MEDIA CONTACT: Andrea Cash, andrea@andreacashcreative.com, 336-471-6939
Hillsborough, NC, Aug. 14, 2023 – Following a month of dozens of outdoor, bold works of art being displayed throughout the downtown areas of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, the Uproar Festival of Public Art concluded with an awards party on Saturday, Aug. 12, where three jury prizes and two honorable mentions were presented, along with the Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation People’s Choice prize, a runner-up prize, and 15 sponsor’s choice awards.
- Eryn Donnalley of Hillsborough is the $10,000 Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation People’s Choice Prize winner for her work, “Return to Self,” located at Carrboro Town Hall. The circular mosaic and wood mandala – mounted to a light panel – signifies Carl Jung’s individuation process, or the return to self, a process by which the conscious and unconscious aspects of a person become fused together. Donnalley’s art is meant to be a conversation, an invitation, and an evocation for the human spirit. She takes a deep dive into anxiety, depression, and complex-PTSD in her creations, while finding refuge in the creative process itself.Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Return to Self.”
- The jury’s $10,000 first-place winner is Davis Erickson for his work, “New Money.” Erickson lives in Orange County, North Carolina, and seeks to inspire others to fill their days with what brings them happiness and fulfillment. His lifelong dedication to the arts has enabled him to paint over 30 murals around the country: San Diego, Dallas, Chicago, St. Paul, Kansas City, Miami, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and several towns in North Carolina. “New Money” was installed on the exterior of the Old Orange County Jail in Hillsborough. The two murals pay tribute to Erickson’s “personal hero and true angel,” Harriet Tubman, and references the 2013 proposal to put Tubman’s likeness on the U.S. $20 bill. Erickson used spray paint to mimic the look of intaglio etching. Learn more by listening to the audio description for “New Money.”
- The jury’s $5,000 second-place winner is WALSH/BLAZING for their multimedia projection installation, “Changing Worlds Now.” Based in Durham, WALSH/BLAZING is a collaborative art practice that includes painting, video, installation, commercial commissions, and projection. Carin Walsh and Jenny Blazing use visual art to reframe environmental issues and generate conversations about measures to solve them. They bridge art and science by employing a research-based approach to environmental messaging through visual art. Uproar’s audience experienced “Changing Worlds Now” – with its images projected onto a wall in large scale – at the Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough. Incorporating local landmarks and reflections from nearby residents, the piece takes viewers on a journey through the industrial age to the present moment, when the climate crisis is recognized as a massive threat to national security and as a potential catalyst of mass extinctions. The piece ends with a future that is still unwritten, waiting on society’s actions or lack thereof. Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Changing Worlds Now.”
- The jury’s $2,500 third-place winner is Wayne Vaughn of Graham for his work, “Passage.” Installed at River Park in Hillsborough, “Passage” consists of five identical shapes that resemble the letter “C,” each 10 feet tall. Made of textured steel rusted to a reddish brown, three of the shapes are in an upright position and two are placed horizontally. Vaughn’s work is inspired by nature and industry, inviting the audience to play, question, and respond. Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Passage.”
Two honorable mentions recognize a pair of works that came within a fraction of a point of the jury’s third-place score. Each of these artists received a cash prize of $500:
- “Weave Your Dreams” is a colossal dream catcher by Michelle Spaulding of Hillsborough, hanging at the entrance of the Orange County Historic Courthouse in Hillsborough. Consisting of nine multi-colored pieces made of plastic hoops and acrylic yarn, the work represents the many paths that Spaulding took on her artistic path. Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Weave Your Dreams.”
- “Seeing Through the Fog” is a large-scale, mixed-media construction and painting – installed on the exterior of the Eno River Mill – by Britt Flood of Chapel Hill. Flood used acrylic paint on multiple cutouts of foam board pieced together to form an irregular shape, 20 feet at its highest point and 12 feet at its widest. The work depicts a human face – some of it obscured by painted brush strokes of various colors. Flood describes painting as an extension of the parts of herself that she cannot, or doesn’t know how to, verbalize.Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Seeing Through the Fog.”
Additionally, a $500 award was granted to the runner-up in the People’s Choice contest:
- Carrboro’s Sydnee Yates, Jesse Barnes, and Logan Johnson created “Moosh’s Final Gift,” which pays tribute to Moosh, Yates’ beloved cat, and tells the story of how Moosh became braver over time. The acrylic and mixed media painting on wood featured projection effects. It was installed at the Carrboro parking deck at 300 E. Main St. and then at Lapin Bleu in Chapel Hill. Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Moosh’s Final Gift.”
View photos of these winning artists and their Uproar works.
Uproar’s jurors were Larry Wheeler, retired director of the North Carolina Museum of Art; Stacey L. Kirby, installation artist and the winner of ArtPrize 8; and interdisciplinary award-winning artist Antoine Williams.
“The 60 inaugural Uproar artists created vibrant, courageous, and thought-provoking public art pieces,” says Kirby, who spoke on behalf of the jury panel at the awards party. “We, as jurors, were delighted to experience impressive works made with a variety of materials and techniques that exemplify a deep commitment to their creative practices. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented artists who dedicated their time and passion to showing up strong for this community event.”
The jurors evaluated all 60 works independently. Artistic merit represented 40% of the score, while visual impact and creativity each represented 30%. Works receiving high scores in creativity were unlike any work the jurors have seen.
More than 6,000 votes were submitted to determine the People’s Choice winner. Festival goers were encouraged to scan a QR code at every installation in order to score the work on a scale of 1 to 10. The voting began July 15 and ended on Aug. 11.
Artists from North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Georgia participated in the inaugural festival, which kicked off on July 14, with 60 works including two-dimensional pieces, sculptures, projections, and installations.
A free festival, Uproar prioritized accessibility. The outdoor locations were easy to navigate, and audio descriptions were offered for individuals with low vision. Uproar’s Google Map of art locations garnered more than 30,000 views during the festival.
The awards party was presented by Eno River Mill and held at Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough. Blue Cactus and Triangle Afrobeat Orchestra performed.
Inspired by ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and ArtFields in Lake Park, South Carolina, Uproar was the first festival of its kind in the state. The Orange County Arts Commission, along with nine community partners, created the festival to celebrate artists, engage art lovers of all types, and support and celebrate the community. Since summer can be a slow time for small business owners, Uproar was also designed to boost the local economy.
All donors who contributed $1,000 or more were able to select their favorite piece to receive a Sponsor’s Choice Award:
Application Architects – “Oye Buey” by Nico Amortegui
Gail and Phil Cooley – “What’s Up? Homage to Vern” by Timothy Werrell
Triangle Media Partners – “Totem of Potter’s Creed” by ClayWorks Pottery Guild
The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation – “Vital Cloud” by Eliza Redmann
DB Sutton & Company Salon & Spirits – “Passage” by Wayne Vaughn
Whitehall Antiques – “Blue Lotus Goddess” by Theresa Arico
Anita Mills and Andrea Selch – “Don’t Tell Me to Get a Grip” by Julie Slattery
Caterri Woodrum – “Eastern Swallowtail” by Cricket Forge
Pinnacle Financial Partners – “Eastern Swallowtail” by Cricket Forge
Bluestem – “Flo” by LeRoi DeRubertis
Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation – “Moosh’s Final Gift” by Sydnee Yates, Jesse Barnes, & Logan Johnson
Cassilhaus – “New Money” by Davis Erickson
Elizabeth Matheson – “Passage” by Wayne Vaughn
Eno River Mill – “Seeing Through the Fog” by Britt Flood
Thomas Stevens Gallery – “Braid” by Harry McDaniel
The Town of Hillsborough announced an Uproar Purchase Award, committing to buy a festival work. Mayor Jenn Weaver revealed at the awards party that town officials chose “Perpetual Bond” by TJ Christiansen of Durham, which depicts a mother giraffe standing with her teenage calf. Learn more by listening to the audio description for “Perpetual Bond.” The Town of Chapel Hill announced an Uproar Commission Award: Artist Nyssa Collins of Gibsonville (who created “Ambassador of the Eons Mammoth” for the festival) will be hired during the 2023-24 fiscal year to create a custom work for the town.
Uproar’s community partners: Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture, Visit Hillsborough, Town of Carrboro, Orange County, Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro, UNC Arts Everywhere, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, Hillsborough Arts Council, Orange County Public Transit, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Uproar’s founding sponsors: Eno River Mill (Awards Party Presenting Sponsor), Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation (People’s Choice Prize Sponsor), Application Architects LLC, The Forest at Duke, Triangle Media Partners, WRAL, Our State, West Queen Studio, Cassilhaus, Inhabit Real Estate, Edward Jones – Tom Struckmeyer, WUNC, PNC Bank, Whitehall Antiques, Soccer.com, Duke Energy, School of Rock Chapel Hill, The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Carol Woods Retirement Community, Leland Little, Bluestem, Thomas Stevens Gallery, Pinnacle Financial Partners, A Better Image Printing, Carolina Square, Gail and Phil Cooley, Elizabeth Matheson, Anita Mills and Andrea Selch, Caterri Woodrum, Atmos, Carolina Meadows, UNC Summer School, Carolina Performing Arts, Coleman Merritt Rainsford, Summit Design and Engineering Services, Orange County Artists Guild, The Frame & Print Shop of Chapel Hill, The Carolina Inn, Measurement Incorporated, PHE Inc., Sanders Ridge, Jim and Jamie Parker, Stuart Paynter and Anna Williams, Marvin and Mary Ann Rozear, Chapel Hill Toffee, Big Spoon Roasters, Botanist and Barrel, Eno River Brewing, Morinaga America Inc., DB Sutton & Company Salon & Spirits, Mediterranean Deli, Weaver Street Market, Cocoa Forte, Wegmans, The Root Cellar, and Carolina Brewery.
Look for updates about Uproar on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Find more information at uproarfestnc.com.
The Uproar logo was designed by Charlie Dupee, a Chapel Hill-based visual artist and designer.
Based out of Hillsborough, the OCAC is an agency of Orange County government with a mission of promoting and strengthening the artistic and cultural development of Orange County, North Carolina. The commission awards state-funded and county-funded grants, sponsors programs, serves as an arts information clearinghouse, and operates the Eno Arts Mill Gallery and Studios in the historic Eno Mill in Hillsborough. Learn more at artsorange.org.
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