South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition

Overview

Fine craft artists from across South Carolina were invited to participate in the 21st Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition, the state’s longest-running juried fine craft competition and exhibition. More than 60 artists were selected to show their work in the exhibition through a pre-jury process. Once on exhibit their work will then compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,500. Award selections are made at the sole discretion of the juror. Organized by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Fest, this unique exhibition offers fine craft artists from across the state the opportunity to exhibit their inspiring objects in the media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and three-dimensional mixed media. Each year thousands enjoy the refined talents of South Carolina fine craft artists featured in this exhibition.

About the Juror

We are pleased to announce the juror for the 2023 competition is Karen A. Stock, Professor of Fine Art at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. Stock earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She began teaching at Winthrop in 2004. Her specialty is modern and contemporary European art. She guest-curated an exhibition at Winthrop titled “Performing Gender” and investigates gender issues in her scholarship. Stock also received a Fulbright teaching scholarship and spent six months teaching art history in Beijing, China.

Submit Your Work

Fine craft artists and artisans from across South Carolina are welcome to submit an application for participation in the Annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Competition & Exhibition. South Carolina artists working in clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and 3-D mixed media are eligible to submit entries. The application period for 2023 is December 15, 2023 – March 15, 2023. Call the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843-740-5854 for more information or to be added to the application mailing list.

2023 Winners

Best in Show: Octopus’s Garden (glass) by Robin McNair (Summerville)

Outstanding Merit:

• Moon Dance (glass) by Elizabeth Kalman (North Charleston)
• Fire Song (clay) by Marty Biernbaum (Charleston)

Honorable Mentions:

• Cherry on Top (clay) by Lisa Bone (Lexhington)Vessel No. 394 (3-D mixed media) by Lee Sipe (Columbia)
• Bowl of Flames (wood) by Malcolm Fages (Mount Pleasant)
• Pursuit of Happiness (3-D mixed media) by Pascale Bilgis (Johns Island)
• Chapter 30 (3-D mixed media) by Jacqueline Anderon (North Charleston)
• Diversity (fiber) by Pam Shanley (Summerville)
• Ahmaud Arbery (fiber) by Jo-Ann Morgan (Surside Beach)
• Trapped (glass) by Tanya Craig (North Charleston)
• Narthex (3-D mixed media) by Miasy Ellinger (Hanahan)
• …the Boy Who Dreamed (3-D mixed media) by Thomas Piragnoli (Folly Bch)Child of the Creek (fiber) by Ron Rodge (Bluffton)
• Ukranian Mother (fiber) by Jo-Ann Morgan (Surfside Beach)

Juror’s Statement

It was not easy to make a final decision with so many wonderful pieces. In the end, certain themes connect the pieces that are being recognized. This includes a love for nature and  appreciation for the fragility of the natural world. Resilience is another theme, in the face of war and racism. Many works evoke hopefulness for the future, and bring a smile to the
viewer. Thank you for inviting me to take part. You should all be proud of what you created.

-Karen A. Stock, 3 May 2023