By Sarah Fish
Contributing Writer
By Sarah Fish
Contributing Writer
Murphy – Winners of the Anything Goes: Appalachian Theme Murphy Art Xplosion contest were notified on March 15 that The Valley River Arts Guild and Murphy Art Center judges selected their works of art to be displayed downtown this summer.
There were just 35 artworks chosen as Top Features for the Anything Goes Show, to be installed along the downtown Art Trail at a total of 13 locations. All top feature artworks are being printed on large 5-by-3-feet outdoor-grade canvas panels and will include a placard identifying the artist and title of each work, as well as a special top feature designation from the National Endowment for the Arts.
There were 80 entries, with 70 meeting the theme and file size requirements, with a total of 42 artists who submitted work.
“The Valley River Arts Guild has finally reached national recognition for the hard work that our volunteer members provide for the arts in our community,” said Debra Vanderlaan, president of the arts guild and director of The MAX Project.
"Ever since the guild was formed in 2010, our members have created and carried out many wonderful community events, including Art Walk every First Friday May through December, our Kids Classes Program, our Teen and Adult classes program, the MAX Project, as well as creating the Student Art Show in 2012 for the High School and Home School students to showcase their artworks in an annual competition.
“Having been awarded such a prestigious national grant award from the NEA, really underlines what the Valley River Arts Guild is all about. This grant award will hopefully make it a little easier now for the guild to successfully be awarded other grants in the state and national sectors.”
Grand opening night for the Anything Goes Show is First Friday Art Walk evening, May 5. An artist reception will be held at the Murphy Art Center from 5-8 p.m. The murals will be on display throughout downtown through the end of July and can be viewed anytime.
Art Walk and the Anything Goes reception are free and open to the public, awards to each of the Top Featured artists will be presented at the grand opening reception at 7 p.m., as a $100 licensing fee paid for the use of each of the 35 top featured image files, courtesy of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition to the 35 top featured images, there will be 19 additional images on display throughout downtown that have received an honorable mention for this show.
The artists who are guild members and are showcased in the Anything Goes, Appalachian Themed show, have their artworks available for purchase at the Murphy Art Center. To purchase an original work of art from the Xplosion Project, contact the MAC for details.
Murphy Art Walk is a huge monthly event throughout downtown Murphy, each First Friday May through December, the sidewalks and shops filled with vendors, arts, crafts and live music.
For details, visit www.valleyriverarts.com.