the situation pleasant and the air cool and extremely salubrious." He made several sketches in the area, focusing special attention on the Reedy River Falls. Shaw's painting depicts the falls from above, looking downstream: it records in exacting detail the rock formations that frame the upper falls today. The artist took some artistic license with his landscape, however, placing the distant shadow of the Appalachians downriver from the falls. While the "Reedy River Falls" painting offers a special attraction for Greenville, the Museum has also acquired such scenes as "Jefferson Rock" and "Natural Bridge in Virginia", as well as a lush and captivating landscape along the Catawba River in South Carolina. Accompanying engravings include one depicting the 1820 burning of Savannah and one of Washington's tomb. "These works tell the story of Shaw's pioneering effort to illustrate and promote the beauty and grandeur of the southern American frontier," said Museum Executive Director Thomas W. Styron. "It is a particular point of pride that this first proper depiction of Greenville's birthplace links to sites that are icons of American topography, woven by the artist's commentary into the fabric of a young nation." The Museum Association has committed to raise $1.2 million over three years to complete the acquisition of the Shaw paintings. Businesses and individuals support the Museum by making contributions through the Museum's Antiques Show. The 2008 show, which takes place Oct. 17-19, will also fund acquisition of Jasper Johns' "The Seasons (Fall)", 1987, a key addition to the Museum's survey of the world's greatest living artist. The Museum has announced a three-week preview of the Shaw paintings, from Feb. 13 to Mar. 2, 2008. The exhibition "Joshua Shaw: A Paradise of Riches" opens Apr. 2 and continues through Sept. 28, 2008. A gallery talk is set for Apr. 6, at 2pm. For further information call the Museum at 864/271-7570 or visit (www.greenvillemuseum.org).

Upstate Visual Arts, Inc. (UVA) in Greenville, SC, announces today that Laura Linz is joining the organization as the new Director of Administration. Linz has a strong background in the visual arts and is welcomed by the board of directors and membership of Upstate Visual Arts. Linz is a graduate of Furman University and previous board member of First Fridays. Linz most recently worked as Assistant Director & Art Consultant at The West End Gallery. Tiffany Olson, the Director since early 2006, resigned and is moving out of the country to pursue her other professional and personal interests. "I am very confident the Mrs. Linz will be able to carry on the role as Director of Upstate Visual Arts and know she will be well received in the community." Upstate Visual Arts exists to enhance the quality of life within the community by elevating the stature of visual art and educating the public to its significance. For more information about Upstate Visual Arts and its activities, contact the UVA office at 864/232-4433 or visit (www.upstatevisualarts.org).

"Sculpturama-2008" is a juried art show at Gallery I, at the Tryon Fine Arts Center in Tryon, NC, opening Mar. 9 and continuing through Apr. 4, 2008. Sponsored by Tryon Painters and Sculptors, this unique show invites sculpture in traditional and modern media. The three categories of juried competition are in wall, tabletop, and floor sculpture. Alice Bentivegna, Chair of the committee planning "Sculpturama", stated, "Tryon Painters and Sculptors appreciate the overwhelming generosity of local sponsors. Plus, we've had terrific response from some outstanding area artists." At the time of this writing, "Sculpturama" has 17 business and individual sponsors including: Asheville, NC: Highwater Clays; Landrum, SC: Raymond James and Associates and H. & R. Block; Tryon: Nature's Storehouse, Mimosa Carpet, McKinsey Printing, Frog & Swan, Stotts Ford, Simply Irresistible, and Sutphin Accounting & Tax; Saluda, NC: Moonflower Gallery & Gifts, Purple Onion, and Random Arts; Spartanburg, SC: Kreismer Clinic of Chiropractic, and Clay King.com; and Individuals: Michael McCue, Tryon, and Mrs. Jan Whiting, Columbus. Cynthia Boyle Senior Vice-President, Raymond James and Associates in Landrum, donated $500 which will go to the first place winner in floor sculpture. Cynthia and John Boyle, Vice-President, explained that Raymond James has one of the largest art collections in North America. Raymond James has a long history of supporting art and the Boyles are delighted to support Tryon Painters & Sculptors' "Sculpturama" exhibition. The North Carolina Arts Council also assisted "Sculpturama-2008". The Council responded to a proposal prepared by TP&S officer