Museum announces art contest winners

The Florence Museum announced its award winners for the 30th Annual Statewide Art Competition during its opening gala Thursday night.
First place was Dina Hall for her photograph, “Landscape as Metaphor,” second place was Alex Powers for his mixed media work, “9 of Us,” and third place was Hal Campbell for his photograph, “Shirya, Rwanda 2.”
Honorable mentions went to Tom Herzog of Florence for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Treelee MacAnn of Myrtle Beach for “Route 104, Going Home,” Michael Slattery of Taylors for “Manhattan Panoptican,” and Diane Hopkins-Hughes of Greenville for “It’s All in Your Head.”
Juror for this year’s competition was Jordan Ahlers of Blue Spiral 1 Gallery in Asheville, N.C.
“It is always a great experience working with different jurors,” Andrew R. Stout, director of the museum, said.
The Research Club, the oldest literary club in Florence and the second oldest literary club in South Carolina, was honored with the Friends of the Florence Museum Award during the gala.
The club was selected for its continued commitment to the founding and growth of the Florence Museum.
For 99 years, the women of the Research Club have been instrumental in providing cultural opportunities for the community, Stout said. This group is one of many that, in the spirit of volunteerism, have supported the museum. Before the Friends of the Florence Museum, before the Museum Women’s Auxiliary, there was the Research Club.
After organizing in 1909, club members were at work volunteering in all literary, cultural and educational aspects of the Florence community.
They were a part of Miss Jane’s (founder of the Florence Museum) Blue Bird Tea Room and a part of the founding of the Florence Museum in 1924. From the beginning, the Research Club assisted with fundraising and membership drives, with artist exhibits and receptions and, as volunteers, helping wherever they were needed, Stout said.
Past recipients include Mrs. J.H. Rainwater; Banks and Jo Scarborough; the Florence Garden Club Council; Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation and The Pee Dee Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society.
The 30 Annual Statewide Art Competition, sponsored by Gilbert Construction, will run through June 15.
The Florence Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $1.