Carmella Jarvi is finalist for McColl Award

I am excited to share that I am a finalist for the McColl Award.  This is the first time it has been offered to individuals, so the fact that I am competing with local arts organizations and still made the final round is admirable!   (More details about the award are at the end.)

I am proposing to do a new large scale body of abstract, water inspired paintings as well as explore water through art, memory, science, etc.  This past summer when I was an Affiliate Artist at McColl Center for Visual Art, I started this new series of abstract water paintings and I also began to think about art as a public process.  

                                              (Detail of one of these new abstract water paintings.) 

Although I have been awarded some artist's grants, I have also heard "no" many, many times.  I would not have applied for something like this probably... but I was encouraged by a couple of individuals who know me and my work.  The pivotal moment for me was in the information session when they asked "what is your dream project?"  

Well, as a self employed artist for five years in a tough economy, my "dreams" in a way have been getting smaller.  So, I stepped back and thought about my passions:  Painting, water and sharing with others.  My dream project would be getting funding for a new body of abstract, water inspired paintings (unlike my safer, collected series of women in water) and to explore water with many others in this community.

So, I dreamed, wrote, networked, brainstormed and edited more hours than I care to admit.  And, finally, submitted the initial application.  To my delight, I am now a finalist for a prestigious McColl Award!  (I will share more about this as I continue the process.) 

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McColl Award Overview: The McColl Award was established in 2001 by the Arts & Science Council (ASC) to honor the significant role played by Hugh McColl Jr. and his wife Jane in advancing arts, science and history in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. This program augments the Arts & Science Council’s commitment to the creative process, and preserves the legacy of Hugh and Jane McColl. 

Award Purpose: The purpose of the McColl Award is to invest in the creation of an original work. Through this award, the Arts & Science Council seeks to:

• Commission new creative works
• Inspire creative thinking in the presentation of creative product. Areas could include a unique approach to presenting programming or scientific/historical research projects resulting in exhibitions and/or publications.
• Increase awareness, recognize excellence and build a greater appreciation for the creative process among the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.