Winners Announced for Gateway to Nature Art Exhibit & Competition and Trail Photography Competition
Southern Arts Society, Kings Mountain
Exhibit on view: August 8 – September 20, 2024
Winners were announced at Southern Arts Society in Kings Mountain last Saturday evening, August 10, for the Gateway to Nature art competition and the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail photography competition. Jurors for both competitions were Andrew Leventis, Associate Professor of Painting, UNC Charlotte, and Dr. Mallory Nanny, Lecturer in Liberal Studies, UNC Charlotte.
Gateway to Nature is an art exhibition and competition sponsored by Southern Arts Society to explore the beauty of the world around us and how we interact with nature. Artists from around the region entered over 70 works, in a wide variety of media – painting (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel), colored pencil, collage, photography, and mixed media.
In judging the Nature exhibit, Mr. Leventis and Dr. Nanny looked for unique perspectives, and were particularly impressed with applicants who portrayed adventurous subject matter. Artists often choose subjects they think others will find beautiful, but it is easy to forget that artists can also point out overlooked elements in the mundane that will resonate with viewers. The artists they selected for awards presented unpredictable subjects in ways that caused them to be viewed as beautiful, or they depicted subjects that were perhaps more familiar, but were enticed to reexamine them through means of wonderful craftsmanship and skill.
Winners for Nature
First Place
Martha Moore, of Shelby, Hanging Rock State Park, watercolor
Jurors’ comments:
We were intrigued by Martha’s use of watercolor to build up impasto passages of paint, as opposed to employing the medium in its typically diluted form. The painting also recalls the “fidelity to nature” reminiscent in the Pre-Raphaelite artists such as John Ruskin and John Everett Millais. Martha has really used vivid color, texture, and detail to bring this subject to life. Congratulations to Martha on her remarkable work.
Second Place
Todd Baxter, of Rock Hill, Hutchinson House, oil
Jurors’ comments:
This excellent oil painting impressed us with its sense of light, color, and deft paint handling. We loved the open narrative of the picture, which invited us to ask questions and imagine stories about the subject. This house on the edge of the woods communicates a wonderful sense of mystery. Congratulations to Todd on his excellent painting.
Third Place
Jan Welborn, of Kings Mountain, Shady Trail, pastel
Jurors’ comments:
Her piece stood out to us because of its subtle tonality and moody undertones. She utilizes wonderfully convincing atmospheric perspective to convey the impression of walking on a forest path in the shady cool of the day. From a technical standpoint, her ability to apply greens in a variety of warm and cool tones is particularly impressive. We congratulate Janet on her excellent work.
Merit Awards
Jurors’ comments:
Although there were many artworks in this exhibition that could have easily received merit awards, these artists demonstrated inventiveness in their compositions, as well as a creativity that is free of derivation. The first, second, and third-place awards go to artists who presented outstanding artwork on the levels of professional presentation, artistic maturity, and creative ambition.
Merit Award
Janet Baxter, of Kings Mountain, Eastern Bluebird on Post, thread piece
Jurors’ comments:
We were delighted with all works submitted by this artist, but we especially enjoyed her original pieces. The complementary blue-orange (or tan) scheme unique to the Eastern Bluebird made it sing louder for us. We hope Baxter continues to apply her gifts towards subjects unique to her artistic vision.
Merit Award
Bertie McClain, of Kings Mountain, What’s the Way?, acrylic
Jurors’ comments:
The vibrant color of Bertie McClain’s What’s the Way captivated our attention, while the ambiguous subject of the massive crowd separating into two distinct paths kept us wondering. The scene invites narrative speculation, and the work has lingered in our minds since viewing it. In some ways, we felt it might offer a visual metaphor for the socio-political tensions felt by many Americans today.
Merit Award
Ellen Devenny, of Kings Mountain, Looking for Something?, photography
Jurors’ comments:
Ellen Devenny’s Looking for Something? captures a chance connection with wildlife in a wonderfully original way. We found the vertical composition to be very clever, for it highlights the length of the wingspan without sacrificing clarity. It also makes for a dynamic and interesting image. The slight turn of the bird’s head, coupled with its direct engagement with the viewer, pulled us further into the scene – if not the mind of the animal. Such timing is evidence of Devenny’s patience and keen eye. Congratulations to these artists for their exceptional work.
Winners for Trail
Also on view is the Trail photography competition, sponsored by the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail and Southern Arts Society. In the Trail Photography Competition, the judges were excited to see how each artist used photography to represent nature scenes, outings, or family visits along the Gateway Trail. Three awards were presented for the Trail competition.
Jurors’ comments:
In the Trail Photography Competition, we were excited to see how each artist used photography to represent nature scenes, outings, or family visits along the Gateway Trail.
First Place
Ellen Devenny, of Kings Mountain, Bamboo Forest
Jurors’ comments:
The perspective, sharpness, and dense, saturated color make this photograph particularly striking to us. We appreciate how the bird’s-eye vantage point feels familiar while it creates incredible drama. The diagonal lines of these slender trees, coupled with their towering heights, make for an arresting subject, while the crisp detail allows for prolonged study of the different fauna included in the frame. A work like this offers an important reminder to slow down and take pleasure in nature’s raw, majestic beauty. Congratulations to Ellen on her stunning photograph.
Second Place
Shirley Brutko, of Kings Mountain, Hungry Bee
Jurors’ comments:
If only we could all be witness to such joyous sightings! Hungry Bee underscores the importance of timingin the art of photography. We appreciate how the tight cropping, attention to texture, and the luscious color accentuate the drama of this exciting moment. While the pollinator’s welcome presence anchors the focal point in the center, we would like to see Brutko take more compositional risks. She has a marvelous eye for small wonders, and we look forward to seeing more work from her in the future. Congratulations, Shirley!
Third Place
Alex Pietersen, of Lake Wylie, SC, Tough Enough
Jurors’ comments:
In this composition, Alex focused on a sapling with brilliant green leaves, which stands out starkly against a shelf of brown and gray rock. The picture is an excellent gathering of contrasts: bright color vs. neutral color, light vs. dark, vitality vs. decrepitude, living vs. dead. Congratulations to Alex on his award for this thoughtful work.
Jurors’ final comments:
Thank you again to the Southern Arts Society and to all the artists in the exhibition for sharing your work with us. We very much enjoyed your artistry, and we wish you success in all your future creative endeavors.
Warmly,
Andrew Leventis, Associate Professor of Painting, UNC Charlotte
Dr. Mallory Nanny, Lecturer in Liberal Studies, UNC Charlotte
Gateway to Nature and Trail will be on display in the galleries of Southern Arts Society through September 20, 2024. Works in the exhibits are available for sale and can be viewed in person or on the website and Facebook page of Southern Arts Society. NEW Summer Hours are Thurs – Sat, 10 am to 3 pm and by Appointment.