The first biennial high school juried art exhibit is underway at Tryon Fine Arts Center. The initial phase of the exhibit is comprised of photography, prints, drawings, paintings, sculpture, and mixed media from students who hail from Polk, Greenville, Henderson, Rutherford, and Spartanburg Counties.
Although the artwork will be professionally juried, the public is also invited to participate in the judging by viewing the exhibit and voting for the “People’s Choice” award.
“We appreciate the enthusiasm of the teachers and students,” says Board member SueZ Truitt. “This is the first year of the program and we are thrilled not only with the number of entries, but especially with the quality of the work submitted.”
A call to high school artists in a 25 mile radius of Tryon Fine Arts Center was sent out early in the school year. Student pieces were submitted for the competition by teachers from Blue Ridge High School, Chapman High School, Greer High School, Lake Lure Classical Academy, Landrum High School, and from private teacher Margaret Curtis.
The work will be juried by Greg McPherson, artist, curator and adjunct professor of art at Western Carolina University in Sylva, NC. Winners will be announced at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday May 6 at a public reception. Winning pieces will be on display until May 17 when the exhibit will culminate in the “Evening of Excellence.”
That evening the winning artwork, which the artists have agreed to donate to the event will be sold at live auction.
A percentage of proceeds from the sales at this ticketed event will be given to the artist, with the balance to benefit the Arts in Education programs at Tryon Fine Arts Center.
All the submitted work will be on display April 29 – May 4 in Gallery I from 10-4 Tuesday-Friday, Saturday 10-1.
The exhibit can also be viewed on Sunday, May 4 from 3-5 p.m. For more information on the Juried exhibit and the Evening of Excellence, please contact Tryon Fine Arts Center at 828-859-8322 or visit www.tryonarts.org.
– article submitted
by Marianne Carruth