Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
March 20, 2008 issue
Story by Celeste von Mangan
Last year, Ashe Services for Aging in West Jefferson initiated a new art competition, but it was only open to Ashe County residents. For 2008 and beyond, however, the Art of Aging juried art show will be a regional one, with all High Country artists eligible to enter.
Entries will be accepted at Ashe Services for Aging from Monday, May 5, through Friday, May 9, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. each day, and artists interested in entering are encouraged to begin their projects now or to update ones already completed. All artwork must be hand delivered to the Ashe Services for Aging located at 180 Chattyrob Lane in West Jefferson.
Cash prizes will be awarded to four top winners, with additional cash prizes awarded to four people who earn honorable mentions.
“Anyone can enter, age high school and up,” said Dawn Goodman, Ashe County volunteer coordinator. “We won’t turn away someone a little younger, though it’s a juried show, and we cannot guarantee that everyone who submits a piece will be in the competition. We reserve the right to exclude inappropriate artwork. People who do enter must submit artwork that is aging or senior related. Last year, one of the winners was a photograph of an elderly woman holding the hand of her great-grandchild and another winner was an oil painting of sunflowers starting with young buds, full blooms all the way through blooming, then the fading stage. We really encourage people to think outside the box. Rusting farm equipment as a subject is just one example.”
Besides being age related, all artwork must be original and executed within the past two years. Eligible artwork includes paintings, drawings and photography. Pottery, baskets, woodworking, sculptures and similar pieces will not be accepted because of space limitations. All submitted artwork should exhibit creativity, quality and uniqueness, and the artist may elect to offer the work for sale.
“It’s not a fundraiser and there is no entry fee,” said Goodman. “Last year was a lot of work but also a lot of fun.”
Cash prizes will be awarded in four primary categories. Best overall wins $300, first place wins $200, second place wins $100 and third place wins $50. The four artists who earn honorable mentions will be awarded $25 each, with the winners determined by age group. One high school student, one youth, one middle-aged and one senior artist can win an honorable mention ribbon and prize.
Other specifications for the competition include a limit of three pieces of artwork submitted by any single artist, a maximum dimension of 36 inches including the frame—all entries must be framed—and a wire or a wire hanger on each piece to facilitate installation.
Karen Minton-Elmore, executive director of the Wilkes Art Gallery in North Wilkesboro, will serve as exhibition juror for the Art of Aging competition. Installation of the exhibit takes place on Tuesday, May 13 through Thursday, May 15, and entrants with artwork that is not accepted will be notified by email or telephone because unaccepted work must be picked up on those days.
On Friday, May 16, the reception and awards ceremony hosted by the Ashe County Volunteer Initiative begins at 3:00 p.m. All artwork will be on display through Friday, August 15, and artists can pick up their work from Monday, August 18, through Wednesday, August 20.
The Art of Aging art competition project is supported by a grant from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency, and a Projects Pool Grant from the Ashe County Arts Council.
For more information call 336-246-2461.
Date: Friday, May 16
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Ashe Services for Aging, West Jefferson
Cost: Free