HomeNews2017 SC Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition Winners

2017 SC Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition Winners

Fine craft artists and artisans from across South Carolina were invited to participate in the 16th Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition, the state’s only juried fine craft competition and exhibition.  Organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, the show was presented May 3-7 as a component of the 2017 North Charleston Arts Fest.

Following an extensive pre-jury process, 57 applicants were asked to participate and 101 entries were submitted in the categories of clay, fiber, metal, wood, and 3D mixed media.  Cash awards totaling $6,500 were made at the sole discretion of the juror, Michael W. Haga, Associate Dean at the College of Charleston School of the Arts in Charleston, South Carolina. After making his selections, Mr. Haga stated, “The work in the exhibition reveals the strength of craft in South Carolina, and the variety of media and approaches to making objects reflects upon the artisans’ interest in both tradition and innovation. Whether the work is that of established masters or students, it is exciting to consider how these talented individuals will develop their craft in coming years and so enrich the visual environment of South Carolina.”

After awarding ribbons, Mr. Haga also selected pieces from the show to assemble a South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Traveling Exhibition, which will tour the state through the South Carolina State Museum’s 2017/2018 Traveling Exhibitions Program. The Traveling Exhibitions Program gives galleries, museums, and art centers across South Carolina the opportunity to request the exhibit to tour their facilities, thus providing additional exposure for the selected artists.

In addition to awards given by the juror, four pieces were selected for City of North Charleston Purchase Awards. These selections will be added to the City of North Charleston’s Permanent Public Art Collection, which is on display within North Charleston City Hall throughout most of the year.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 SC Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition:

“William Morris Reminded” (Paper) by Jocelyn Chateauvert (Charleston, SC)

Outstanding Merit
“Face Jug for Mrs. Watson” (Wood) by David Sanders (Sumter, SC)
“Tall Gosu Totem” (Clay) by Gary Huntoon (Travelers Rest, SC)

City of North Charleston Purchase Awards
“United I” (Fiber) by Camela Guevara (Charleston, SC)
“Face Jug for Mrs. Watson” (Wood) by David Sanders (Sumter, SC)
“Bloom” (Fiber) by Connie Lippert (Seneca, SC)
“Spouted Water Vessel” (Metal) by Hayley Smith (Myrtle Beach, SC)

Honorable Mention
“Phases I” by (Fiber) Beth Andrews (Greenville, SC)
“Canyon deChelly Pictograph” (Fiber) by Connie Lippert (Seneca, SC)
“Margaret’s Chickens” (Fiber) by Arianne King Comer (North Charleston, SC)
“Charleston Box 31” (Mixed Media) by Robin Howard (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“Defense” (Mixed Media) by Crowell Pate IV (Charleston, SC)
“Cosmos” (Clay) by John Turner (Reidville, SC)
“Swish” (Clay) by Annie Rhodes Lee (Folly Beach, SC)
“Kingfisher” (Metal) by Matt Wilson (North Charleston, SC)
“Tea Pot with Handmade Cane Handle” (Clay) by Ruth Ballou (Charleston,SC)
“Fertility” (Clay) by Sarah Townes Godfrey (Marietta, SC)
“Rosa Parks” (Mixed Media) by Mana Hewitt  (Columbia, SC)
“Damascus Spatula” (Mixed Media) by Ian Hart (Charleston, SC)

SC Palmetto Hands Traveling Exhibition Selections
“Tall Gosu Totem” (Clay) by Gary Huntoon (Travelers Rest, SC)
“Plum Blossom” (Fiber) by Pati English (Seneca, SC)
“Rosa Parks” (Mixed Media) by Mana Hewitt  (Columbia, SC)
“Damascus Spatula” (Mixed Media) by Ian Hart (Charleston, SC)
“At The Seams” (Mixed Media) by Erin Ryan (Myrtle Beach, SC)
“Swish” (Clay) by Annie Rhodes Lee (Folly Beach, SC)
“Walnut Candy Dish” (Wood) by Ben Pendarvis (St. Helena, SC)
“Face Jug for Mrs. Watson” (Wood) by David Sanders (Sumter, SC)
“Cosmos” (Clay) by John Turner (Reidville, SC)
“Spirit” (Fiber) by Teresa Pietras (Columbia, SC)
“Defense” (Mixed Media) by Crowell Pate IV (Charleston, SC)
“William Morris Reminded” (Paper) by Jocelyn Chateauvert (Charleston, SC)
“Charleston Box 31” (Mixed Media) by Robin Howard (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“Margaret’s Chickens” (Fiber) by Arianne King Comer (North Charleston, SC)
“Phases I” (Fiber) by Beth Andrews (Greenville, SC)
“Organic Bowl” (Glass) by Tanya Craig (Folly Beach, SC)
“I Am American Too” (Glass) by Steven Hewitt (Columbia, SC)
“Tea Pot with Handmade Cane Handle” (Clay) by Ruth Ballou (Charleston,SC)
“Fertility” (Clay) by Sarah Townes Godfrey (Marietta, SC)

For more information about the South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition and other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843-740-5854, email [email protected], or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/sc-palmetto-hands-fine-craft-competition-exhibition. Organizations interested in hosting the traveling exhibition should contact the South Carolina State Museum Traveling Exhibits Program at 803-737-4159 or [email protected].