Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.
– Vincent Van Gogh
It seems appropriate to quote an artist at the beginning of a post about an art contest, particularly a contest entitled The Small Art Show.
In this particular show, it’s not the size of the show that is necessarily small, but the size of the actual art.
The White Rabbit Fine Art Gallery is hosting The Small Art Show at their studio on Main Street. All mediums are welcome, as long as they are 12″ x 12″.
“We look forward to a vast array of mediums and styles,” Kym Easter says. Kym is the Community Liason for the gallery. She says currently they have weavers, woodcarvers and potters applying, as well as artists using watercolor and paints and other mediums.
The show is juried and will be judged by Marta Lanier, head of the Furman Art department. There will be three cash prizes and plenty of advertising and promotional opportunities for the entrants and their entries.
To enter the show you need to meet the deadline of March 15, pay the application fee of $25 and be sure your art is contained within the 12″ x 12″ requirement, as well as assuring that your art has a proper mounting system on the back so it can be hung on the walls of the art gallery.
The application form can be found online here, but you can also stop by the gallery during their open hours and pick up an application there as well.
Once your art has been submitted by March 15, your work will stay in the gallery until the pieces are curated and juried for the April show. In April the gallery will host a reception for the artists, and after that the pieces will be both on display and for sale at White Rabbit Fine Arts Gallery. (All of these details can be found in the application online.)
“The Small Art Show is an excellent opportunity for seasoned and inexperienced artists alike. Exposure in the Travelers Rest art gallery will be beneficial for art and artist,” Kym says. Often, Kym adds, artists tend to work alone so she encourages artists to help cultivate a like minded community that she believes is good for the soul of the artist. “Finding someone that speaks the same language, understands the joys and trials of creating,” Kym says, “is worth the fear of showing one’s work in public.”
Art in a community is valuable, Kym says, because it often has the opportunity to expand the concept of what art is for an entire community. “The chance to walk into a local gallery, with local artists, helps break the idea that art is only for a few,” Kym shares. “Art, in many forms, is better shared.”
Patty Cunningham, who serves as vice president on the gallery’s board of directors, agrees with Kym. “Art enriches the community in creative ways.”
Entering the contest is also a great way for local artists to stretch their own imaginative eye. “It pushes them to explore different aspects of their art, which encourages greater expressions,” Patty says. “For me, the contest is a way to participate in a group project and enjoy sharing with others a successful project.”
