The South Arkansas Arts Center Announces Open Photography Competition “The Viewfinder”
- Ongoing: until Wednesday, September 29, 2010
- Monday: 9:00am
- Tuesday: 9:00am
- Wednesday: 9:00am
- Thursday: 9:00am
- Friday: 9:00am
- Where: South Arkansas Arts Center, El Dorado
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: Not available
The South Arkansas Arts Center Announces Open Photography Competition “The Viewfinder”
The South Arkansas Arts Center announces their biennial open photography competition, “The Viewfinder,” sponsored by Teague Auto Group. Entry deadline for the competition is Monday, August 30. The competition and exhibition will be on display in the Merkle Gallery from September 2-29. An artist reception will be hosted in the gallery on Saturday, September 11, from 6-8pm, with awards presentation at 6:30pm.
Steven E. Ochs, Associate Professor of Art at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Arkansas, will judge the competition. Cash prizes will be awarded for Best of Show, First Place, Second Place, Third Place and Honorable Mention.
Entries must be delivered to the South Arkansas Arts Center before 5pm on Monday, August 30. All works must be the photographer’s original unaltered work, no touch-ups or graphic manipulations allowed (basic digital editing accepted). Photographs must have been taken in the last two years and not previously shown at SAAC. No work done under supervision or in a classroom environment will be accepted. Limit two entries per artist. There is a $10 fee per entry for members and a $15 fee per entry non-members.
Prospectus with complete instructions for entry is available in the SAAC office or can be downloaded at www.saac-arts.org.
Ochs joined the faculty of Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia in 1991. He has juried more than a dozen exhibitions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama. Ochs acted as curator for more than twenty exhibitions, including “Fletcher Thorne-Thompsen Photography Exhibit” and “In a Child’s Day,” an art exchange between the children of Xalapa, Mexico, and the children of Magnolia, Arkansas.
An accomplished artist, Ochs has shown his own work in solo and group exhibitions across the nation and in Montreal, Quebec. Ochs also has more than thirty publications and eighteen public art installations to his credit. Two of those installations, “El Dorado Wesson Railway” and “Backwoods: Art Nouveau Trees” are located in El Dorado.
Ochs teaches digital photography, advanced digital photography, ceramics, advanced art studio, and exhibition techniques, as well as other classes at SAU.
“For me, a quality photo is synonymous to identifying quality in art. To state it simply, it is a balance of technique, lighting, and ideas that all come together to articulate the photographer’s intent. I believe it must function and communicate for the creator as well as provoke the audience to feel and think. There are numerous reasons why someone chooses a favorite photo and regardless of the subject, it must stand on its own with the flexibility to be interpreted by others,” said Ochs.
“Even though structure is a strong underlying content for me, I love it when I see a photograph that breaks all the rules of design. It might be off balance, too dark, or even out of focus, but it grabs you and forces you to see through the eyes of another and evokes feelings so strongly that you become quiet while your thoughts race.
“I always look at every piece in the show before making any judgments. It’s exciting to discover themes among entries because this communicates not only the interests of individuals, but of their community as well. Sometimes a snap shot of a family can also serve as a portrait of our values,” said Ochs.
The South Arkansas Arts Center is located at 110 E. 5th Street in El Dorado. For more information about “The Viewfinder,” contact the SAAC office at 870-862-5474 or visit www.saac-arts.org.
This event was posted Aug. 5, 2010 and last updated Aug. 11, 2010
