On the evening of September 1, The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/ Douglas County (CAC) celebrated over fifty artists and their eighty-seven works of art. Among the collection from several states were portraits, animal paintings, abstracts, breathtaking photographs, Dhuku headdress, authentic Korean sculpture, interactive glass sculpture, bronze statue, and so much more. Several ribbons and cash prizes were presented for the National Juried Arts Show 2022 (NJAS), with a People’s Choice award yet to be announced. Come view the gallery this month and cast your vote for your favorite artwork in the exhibit. Cash prizes this year are sponsored generously by Dennis Connally.
The three judges vocalized what a challenge it was to choose a favorite artwork amongst the array of talent, relying meticulously on a point system to arrive at a value for each artwork. At the opening reception, hundreds of guests gathered in anticipation, celebrating the great collection of work and the artists who created them. Taking 1st place is E. Richard Clark’s watercolor “Workclothes – From the Quiltmaker Series,” depicting a female figure with attention spent on each crevice of her hands, balanced visually by a quilt hanging on a clothesline beyond her. 2nd place went to mixed media artwork “Transplant” by Camyljah Rose, standing 3 foot by 3 foot, a female figure hovering over the viewer with a story to tell, peaceful and glowing from her center, dressed in femininity with a floral collage of fabric and decoupage. Susan Burns took 3rd place for three tall rabbits entitled “Look Again,” layered and stamped with patterns and color, line work and hidden visual treasures. Honorable Mention went to Marsha McGarity’s musical 360-degree sculpture “Big City Blues,” a golden stand-up figure strumming a stringed instrument, created with a secret recipe of mesh that hardens into plaster. The Douglas County Art Guild presented its award to Arnold German for his watercolor “Sun Bather,” a refreshing scene of a turtle sunning on a log with rich tones and deep shadows.
Don’t miss the chance to see such a stunning collection of work in one convenient spot, tours are free and open to the public weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm. A big congratulations to all of the artists who were accepted into the show, and a big thank you to our panel of three judges this year: Jennifer Cardinell, Najee Dorsey, and Carrie Penley. Don’t forget to come record your personal opinion for the People’s Choice Award this September. The winner will be announced at the end of the exhibit.
The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/ Douglas County, located at 8652 Campbellton Street in historic downtown Douglasville, Georgia, is open Mondays through Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm. For directions and more information, visit www.artsdouglas.org or contact the Cultural Arts Council at 770.949.2787.
The mission of the Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/ Douglas County is to nurture, guide and stimulate the enjoyment of and participation in the arts among Douglas County residents by providing an atmosphere conducive to the arts, broadening the spectrum of quality exhibits and performances available to the community, and fostering individual interactions with the arts through a wide range of satellite groups. The Cultural Arts Council is supported in part by the City of Douglasville and the Douglas County Board of Commissioners