Apr 14, 2021
Tamarack Foundation for the Arts proudly announces six awards in its Emerging Artist Fellowship program for 2021. New fellows include Emily Prentice of Randolph County, Suzan Ann Morgan of Upshur County, Brandy Jefferys of Cabell County, Kelsie Tyson of Greenbrier County, Nichole Westfall and Blake Wheeler, both of Kanawha.
Emerging Artist Fellows are thriving early-career artists who demonstrate a superior level of mastery and an aptitude to become successful creative professionals. Chosen by an independent committee of master artists and arts leaders, they contribute to the foundation’s mission of growing West Virginia’s economy by empowering promising creatives.
Each fellowship includes a stipend and continuing access to professional skill-building in the areas of branding, marketing, and technology as well as valuable connections with a community of successful creatives in West Virginia.
Tamarack Foundation for the Arts is accepting online applications for its 2021 Emerging Artist Fellowship program through Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m.
Fellowships are open to West Virginia artists 18 years of age or older who have worked in their field of traditional and fine craft or visual arts for three years or less, are prepared to commit time to technical training and education, and are prepared to create and present artwork for an exhibition at a West Virginia-based art institution.
Fellowships provide professional development and growth opportunities, as well as a monetary award of $2,500 for supplies, space or other uses related to the development of work.
WEIRTON Artist Jaci Rice is a little “rusty” at her work.
And that’s brought the Weirton woman personal and professional validation, specifically as one awarded an Emerging Artist Fellowship from the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts for 2020.
Rice was one of five artists selected from around West Virginia whose original works part of her #RustBeltBeauty series were showcased at Taylor Books in Charleston from Oct. 15 through mid-November.
A link to the group show is available at https://tamarackfoundation.org/eaf2020exhibit./
The #RustBeltBeauty series, her website artist statement notes in part, challenges viewers “to discover aspects of beauty hidden in industrial and post-industrial areas like my hometown of Weirton, the monolith of West Virginia’s crumbling Rust Belt. Without stopping to observe the play of light and shadow, the hard juxtaposition of steel against the Ohio Valley hill, or the layers of color that decades of rust and soot have wrought, the full