Katie Lowery
Self Portrait

COUNTY — The Pickens County Cultural Commission’s Youth Arts 2013 is in full swing. A March 2 kickoff reception at the Pickens County Museum was attended by more than 800 proud parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, friends, and, of course, the talented young artists that created the 879 works of art that are on display at the museum through March 28.

This year’s Pickens County Cultural Commission Awards include in the High School Division: First Place to Hannah Laney from Easley High School for the colored pencil drawings, “Red Portrait” and “Purple Portrait”; Second Place to Daniel High School’s Morgan Summerlin collectively for the pen & ink “Antique Doorknob” and the cast plaster, “Self Portrait”; Third Place honors went to Macy Martin from Liberty High School for the graphite drawing, “Caged Bird”; and an Honorable Mention Award went to Pickens High School’s Katie Lowery for the conté  crayon drawing, “Self Portrait”.

Director’s Choice Certificates in the High School Division were presented to Virginia Ellis, Lillian Kome, Jacob Lehmann and Riana Venturanza from Daniel High; Chemito Bautista, Abria Ferguson, Jordan Hennessee and Alex Welborn from Easley High; Brady Autrey, Karsen Brown, Rebekah Davis and Hunter Moore from Liberty High; and Alexis Day, Justin Howard, Julie Nalley and Trent Frazor’s Art One Class from Pickens High.

In the Middle School Division: First Place to Liberty Middle School’s Sydnie Krebs for the colored pencil drawing, “Sleeping Cat”; Second Place to Andrew Martin from R.H. Gettys Middle School collectively for acrylic “Self Portrait” and the watercolor, “Pablo Fiasco”; Third Place went to Pickens Middle School’s Stephanie Demaio for the graphite and colored pencil drawings, “”Portrait” and “Starry Night Interpretation”. Honorable Mention Awards went to Chanler Burgess from Dacusville Middle school for the pastel, “Self Portrait”; and to Brady Seavey from R.C. Edwards Middle school for the acrylic, “Monochromatic Portrait”.

Directors Choice Certificates in the Middle School Division include: Nathan Coleman, Drew McConnell and Walker Williams from Dacusville Middle School; Austin Hoover, Annie Patel and Terreco Robinson from R. C. Edwards Middle School; Samantha Jones, Reagan Baumgarner, Jack Nunnery and Jarrett Moreno from R. H. Gettys Middle School; Faith Hartsell, Courtney King and Daiquan Tabron from Liberty Middle School; and Dawson Duncan, Cole Stewart and Danielle Yother from Pickens Middle School.

In the Elementary School Division all participating students were presented an Award of Participation by the Museum and the participating Schools.

The Pickens County Museum of Art & History is funded in part by Pickens County, members and friends of the museum and a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Located at the corner of Hwy. 178 at 307 Johnson Street in Pickens SC, the museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is free but donations are welcomed.

For more information please contact the museum at (864) 898-5963.