Local artists honored at kickoff reception

COUNTY — Pickens County Youth Arts 2015 is now in full swing.

Saturday’s kickoff reception at the Pickens County Museum was attended by hundreds upon hundreds of proud parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, friends, and, of course, the talented young artists who created the 930 works of art that are on display at the museum through March 26.

Pickens County Cultural Commission Awards were presented to artists in both high school and middle school divisions at the reception.

In the high school division, Daniel student Lillian Kome earned first-place honors with her colored pencil drawing, “Bee-Eaters Fighting.” Second place went to Pickens’ Michelle Giambrone-Roach for her graphite and mixed-media drawings, “Untitled (Face Studies)” and “Self Portrait.” Chemito Bautista of Easley took third for the watercolor, “Farm House,” while Liberty’s Hunter Moore earned an honorable mention award for the oil pastel, “Charleston Houses.”

Museum Choice Certificates in the high school division were presented to Gabby Bailey, Rosa Kome, Caitlin Peters and Courtney Tobon of Daniel; Angie Castillo, Lauren Gambrell, Emily Moss and Shaneya Ruibal of Easley; Tyler Chapman, Rebekah Davis, Martha Jacobo and Courtney Kelly of Liberty; and Meagan Beauvais, Kristen Blackwood, Desiree Kelly, and Keelie Mlay of Pickens.

Dacusville Middle School’s Krushi Patel took first place in the middle school division for all of her collective works of “Animal Art.” Second place went to Pickens’ Sarah Stewart for her pencil drawings, “Zentangle Elephant” and “Elephant Metamorphosis.” Liberty’s Hailey Miles earned third place for the pencil drawing, “Peacock.” Honorable mention awards went to Getty’s Rhiannon Echols-Leitch for the colored pencil drawing, “Down The Rabbit Hole,” and Edwards’ Shawn Hamilton for the mixed media collage, “Dog.”

Museum Choice Certificates in the middle school division included Seth Costa, Hannah Finley and Paisley Ramey of Dacusville Middle School; Adison Culver, Emerald Withers and the group work of Austin Burkhart, Madison Lackey and Baylee Holder of Edwards; Zoe Barnes, Jaydan Burgess and Allison Hunt of Gettys; Brianna Aiken, Jordan Connell and Tia Schofield of Liberty; Abi Broom, Logan Redding and Tahya Vallery-Ritchie of Pickens; and Kate Becker representing TEAM Home School of Clemson.

In the elementary school division, all participating students were presented an award of participation by the museum and the participating schools.

In addition to the always entertaining Visual Arts Exhibition, which will be on display through March 26, the School District of Pickens County will be hosting a selection of other exhibits, concerts and performances taking place at a variety of locations throughout March. For more programming information, contact your child’s school.

“Pickens County Youth Arts 2015” is sponsored in part by Pickens Savings and Loan, South State Bank and Robinson Funeral Home, Crematory and Memorial Gardens. The Pickens County Museum of Art and 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 U.S. Highway 178 at 307 Johnson Street in Pickens, the museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed.

To read more about this event and others in the county, go to VisitPickensCounty.com/Calendar or contact the museum at (864) 898-5963.