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Above artwork pictured left to right: Voyeur Series by Yvette L. Cummings, Daughter of Man by Uschi Jeffcoat, and Apprehensive Love (3rd place) by Ashley Arakas.

About the Competition

The Trustees of the Florence Museum are proud to present the 2017 Pee Dee Regional Art Competition sponsored by Chick-fil-A. The competition highlights the best contemporary art in the Pee Dee region. One of the state’s oldest juried art competitions, the first Pee Dee Regional dates back to 1954 where the competition was held at the former Florence Museum on Spruce Street in Florence, South Carolina.

This year’s exhibit is now open to the public and will remain on display through March 24, 2017 in the FCM Waters Gallery. Visitors are invited to inspect this year’s selection and cast their vote for the Jo Ann Fender Scarborough People’s Choice Award. Voting for the People’s Choice Award will be open through Friday, March 10 with the winner being announced on Monday, March 20 via a press release and the museum’s social media.

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FCM Waters Gallery
135 South Dargan Street
Florence, South Carolina

Gallery Hours:
Monday – Friday
10:00am – 5:00pm

Left:
Jim Boden
Hartsville, SC
Harpy
Oil and acrylic on canvas
Jim Boden
Hartsville, SC
Pursue
Oil and acrylic on canvas
Jim Boden
Hartsville, SC
Stilt Walkers
Oil and acrylic on canvas

The Selection Process & Awards

Professional comic book artist and native of Kingstree, South Carolina, Sanford Greene served as the competition juror overseeing the selection of works and awards for this year’s exhibition. First place in this year’s competition was awarded to Yvette Cummings of Conway for her painting When the Magpie Came. The other award winners include second-place acrylic painting by Florence resident Debbie Broadway titled And So It Was and third place Apprehensive Love by Myrtle Beach artist, Ashley Arakas. The honorable mention was awarded to the watercolor titled, Through the Eyes of a Child by Lynda English of Florence.

The exhibit this year is composed of 34 works of art selected from 119 online submissions by 57 artists representing northeastern South Carolina. This year’s exhibit is comprised from a balanced variety of paintings, mixed media, prints, drawings, photography and three-dimensional works.

    Yvette Cummings
    Conway, SC
    When the Magpie Came
    Acrylic on Canvas

    See our blog for an interview with Yvette L. Cummings.

    Debbie Broadway
    Florence, SC
    And So It Was
    Acrylic

    Ashley Arakas
    Myrtle Beach, SC
    Apprehensive Love
    Watercolor on paper

    Lynda English
    Florence, SC
    Through the Eyes of a Child
    Watercolor

    Debbie Broadway
    Florence, SC
    And So It Was
    Acrylic

    Juror’s Statement

    First let me say it was an honor to be asked to participate as the juror for the 2017 Pee Dee Regional. Over the last few years I have begun to recognize the amount of artistic talent in South Carolina, especially in the Pee Dee, and it was gratifying to see the diversity of entries into this year’s competition.

    There were many pieces that made the judging thought-provoking. Yvette Cummings’ work, When the Magpie Came, created a benchmark for the selection process by demonstrating the best qualities of fundamental skill, aesthetic balance, composition and conceptual strength. The other award-winning works represented equal attention to those artistic principles.

    As a teacher, I always encourage my students to apply themselves in all aspects of their art, to make good artistic decisions which will set a standard for themselves that they can aspire to throughout their entire lives.

    In my professional life as a comics artist, I am often reminded of the advice of my own teacher, Tyrone Geter, who taught me how important it was to engage in a critique with myself.

    Art competitions produce the kind of feedback that is necessary for artistic growth and confidence; let these be teaching moments. Do not be discouraged by others’ judgment, but always use the best of your own.

    January, 2017

    List of Works

    Ashley Arakas
    Myrtle Beach, SC
    Apprehensive Love
    Watercolor on paper

    Ashley Arakas
    Myrtle Beach, SC
    Translucent
    Oil on canvas

    Jim Boden
    Hartsville, SC
    Border
    Oil and acrylic on canvas

    Jim Boden
    Hartsville, SC
    Harpy
    Oil and acrylic on canvas

    Jim Boden
    Hartsville, SC
    Pursue
    Oil and acrylic on canvas

    Jim Boden
    Hartsville, SC
    Stilt Walkers
    Oil and acrylic on canvas

    Debbie Broadway
    Florence, SC
    And So It Was
    Acrylic

    Yvette Cummings
    Conway, SC
    When the Magpie Came
    Acrylic on Canvas

    Yvette Cummings
    Conway, SC
    Voyeur Series
    Acrylic and hand-cut paper on canvas

    Jarrett Davis
    Pamplico, SC
    Destiny
    Acrylic on canvas

    Lynda English
    Florence, SC
    Through the Eyes of a Child
    Watercolor

    Robert Garey
    Florence, SC
    Fiddlin’
    Oil on linen

    Jim Gleason
    Pamplico, SC
    Baby Dragon Lunch
    Found object sculpture

    Jim Gleason
    Pamplico, SC
    Clarigator
    Found object sculpture

    Jana Goss
    Florence, SC
    Flame
    Mixed media collage

    Douglas Gray
    Florence, SC
    Erasure
    Sagger-fired ceramics with encaustic medium

    Douglas Gray
    Florence, SC
    Rift
    Sagger-fired ceramics with encaustic medium

    Denise Greer
    Rembert, SC
    Obsessed
    Mixed media

    Jean Grosser
    Hartsville, SC
    Open Carry
    Wood, brass, nails, fabric, gun replica

    Uschi Jeffcoat
    Florence, SC
    Daughter of Man
    Watercolor

    Uschi Jeffcoat
    Florence, SC
    Vainglory
    Watercolor

    Treelee MacAnn
    Myrtle Beach, SC
    A Zen Place
    28 color serigraph

    Claire Sallenger Martin
    Supply, NC
    Seaside Comics
    Mixed watermedia

    Julie Mixon
    Florence, SC
    Eight Not Seven
    Photo transfer on wood panel

    Julie Mixon
    Florence, SC
    Monticchiello Surroundings
    White marble gelatin fresco image transfer

    Chris Richardson
    Marion, SC
    Homeless
    Acrylic on canvas

    Walter Sallenger
    Florence, SC
    Gervais Street Bridge
    Black and white infrared photograph

    Walter Sallenger
    Florence, SC
    Sunset, Mount Hope
    Black and white infrared photograph

    Talbot Selby
    Conway, SC
    To Burn the Head
    Archival pigment print

    Jim Stratton
    Florence, SC
    Poverty at Rest
    Oil on canvas

    Cat Taylor
    Longs, SC
    Judas Kiss
    Oil on canvas

    Genia Tyson
    Florence, SC
    Channeling Klimt, I
    Acrylic

    Jaclyn Wukela
    Florence, SC
    Crying Time
    Colored pencil

    Jaclyn Wukela
    Florence, SC
    Toward the Light
    Colored pencil

    Competition Schedule

    Acceptance of Online Entries
    Tue, Oct 4 – Fri, Nov 25, 2016
    Juror Selection
    Mon, Nov 28 – Fri, Dec 2
    Digital Semifinal Acceptance Notification
    Mon, Dec 5 – Fri, Dec 9
    Delivery of Accepted Works
    Tue, Dec 13 – Tue, Dec 20

    Juror’s Final Review & Awards
    Fri, Jan 13 – Sat, Jan 14, 2017
    Final Acceptance Notifications
    Mon, Jan 16 – Fri, Jan 20
    Opening Reception
    Thurs, Jan 26
    Final Day of Exhibition
    Fri, Mar 24
    Last Day to Pickup Work
    Fri, Apr 21
    Left:
    Jim Gleason
    Pamplico, SC
    Baby Dragon Lunch
    Found object sculpture
    Jim Gleason
    Pamplico, SC
    Clarigator
    Found object sculpture
    Jean Grosser
    Hartsville, SC
    Open Carry
    Wood, brass, nails, fabric, gun replica
    Cat Taylor
    Longs, SC
    Judas Kiss
    Oil on canvas

    Exhibit Catalog

    Printed copies of the catalog are available in the exhibit. You may also view and download a PDF of the catalog here.

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