To honor and celebrate all of the fabulous artwork and gallery shows that take place within Polk County, Tryon Arts & Crafts School will be hosting the inaugural Polk County Gallery Show of the Year Award to be presented at their Red Carpet Artist of the Year Show on the evening of Feb. 3 between 6-8 p.m. at 373 Harmon Field Rd. in Tryon.

The criteria of the show award are that the gallery’s show be a changing gallery show within Polk County with a theme and opening reception. All galleries within the county were contacted, and four galleries have submitted shows to be considered (in alphabetical order): 

Tryon Arts & Crafts School nominated its “Black & White Show,” which opened Oct. 14 and ran through Nov. 9, 2016, and featured black and white artwork created by 60 artists, including Patti D’Arbanville, Dale McEntire, Don Blackwell, Patricia Hayes (People’s Choice Award), Diana Gurri, Reiko Miyagi and Christine Mariotti.

The Tryon Depot Room nominated its “Horse of a Different Color” show, featuring the artwork of Monica Stevenson, which opened Oct. 20 and ran through Nov. 16, 2016.

The Tryon Fine Arts Center nominated its “Preserving African-American Art in the Foothills” exhibit featuring over 100 works of African-American artwork that has been produced or collected by residents of the Foothills, which opened Jan. 22 and ran through March 5, 2016.

Tryon Painters & Sculptors nominated its “Winter Show, 2016,” which ran from Nov. 5 through Dec. 23 with guest artists Rich Nelson and Keith Spencer, David Zacharias and member artists Patricia Hayes, Douglas Chamberlain, Blaine Owens and Susie Welsh.

Upstairs Artspace nominated its “Clay Four Ways” exhibit which ran from June 18 – July 29, 2016 and featured the artwork of Eric Knoche, Mike Vatalaro, Megan Wolfe and Rob Pulleyn with large-scale works that measure at least 36 inches in one dimension.

The public is invited to vote for the show of their choice between Jan. 27 at 9 a.m. and Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. online at www.tryonawards.org. Only one vote may be placed per person. Additional votes will be subject to disqualification. Neither Tryon Arts & Crafts School nor any of the other nominees are affiliated with or have access to the vote tabulation, which will be tabulated by an independent party, and upon the closing of votes accessed by the Polk County Film Initiative, placed in a sealed envelope and opened at the event on Feb. 3.   

– article submitted by Cathy Fischer