December 7, 2011

Avery Arts Council proudly announces the first-ever Regional Artist Project Grant recipients in Avery County

LINVILLE – The Avery Arts Council would like to applaud two of our county’s artists as 2011 award recipients of the Regional Artist Project Grant (RAPG). Gaylene Petcu and Pam Brewer, both of Newland, have shown long term dedication to their respective mediums and we are pleased that they have been rewarded with funds for projects through this grant. The Avery Arts Council has been involved with RAPG, which utilizes funds from the North Carolina Arts Council, for more than a decade. This is the first time any Avery artist has been granted this award. Congratulations Gaylene and Pam!

Gaylene is a pastel painter who moved to her family’s home in Avery County four years ago.  Since then, she has become known for her beautiful paintings of the local landscapes. Her grant funding will allow her to invest in higher-quality pastels, lending more luminosity to her work.

Pam works in clay and mosaic and she plans on using her funding to make improvements to her studio in Newland.  These improvements will make her studio more accessible to the public for classes, workshops, and special projects. Beyond a doubt, the investments made in these artists will not only help advance their careers, but enrich our whole community.

Both artists will be featured in the Avery Arts Council’s upcoming Sparkling Celebration on December 28th at Erick’s Wine and Cheese.  This fundraising event will be a great opportunity to see these artists’ work, meet them in person and enjoy a sampling of sparkling wines.

The Avery Arts Council participates in the Regional Artist Project Grant process every year. The deadline is typically in the early fall and after a process of peer review, awards are determined. The grant can be applied for by artists of any type: visual artists, musicians, writers, etc. Its purpose is to provide funds to further an artist’s career, though the means by which this is done is left up to the applicant. To help with the process, the Arts Council provided a how-to workshop for prospective applicants and plans on holding one again next fall. Avery County artists are encouraged to apply for this grant to continue enhancing the cultural life of our community.

To learn more about the Avery Arts Council and the resources they have for artists, call the office at (828) 733-0054 or email info@averycountyartscouncil.org.