Fine artists and amateur and professional photographers from across the state were invited to participate in the 2018 Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions, organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and presented May 2-6 as a component of the 2018 North Charleston Arts Fest. A total of 343 fine art entries were accepted in the categories of oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing, printmaking, pastel, and 2D mixed media. Cash awards totaling $6,350 were made at the sole discretion of the judge, Zinnia Willits. Willits is Director of Collections and Operations at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC. She received her M.A. in Public History from the University of South Carolina and has worked at the Gibbes since 2003, where she manages the museum’s permanent collection and oversees museum operations as well as logistics for its active exhibition and loan programs.
A total of 169 entries were accepted in photography, which were split into the divisions of Professional/Advanced and Amateur and categorized as color or monochrome. Cash awards totaling $1,450 were made at the sole discretion of the judge, “David “Sully” Sullivan. A native of Charleston, SC, Sullivan has lived and worked in New York and California, and currently resides in Charleston, where he maintains a studio when not on location. He regularly shoots on film and his work runs the gamut of fashion, portrait, lifestyle, travel, editorial, and product photography. Recent clients include Volvo, Oscar de la Renta, and The Wall Street Journal.
In addition to awards given by the judges, five 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:
– Fine Art
“Tranquilo” (oil) by Gretchen Trees (Charleston, SC)
Outstanding Merit – Fine Art
“After A Long Day” (mixed media) by Susanne Frenzel (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Mayor’s Choice – Fine Art
“Spring I” (acrylic) by Amanda Richards (Charleston, SC)
Best Oil – Fine Art
“Landscape Looking Glass” (oil) by Rick Austin (Folly Beach, SC)
Best Acrylic – Fine Art
“I Saw You in a Dream” (acrylic) by Christine Blythe (Charleston, SC)
Best Drawing – Fine Art
“I’ve Heard A 1000 Stories” (drawing) by Bob Graham (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Best Pastel – Fine Art
“Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice” (pastel) by Laura Cody (Summerville, SC)
Best Watercolor – Fine Art
“Main Street” (watercolor) by Victoria Ellis (Summerville, SC)
Best Mixed Media – Fine Art
“Gold Rush” (mixed media) by Deborah Kinnard Barrineau (Johns Island, SC)
Best Printmaking – Fine Art
“Moon” (printmaking) by Katherine Martinez (Goose Creek, SC)
Best Portrait/Figure – Fine Art
“Smiling at Dede” (drawing) by Dorthea Gerber (Summerville, SC)
Best Landscape – Fine Art
“Spin Drift” (oil) by Faye Sullivan (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Best Still Life/Interior – Fine Art
“Ceiling-East Bay St. III” (watercolor) by Lynn Mizell (Johns Island, SC)
Best Animal/Wildlife – Fine Art
“Elephant Charging” (oil) by Robert Maniscalco (North Charleston, SC)
Best Abstract/Experimental – Fine Art
“Rowan” (oil) by Caroline McLeod Self (Summerville, SC)
Honorable Mentions – Fine Art
“Praise Dance” (oil) by Marvin Youngblood (Charleston, SC)
“Designer Pets, Designer People” (acrylic) by Meyriel J. Edge (Summerville, SC)
“Flying Home” (acrylic) by Sally Accetta (Goose Creek, SC)
“Tempestuous” (acrylic) by Tracy Gransraw (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“Porch Pup” (drawing) by Kirsten Kelly (North Charleston, SC)
“Model Figure” (pastel) by Peggy Howe (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“Three’s Company” (watercolor) by Suzanna Wolfe (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
“Overflow” (mixed media) by Sage Jadrnick (Chester, SC)
“The Fleet” (acrylic) by Sean Patrick (North Charleston, SC)
“Fest” (acrylic) by Pedro Rodriguez (Goose Creek, SC)
Professional Photography – Color
1st place – “The Look” by Jennifer Hunt (Andrews, SC)
2nd place – “Egret Eye” by Raymond C. Murray (Charleston, SC)
3rd place – “After the Rain” by Matthew Krausmann (Summerville, SC)
Honorable Mentions:
“Morning in the Marsh” by Kathy Hare (Charleston, SC)
“Early Morning Beach Walk” by Vanessa Kauffman (Charleston, SC)
“Below the Milky Way” by Robert Loe (North Charleston, SC)
“Oh, the Places You’ll Go” by Pamela Oliveras (Hanahan, SC)
“Three Black Hats” by Sonny Dugal (Mount Pleasant, SC)
“Universal Love” by Jim Miller (Mount Pleasant, SC)
Professional Photography – Monochrome
1st place – “The Boys Watching the Girls” by Jim Miller (Mount Pleasant, SC)
2nd place – “Washed Out” by Sean Hartman (Summerville, SC)
3rd place – “Distinguished” by Angie Bridges (Summerville, SC)
Amateur Photography – Color
1st place – “Naomi” by Olga Terechova (Charleston, SC)
2nd place – “A Maine Daybreak” by Rick Dandridge (Summerville, SC)
3rd place – “Flowers and Vegetable Garden” by V. Kirsten Colquitt (Charleston, SC)
Honorable Mentions:
“The Two of Us” by Phillip W. Ravenel (Goose Creek, SC)
“Believe” by Heike Helbig (Summerville, SC)
Amateur Photography – Monochrome
1st place – “Park Knight” by Paul Bryant (Summerville, SC)
2nd place – “Making Memories” by Scott Lynch (North Charleston, SC)
3rd place – “Feminine Youth” by Renee Porcu (Goose Creek, SC)
Honorable Mentions:
“Resurrection” by Paul Bryant (Summerville, SC)
“Sign of Experience” by Paul Bryant (Summerville, SC)
“Mere Appearance” by Francis McLeod (Charleston, SC)
“M- powered” by Christopher Cross (Moncks Corner, SC)
For information about additional exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 843-740-5854, email [email protected], or visit the Arts & Culture section of the City’s website. For details on the North Charleston Arts Fest, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.