Murphy The Cherokee County Arts Council hosted the Cherokee County Schools student awards on April 25 to a crowded gallery of proud art instructors, parents and a bevy of young local artists eager to see their works both awarded and displayed after a month-long installation at the council’s gallery.
CCAC Director David Vowell said “This program began 12 years ago with the Valley River Arts Guild and a classroom which is now our central gallery. Too, nine years ago, the co-founders of the ArtWalk in Murphy decided to exhibit the student artworks in our building.”
The exhibits are open to both middle and high school students in Cherokee County Schools and Tri-County Early College and with a total of 107 entrants and six categories this year, Vowell said art is indeed alive in our school system.
“We added Crafts a the sixth category this year, because we wanted to include those students who may be working with other media like wood or fabric or other fibers,” he said.
“The judges enjoyed the entries in this category, and we even had a dress entered this year, so we’ll keep both this category for further artistic expression. The judges delighted with the variations each year.”
Vowell said the judging panel is an anonymous jury, comprised of neither artists nor teachers, so “the art is merely subjectively judged based on three parameters which include originality, technical skill and visual impact with each category having a score of 10, with a total of 30 being the highest achievable score.”
According to Vowell, these components are the most critical to assessing the students’ work in a manner that is purely unbiased, meaning that the pieces speak to the judges as individual pieces of art do to an impartial observer.
These nine years of exhibitions have seen quite a progression of both students and teachers applying art in education, according to Vowell as well, saying, “It’s been a real pleasure for me to see young artists progress with their entries over the years. To see the differences between the 14-year-old artist who first entered with the 18-year-old whose last entry of their time in the system has changed and evolved.”
The Arts Council has also stepped up its outreach efforts for young artists in Cherokee County.
“I personally have spoken with the area’s art teachers at every level to help generate interest in students entering our exhibition and contest – even if they don’t win, it’s a way to expand their ideas about what art offers to individuals and a way for their work to be seen by the larger public.”
Vowell added that the Arts Council has seen real growth in the artistic process among county students and the system and incentives for those students involved in artistic pursuits and that to spur that interest “We’ve also done some extensive fundraising for scholarships in that time.”
Five years ago, Mike Lalone established a scholarship for one student artist to honor his parents’ dedication to art, which in turn led to his teaching career.
“It was COVID and things were shut down, especially the schools for a while and I wanted to find a way to both honor my parents Marcel and Ellie and to help students who’d been impacted by the school shutdowns and because no matter what, my parents made sure we always had access to art supplies. They always got my siblings and myself involved in some form of making art.”
“At first, I was the sole contributor the scholarship fund, but then I began seeking donations and United Community Bank is the holder of the monies and eventually others in the community wanted to contribute and the fund has grown to $500 today which I am so proud to offer to one recipient. Although I wish it were more, and maybe someday it will be, I’m honored to be able to do this to help an artist with their goals.”
Lalone’s story doesn’t stop with delivering a check to a winner: he still substitute teaches to stay abreast of what’s happening in Cherokee County’s art classrooms and has used his 19 years in Murphy to become involved with the arts community at several levels, including John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown and the Arts Council.
“I taught for 31 years and always kept my hand in both clay arts and producing art for my own enjoyment. It’s my privilege to help keep students interested in working with both their hands and their minds to explore their talents, to hone their skills and to keep their interest in art alive as they grow older. My job around here now is to lift heavy things and to be around if these kids need me.”
Not only did Lalone teach and coach over his 31 years teaching in Orlando, Fla., he also built a program for artists’ demonstrations at Dr. Phillips High School that won then-Gov. Job Bush’s wife Columba’s annual Arts for Life! Award.
“We were pretty proud of what we created there with the artists and students working together. Some of the students would come in on their lunch breaks during school hours and on weekends to work on the project. It was really stunning to see the arts community embrace working with young people at their own pace and in their own space.”
That space that art creates for young people has to be nurtured and Lalone along with the Arts Council, are working to make sure that the youth of the area are involved and appreciated.
The winner of this year’s $500 scholarship is Maddie Stiles of Murphy High School, who also took the first-place prize in the Painting category.
With Stiles, Murphy High had a total of four winners in the showcase including first places for Lia Monaghan in Drawing and Kinslee Millsaps in Mixed Media. Jack Runyon also won second place for MHS in the Painting Category and Runyon also had offers to purchase his work at the awards ceremony.
Andrews High School had a total of three winners with Myca Mustin taking second in 3D art and Aubranna Bonilla and Emma Marcus tying for second in the Craft category. While none of these students were able to attend, art teacher Parris Annas was there to collect both the high school and middle school students’ awards.
Hiwassee Dam High School had four students place in the show with Kenneth Bohannon taking first in the 3-D category, Allison Moore taking first in Craft, Jeanavais Perry taking first in Graphics and Abigail Petro taking second in Mixed Media.
Bohannon actually sold his work at the ceremony and everyone, including proud dad Bo, congratulated him on his first professional sale as he held up his blue first-place ribbon instead of his ceramic piece. Art teacher Cristen Clonts was on hand to celebrate her students along with her husband Brandon who teaches art at Murphy High School.
Tri-County Early College was also well represented, with Indy Monroe taking second in Drawing and Anna Claire Lachance winning Best in Show.
Lalone, Vowell and the teachers in attendance all encouraged those students not at the senior level this year as well as those in middle school to keep entering every year they’re eligible and to grow both in their studies of art and other subjects.
Details; Visit the Cherokee County Arts Council at 33 Valley River Ave. in downtown Murphy or cherokeeartscouncil.org.