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Feature article
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Appy Photo Salon spotlights amateurs’ talent
By Marci Gore
Exhibit is on display at Renaissance Center through June 25
With nearly 400 entries from 88 photographers, the Kingsport Senior Center Photo Group’s sixth annual Appalachian Photography Salon has had a record-setting year.
“The biggest concern we had this year was the economy,” said salon chairman Claude Kelly. “We were worried about how many entries we would get and how well we would be able to finance the competition.”
Any concerns organizers might have had, however, were quickly quelled as the entries began pouring in.
“We actually set a record with the most entries we’ve ever received — 397 from 88 people,” Kelly said.
For the second year in a row, entries in the juried competition are divided into four divisions — Amateur Color Division; Amateur Monochrome Division; Proficient Amateur Color Division; and Proficient Amateur Monochrome Division.
“We broke it down like this to give the new people who haven’t competed all that much an opportunity to win prizes,” Kelly said. “We are always stunned by the quality of the work and this year was no exception. In some respects, the amateurs were almost as good as the proficients.”
Barb Conard took home top honors and $200 in the Amateur Color Division with “Early Morning Jewels.” Misty Hundley received $150 for her second-place win with “Awaken.” Rosie Johnston rounds out the division with her third-place “Evening Glory” entry, worth $100.
Honorable mentions, worth $50 each, went to Michael Rutowski; Kathy Crosby; John Bertuso and Teshia Shelton.
In the Amateur Monochrome Division, Diane Simpson’s “Snow in the Valley” took home the $200 first-place prize. Megan Rigsby won $150 for “White Trillium” and Adam Holsinger took home $100 for “Un Terry.”
Billie Wheeler and Lori Cutshall were awarded honorable mentions in the Amateur Monochrome Division.
In the Proficient Amateur Color Division, Richard Siggins’ “Dawn of Affection” garnered the $200 first-place prize. Fred Martin was named the second-place winner and received $150 for “Maple in Spring.” Gwen Paton won third place and $100 for “Desert at Sunset.”
Honorable mentions in the division went to Kayla Strong; Clair Hixson; Gretchen Kaplan and Ruth Baker.
Gary Mahan snagged top honors and $200 in the Proficient Amateur Monochrome Division and with “Walk by the Lake.” J.T. Wyatt’s “Stick Leaves at Night” took home the $150 second-place prize, and Fred Martin won $100 and third place for his photograph “Roman Wall.”
Paton, Wyatt and Martin were also each awarded honorable mentions in this division.
Kelly said the arrangement of all 397 photographs, on display at the Kingsport Renaissance Center now through June 25, is “kind of a joy ride.”
“You just start putting them up and you don’t know where it’s going to end,” he said.
Separating the amateurs from the proficients has allowed a greater range of entries and encourages more amateurs to compete, Kelly says.
“We continue to get people that have never entered the contest before,” he said. “In the proficient [division], we get a lot of repeat people. But this year we had a lot of first timers in the amateur [division] that have never participated before.”
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission to the salon, sponsored by the Eastman Foundation, is free.
For more information about the exhibit or the Senior Center Photo Group, log onto its Web site at scphotogroup.com.
--------GoTriCities--------
Appalachian Photography Salon
WHEN: Through June 25
WHERE: Kingsport Renaissance Center’s second-floor gallery
COST: Free
CONTACT: scphotogroup.com
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