Community, Regional, National Artists Wanted For DrawProject

VALDOSTA — Community, regional, and national artists have until Tuesday, Dec. 23, to enter DrawProject, an annual drawing invitational exhibition that raises funds for Valdosta State University Department of Art students. Fifty submissions will be selected and framed for the event.

Hosted by the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts and sponsored by Classic Art & Frame Co., Guardian Bank, and Bush Wealth Management, DrawProject benefits two scholarships.

The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts Scholarship is awarded annually to support a VSU junior art, design, or art education major for meritorious production in the classroom and a commitment to service within the community. The Danielle B. Harmon Student Merit Scholarship recognizes departmental majors for superior classroom performance. Before her death in 2010, she was an associate professor in the VSU Department of Art.

“The DrawProject charity exhibition event is rooted in the support of the many community sponsors, donors, patrons, and artists who, year after year, give so generously of their time, talent, and financial resources,” said Michael T. Schmidt, head of VSU’s Department of Art. “Because of the strong community support for the DrawProject, we continue to make a long-lasting impact on our students, which is apparent each time a scholarship is awarded to a bright, hardworking, and dedicated VSU student-artist.”

DrawProject’s opening reception and auction will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, located at 527 N. Patterson St. The exhibit will remain on display through Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Sales of artworks are through bids. All works begin with a minimum bid of $40. Those that reach bids of $80 or more will be closed at 7 p.m. the evening of the reception. Those that receive a bid of $150 or more will be offered during a live auction near the conclusion of the reception. 

Works that do not reach $80 in bids during the reception will remain open to bidding until they either reach the $80 mark or the show closes in February.

DrawProject is the brainchild of Jamie Harmon, former curator of the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. 

Contact Bill Shenton at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts at (229) 247-2787 or bshenton@turnercenter.org or Michael T. Schmidt at the VSU Department of Art at (229) 333-5835 or mschmidt@valdosta.edu for more information.

Details:

• Interpret the concept of “drawing,” using any medium, subject, style, and technical approach, and create an original artwork to be exhibited and donated for auction.

• Use any paper desired as long as it is 22 inches by 15 inches. Paper is available at no cost at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, VSU Department or Art, and Classic Art & Frame Co.  

• Up to 50 pieces will be selected for framing during the exhibition and auction. Any additional pieces received will be available for purchase throughout the exhibit.

• Drawings must include the artist’s name, address, email, and web link, as well as the title of the work and the medium. Artists have the option of also submitting a short biography, artist’s statement, or statement about the drawing, 50 words or less.

• Completed, unframed works should be delivered or shipped to the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts at 527 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, Ga., 31601, by 4 p.m. on Dec. 23. They may also be dropped off at the VSU Department of Art main office by 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19.

On the Web:

http://turnercenter.org

http://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/art/

https://www.facebook.com/DrawProject.VSUArt

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities. 

Fundraisers like the DrawProject help the university meet the following goals: 

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 2: Increase financial support for the institution.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Goal 4: Foster an environment of creativity and scholarship.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.