Talent on display: Students share art at Orangeburg center

ArtsField Jr. is exhibiting artwork in the Upstate, the Midlands, Pee Dee and the Lowcountry. The Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center will feature Lowcountry works.

“We are absolutely thrilled and honored to have been chosen as one of four venues for this prestigious exhibition. We’ve made exhibiting, supporting and publicizing Orangeburg County student artists a priority at the Arts Center. This is an endorsement of our efforts,” said Vivian Glover, OCFAC director of community arts and development.

The Lake City ArtFields Collective is a community arts nonprofit located in Lake City, South Carolina. ArtsField Jr. serves students from 5K through 12th grade.

ArtsField Jr. offers an array of year-round art programs such as field trip opportunities, interactive hands-on experiences and a statewide art competition.

Tabitha Ott, liaison for ArtsField Jr., says the OCFAC can expect visitors from all over the state, especially the Lowcountry, given the popularity and reputation of the competition.

“I’m familiar with the Lusty Gallery space and the outstanding exhibitions that have been curated there, and it’s the perfect venue to show the works of ArtsField Jr. winners,” Ott said.

The ArtsField Jr. Competition is divided into four categories. A review panel determines five winners from each group, awarding as much as $500 in prizes.

“I hope this exhibition will entice students in our area to visit this exhibition and be encouraged to enter the competition for 2024,” Glover said.

“We have an exhibition of artwork in the Arts Center’s lobby area by students from the Orangeburg County School District, so out-of-town visitors will see the works of our talented students, as well,” she said.

In addition to the visual art exhibition, the OCFAC held its second annual end-of-school-year Visual and Performing Arts Expo in collaboration with arts instructors from the Orangeburg County School District.

“I don’t think anyone who attended this year’s show, which had a packed house again, will forget those performances and the caliber of talent on display. Guests were blown away,” Glover said.

This year’s expo performance lineup included:

• The Lake Marion High School Dance Team under the direction of Charity Moore.

• The North Middle High School Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Herman Marsh.

• The Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School Chorus under the direction of Glenn Nixon

• The Carver-Edisto Middle School Players under the direction of Karyn Moss

• The Orangeburg County Youth Choir, directed by Sheneice Smith

The expo also included the Orangeburg County School District Honor Band, directed by Herman Marsh and Dr. Ophelia Darby, and Elloree Elementary School student Kaylise Lloyd’s spoken word performance, directed by Odette Gordon.

The grand finale was a performance on the front lawn of the arts center by the Edisto Golden Essence Percussion under the direction of Darby.

“We’re looking forward to our third annual expo next year. In the meantime, there is the ongoing exhibition in the Lusty Gallery, ‘The Rahmans: Designs with Natural Elements,’ which continues until Aug. 25, 2023. The ArtsField Jr. Exhibition is from Aug. 28 to Oct. 20, 2023,” Glover said.

The Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center is located at 649 Riverside Drive in Orangeburg. For additional information about exhibitions and other art-related events and activities, call 803-536-4074 or email staff@orangeburgarts.org.

All Arts Center exhibitions are free and open to the public. More information on ArtsField Jr. can be found at www.artfieldssc.org/artfields-jr.