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December Issue 2004
The Contemporaries
of the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, Announce the Young
Artist of the Year Award Winner
Julie Townsley, of Folly Beach, SC, was awarded the first Young
Artist of the Year Award in a special event hosted by the Contemporaries
of the Columbia Museum of Art on Nov. 4, 2004. The Contemporaries'
Young Artist of the Year Soiree and Silent Auction was an event
to honor 31 up and coming artists from across South Carolina and
allow attendees to bid on 62 works of art by these artists. The
artists were selected for inclusion through a competition and
were judged by a group of jurors that included Mana Hewitt, gallery
director of McMaster Gallery, Toni Elkins, artist and president-elect
of the SC Watercolor Society, John Daso Gregory, artist, Beth
Inman, decorative arts curator at the Columbia Museum of Art,
and Booth Chilcutt, cultural director of the City of Sumter.
"I really want to make people happy and feel loved in this
world and, bop, here I am, really doing it. It is not my intention
to be shocking, political or decorative. I just want to do great
art that will touch people's lives and hearts in a good way,"
says award winner Julie Townsley. Her submitted piece, Supernatural,
a hand-sewn and painted soft sculpture had that affect on the
attendees. Beth Inman, a juror for the award, says, "Julie's
work has elements of a serious and whimsical nature and her use
of color in relation to the form is striking."
The event also gave reception guests a chance to be involved in
the award selection, as they voted for the Contemporaries' Choice
Award. This award went to Steven Whetson of West Columbia, SC,
who works in oil painting. His piece, October Field, received
the most votes and the admiration of the guests.
The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art is a membership
affiliate group that hosts social and cultural events geared towards
the young professional with an interest in the arts. Events are
a fun, relaxed way to meet new people, reestablish old connections
and support the Columbia Museum of Art. A portion of the proceeds
from Contemporaries' events is used to purchase contemporary art
to add to the collection at the Columbia Museum of Art. Contemporaries
memberships start at $50 and include membership to the museum.
To find out more, or to become a member, visit (www.columbiamuseum.org)
or call Elizabeth Oswalt at 803/343-0480.
Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc. Copyright© 2004 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston Arts from July 1987 - Dec. 1994 and South Carolina Arts from Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996. It also publishes Carolina Arts Online, Copyright© 2004 by PSMG, Inc. All rights reserved by PSMG, Inc. or by the authors of articles. Reproduction or use without written permission is strictly prohibited. Carolina Arts is available throughout North & South Carolina.