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ETV Lobby Transformed into Art Museum
for Southern Folk Art Exhibit Visiting SC for the First Time

Exclusive Print of Select Piece Available to ETV Members

Companion Documentary "All Rendered Truth"
Airs Aug. 27 at 9:30 p.m.as Part of ETV's "Southern Lens" Series

For Immediate Release
August 10, 2009

Columbia, SC…For years, ETV has used the power of television to bring a wide range of arts and cultural programming into South Carolinians' homes, including everything from popular national programs such as "Great Performances," and "Masterpiece Theatre," to local broadcasts profiling Palmetto State artists, the Spoleto Festival USA, this year's "Turner to Cezanne" exhibit, and much more.

But for the first time in its history, ETV will not only air a program about artists and their art, but it will also host an exhibit of these works.

Beginning, August 10, the ETV Telecommunications Center opens its doors and invites the public to come view {Folk} A.R.T. IS*, an exhibition that features the work of 21 self-taught artists from nine Southern states, including Richard Burnside from Pendleton, South Carolina. While the exhibit has toured other Southern states and even Alaska, this will be the first time it has been displayed in the Palmetto State.

Typically described as art made by people who have little or no formal schooling in art, contemporary folk art is often called “visionary” or “outsider” art because it does not typically fall within the parameters of fine or contemporary art. Many of these artists illustrate their artistic vision and spiritual journeys, share memories of family and home or document social and political issues through various media including painting, textiles and woodcarving. {Folk} A.R.T. IS* reveals the artists’ inspiration and the context in which they work through text panels and photographs.

Additionally, "All Rendered Truth," a companion documentary to the exhibit, will air as part of ETV's "Southern Lens" series during its August pledge drive on Thursday, August 27 at 9:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, August 30 at 2:30 p.m.

The film visits with many of the artists featured in the exhibit, allowing viewers to see them in their natural environment, explain their art in their own words and uncover the deeper meaning of their creative efforts.

In the ETV studio during these broadcasts will be Scott Blackwell, who put the exhibit together, co-produced the documentary, and is also the founder of the Folk Artist's Foundation in Flat Rock, NC.

Blackwell has also released a limited number of copies of a print from the collection to be given exclusively to viewers who become members of the ETV Endowment at the $200 level. The print is from a painting entitled "Double Dutch" by Alabama native Bernice Sims. To become a member, call 1-800-256-8535.

“These artists are not concerned with the media nor are they driven by commercial success. These works are extremely personal, and the artists often have a difficult time parting with their expressions of memory and experience,” says Blackwell. “For me, aesthetic appreciation barely scratches the surface of folk art's appeal. After years of collecting, I'm proud to call these artists my friends. Some of the most fulfilling times of my life were listening to these artists tell their life stories and then watching them bring these experiences to life.”

{Folk} A.R.T. IS* will be on display at ETV's Telecommunications Center Monday through Friday between the hours 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Sept. 17. The Telecommunications Center is located in Columbia at 1041 George Rogers Blvd. The exhibit will then travel around the state, including stops in the cities where ETV's regional stations reside: Beaufort, Rock Hill, Spartanburg and Sumter. Dates and times will released at a later date.

{Folk} A.R.T. IS* is the latest exhibition to be added to Southern Visions, a traveling exhibitions program designed to provide artistically excellent exhibitions that promote Southern artists and to educate the public about the rich art and cultural traditions of the American South. Entering into its tenth year, Southern Visions showcases traditional and contemporary art from the Mississippi Delta to the low country of South Carolina, from the black belt of Alabama to the Appalachian Mountains, to the streets of New Orleans and the beaches of the Florida Keys. Southern Visions is a program of the Southern Arts Federation.

The Southern Arts Federation (SAF), in partnership with nine state arts agencies, builds on the South’s unique heritage by promoting and supporting arts in the South; enhancing the artistic excellence and professionalism of Southern arts organizations and artists; and serving the diverse population of the South. The programs and services of the Southern Arts Federation are supported through funding and programming partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies, foundations, corporations and individuals. SAF partners include the state arts agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

South Carolina ETV is the state's public educational broadcasting network with 11 television and eight radio transmitters, and a multi-media educational system in more than 2,500 schools, colleges, businesses and government agencies. Using television, radio and the web, SCETV's mission is to enrich lives by educating children, informing and connecting citizens, celebrating our culture and environment and instilling the joy of learning.

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For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.

A limited number of prints from this painting, entitled "Double Dutch" by Bernice Sims are available as thank you gifts for folks who call 1-800-256-8535 and become members of the ETV Endowment at the $200 level. Photo courtesy Scott Blackwell.