November Issue 2010
Commentary
by Tom Starland

Technological Struggles

If there is anything I really hate it is change in technology - specifically, new computers and new software programs or upgrades of software programs. I'm currently struggling through both.

The Apple computer I have used for well over ten years to produce this paper is dying. The new computer I now have to work on not only has completely different programs, but very different operating systems - in a few words - everything I have been used to is now changed.

Well, the new computer I'm now working on - although new to me - is over four years old. Up to now I've used it as a very fancy radio via iTunes. When not listening to public radio - anywhere in the country, I'm listening to WCAR. That's Carolina Arts Radio, where they only play songs I like, with no commercial interuptions. But, now it's going to be the new workhorse.

Apple makes wonderful computers which are the standard for publishing and the programs we use are state of the art (can do anything and everything) but sometimes the upgrades are not improvements. That's one of the reasons I kept using that old computer. But all things change. I just hope the programs I'm struggling to learn now last as long as the last ones did. There are just so many new tricks this old dog can learn.

More Problems in the Same Vein

Recently we learned that our most recent internet service provider was making an e-mail address that they assigned us available to people looking for our e-mail address. The problem is - we only have one e-mail address anyone should use to make sure we get what they send us - (info@carolinaarts). It is the one and only e-mail we check - many times on a daily basis, unless we have problems and use a temporary address in an emergency. The minute that emergency is over we go back to the norm. Don't use anything other than (info@carolinaarts.com) - nothing else.

Carolina's Got Art! Update

We received info on who the lucky winners are from this massive juried show which attracted 1,800 entries from both North and South Carolina artists and resulted in the show of 136 works at Atherton Mill in Charlotte, NC, in Oct. 2010.

The $2,500 Best in Show award was presented to Lee Sipe from Columbia, SC; $2,000 First Place award to Ashlynn Browning of Raleigh, NC; $1,500 Second Place was presented to Lindsay Brown of Pendleton, SC; and $1,000 Third Place award went to Greg Siler of Raleigh, NC.

Six $500 Honorable Mention gift certificates were presented to the following: Doug Gray of Florence, SC; Daniel Allegrucci of Charlotte, NC; Justin Webb of Elk Park, NC; Sondra Dorn of Asheville, NC; Betty Recoulley of High Point, NC; and Lois deMontegre of Huntersville, NC.

To see a list of artists and works selected for the Carolina's Got Art! exhibit, the Carolina's Got Art! Traveling Exhibit, and the Carolina Salon Exhibition, featuring works not selected by the juror from entries, on view at Elder Gallery in Charlotte through Nov. 30, 2010, visit this link (http://www.carolinasgotart.com/home/selected-work/).

Why are so many artists entering this juried exhibit when some say they (juried shows) are no good? It seems the artists think differently than state art officials do. Go figure.

Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc. Copyright© 2010 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© 2010 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.