20 June 2013, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: KJ’s Needles in a Haystack, 2 Dills St., Dillsboro, NC

Topic: Artist Critique with visit to It’s By Nature Please bring one piece of your recent work!

The 2013 Cullowhee Mountain ARTS Faculty Invitational features works in book arts, ceramics, mixed media, painting, printmaking, photography and sculpture created by 19 contemporary artists working throughout the United States.

The reception is set for 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20. Preceded at 4:15 p.m. by a tour of current workshops in progress, led by program director Norma Hendrix, the reception will feature a 5:30 p.m. welcome and gallery tour with three artists: Rebecca Crowell (“Abstract Painting with Cold Wax” – Levels III and IV), Jeff Oestreich (“A Closer Look at Function and Detail”) and Lisa Pressman (“Painting with Encaustic: Layers, Richness and Personal Vision”).

The first series of workshops with these artists and Greg Newington (“5 Days as a Photojournalist”) takes place June 16-21 in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. They’re followed June 23-28 by Stuart Shils (“The Structure of the Visual Moment”), Jody Alexander (“The Stitcherly Book”), Rebecca Crowell (“Oil & Wax Abstract Painting with Cold Wax Medium” – Levels II and III), and Janice Mason Steeves (“Visual Language and the Art of Critique”).

Kenn Kotara

Workshops continue July 7-12 with Catherine Kehoe (“Painting Loud and Clear – Still-Life”), Randall Stoltzfus (“Expanding the Palette: Enriching Paint with Mixed Media”), Linda Soberman (“Building Imagery: Photo Transfers and Pronto Plate Lithography”) and Nina Bagley (“Book of Treasures”); and July 14-19 with Kerry Vander Meer (“Mixed Media Monotype”), Julie Friedman (“Paper Cuts – Books”), Gay Smith (“Fresh & Lively: Soft Altering on the Wheel and Beyond”) and Charles Basham (“The Landscape: Observation and Conceptualization”).

They conclude July 21-26, featuring Judy Richardson (“Sculpting with Found Materials”), Kenn Kotara (“Mixing the Media, Maximizing the Effect”), Hayne Bayless (“Slabs and Extrusions”) and Martha Madigan (“Solar Photograms”).

Denise Drury, interim director of the museum, recently interviewed Asheville-based Kotara about his transition from two-dimensional photorealistic drawings and paintings to three-dimensional layered, free-hanging sculptures created from screen wire materials. To Drury’s observation that “The screen pieces in fact are a breakdown or excavation of your paintings,” he responded, “Each layer is a moment in time, telling the greater story. The process is about a story; there’s a narrative behind each piece. These pieces constantly move ever so slightly on their own. They have a life of their own; they tell their own story.”

The faculty invitational exhibit featuring two of his works will conclude July 26.

Two other exhibits remain until early September: “Credo: Documentary Photographs of Signs Following Believers” by Rick Cary and the often-whimsical “Concepts of the Book: Conceptual Artists’ Books from the Collection of the Fine Art Museum.”

Cary, professor of art and chair of the Division of Professional Programs at Mars Hill College, researched and photo-documented the culture of the Church of God in Jesus’ Name Only in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. He will be featured in an artist talk at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, at the Bardo Arts Center, Room 130, followed by a reception at 6 p.m. in the Star Atrium.

Students of the fall 2012 contemporary art class taught by WCU’s Seth McCormick selected the conceptual artists’ books displayed, and their comments often accompany the exhibited works.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and Fridays, and until 7 p.m. Thursdays. The exhibits are free and open to the public. Learn more about the Fine Art Museum at fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or by emailing museum@wcu.edu.

For more information on the cost and availability of the workshops, see the Cullowhee Mountain Arts site at cullowheemountainarts.org or email contact@cullowheemountainarts.org.

WCU Fine Arts Museum Summer 2013 Exhibits card

Sylva’s downtown Art Stroll will be resume Friday, June 14th. Galleries will feature art exhibits, some hosting artist receptions. The Art Stroll is a perfect night for dining and shopping local, enjoying art, exploring our historic downtown Main Street and even taking in a concert at Bridge Park.

The Jackson County Arts Council would like to congratulate the winners of the 23^rd Annual Student Solo Competition that was held in January by the Western Carolina Civic Orchestra.  There were four winners of this event, which was sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council.  The recipients were:  Cassidy Quillen, a violinist and senior at Smoky Mountain High School; Joel Jeffries, a WCU junior who studies trombone;  Leanna Smith, a clarinetist and WCU senior; and Eric Jackson, a WCU senior who studies English horn.

These talented students also accompanied the Western Carolina Civic Orchestra at their spring concert which was held on May 4, 2013 in the Coulter Building on the WCU campus.

The Jackson County Arts Council has made a change to their Grassroots Grant application cycle for the fiscal year 2013-2014. In order to be in compliance with the guidelines from the North Carolina Arts Council, applications for Grassroots Grants are now due by June 30, 2013.

Funding for these grants is contingent upon the Jackson County Arts Council receiving funding from the North Carolina Arts Council and matching funds from Jackson County Commissioners.

Qualified organizations such as theater groups, galleries, choruses, art educators, orchestras and other non-profit organizations may apply for funding. The public schools may apply to support cultural enrichment programs in the schools. Colleges and universities may apply for funding if the proposed program will serve the broader countywide population. The Council encourages applications that emphasize cultural diversity.

Persons planning to submit an application are advised to consult a representative of the Council for help and information. For more information, call the arts council office and leave a message at 828-507-9820 or call Sylvia Smythe at 828-354-0253. The applications are available on this website under Grassroots Grants.

Saturday May 25, 2013 and Sunday May 26, 2013 ~ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Art Show, demonstrations and work for Sale.

Caney Fork area

Rogers Metals Studio – William Rogers (metal)

Susan Lingg Studio – watercolor

Chestnut Craft and Supply – Don Stephens (wood)

Sponsors: Caney Fork General Store, Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavor, Jackson County Arts Council, North Carolina Arts Council