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| Annual Photo Contest Now Accepting Entries | | |
 One of the most well received annual events on the AiM calendar is always the spring photo contest and show. Organized by the visual arts committee, the annual event attracts hundreds of entries from around the area as well as surrounding counties and states. the contest is open to amateurs only. Anyone who makes more than 50% of their income from photography is considered a professional and is ineligible.
Fees are $10 for the first entry, $10 for the second entry, $10 for the third entry and $5 for every entry thereafter. Prizes will be awarded in seven categories with $100 for best in show; $50 for first place in each category; $25 for second place in each category; ribbons for third place and honorable mentions.
There will be an opening reception and awards ceremony from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 15 at the UTM/Selmer Center for all entrants and their guests. All entered photos will be on exhibit at the center for the month and must be picked up by May 11, 2012.
Contest Rules:
- Photos must have been taken since 2009.
- Photos can be taken anywhere except for those entered in the McNairy County category.
- Photos must be submitted in 8x10 or 5x7 format. No other sizes will be accepted or displayed.
- Photos must be matted, preferably in white. Framed entries will not be accepted or displayed.
- Digital photos, color or black and white film photos are acceptable
- Previously published photos will not be accepted and entrants must agree to allow Arts in McNairy to publish winning photos in local publications and/or the AiM public relations materials for the purposes of promoting this or future photo contests.
- All entrants must agree to have their photos displayed at the UTM/Selmer Center April 15-May 11, 2012. All entries must be picked up by their owners or their designated agents at the end of the show.
- Photos which won awards or recognition in previous AiM photo contests are not eligible for the 2012 contest.
- Photos will be judged in the following seven categories: natural landscape; architectural landscape; people; pets; wildlife or animals; black & white (any subject); digitally or computer manipulated or edited; and McNairy County for any photo, any subject taken inside the county.
- The contest is open to all ages.
- Photos must be submitted by 4 p.m., Friday, April 13, 2012 at the UTM/Selmer Center just off U.S. Highway 45 North. Mailed entries must be postmarked by Monday, April 9, 2012 to the attention of George Souders, c/o AiM Photo Contest, U.T. Martin/Selmer, 1269 Tennessee Ave., Selmer, TN 38375.
- Entry form or the following information must be affixed to the back of each entry; Name, address/phone, title of the photo, category of entry, location and date photo was taken. Price may be included if you wish to sell the photo. NFS will indicate "not for sale."
- Entry forms may be picked up at Wal-Mart photo center in Selmer, Selmer Chiropractic at 134 Warren Ave., The UTM/Selmer Center or downloaded online at the AiM facebook page or AiM blog here: www.artsinmcnairy.blogspot.com
- Only checks or money orders will be accepted. Entry fees need to be made payable to Arts in McNairy.
- Every reasonable security precaution is taken to insure safety of entries but neither Arts in McNairy and UTM/Selmer can be responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen entries.
- All winners will be contacted by phone.
All other questions about the contest should be directed to Contest Chairman George Souders at: (731) 645-5441 or (731) 610-1365. |
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"Alice" Set for April Debut at Latta Building! | |
The third offering of the Arts in McNairy theatre season, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, opens for three performances, April 13-15. Show times are 7:30 PM Friday April 13 and Saturday April 14. There will be a Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM, April 15. Tickets will be available at the door for $10 (adults) and $5 (students). The show will be the first theatre offering at the new Latta Visitor and Cultural Center. Two shows staged exclusively for McNairy County school children will take place Thursday April 12 at 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM. The show is under the direction of Joanna Pitts.
A fun, kid friendly, addition to the show will be, the "Mad Hatter Tea Party" scheduled for 2:00-4:00 PM, Saturday, April 14. Children, ages 3-12, will be immersed in Alice's world and have an actual tea party with the play's witty cast of characters. Kids will, literally, crawl through the rabbit hole to join in Wonderland games, pictures with the cast and other treats to enhance their enjoyment of the show. $10 tickets for the tea party must be purchased in advance and will include free admission to any one play performance. Contact any cast member or call (731) 645-3850 for advance tickets.
The fantastical tale of Alice's adventure in an strangely amusing, yet occasionally dangerous, wonderland has delighted generations of children. The stage play is an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's beloved children's classic and it is sure to be a hit with local audiences. The show is appropriate for all ages. |
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Latta Building Nears Completion | |
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A large audience assembled at the former Latta Ford Motor Company building for a live music jam, circa 1949. The crowds will soon return! |
Finishing touches are being put on what will officially be called the McNairy County Visitor Center. Locally known as the Latta visitor and cultural center or usually just the Latta Building, the new center will be the culmination of more that five years hard work and planning by a coalition that includes, McNairy County Government, The Tennessee Department of Transportation, Arts in McNairy, McNairy Regional Alliance, U.S. Rural Development, Southwest Tennessee Development District and the City of Selmer. These various entities have come together to create what will be one of the finest facilities of its kind, anywhere.
During normal hours of operation MRA will staff the visitor center which will welcome residents and travelers alike to experience what is best in McNairy County. It will be a hub for distributing information about local events and happenings, directing tourists to points of interest in the area and displaying rotating exhibits with relevance to local heritage and culture. MRA is already planning several day time activities which are sure to generate intense interest including an appearance by Miss Tennessee, Erin Hatley, at the annual Administrative Professional Luncheon and a Chick-Fil-A, Leadercast which will feature internationally known speakers including Heisman Trophy winning, NFL quarterback, Tim Tebow.
After hours, Arts in McNairy will continue to host community theatre productions, music concerts, rotating exhibits by local artists, workshops, master classes, community band and chorus performances, literary appreciation events, touring shows and exhibits as well as several other new projects that are in the works. In the coming weeks AiM will announce the 2012-13 theatre season and begin publicizing several new events which are expected to attract visitors from around the state. Among these, the Tennessee Sampler Survey, an educational textile exhibit with McNairy County connections will open this fall; The Tennessee Folklore Society annual meeting and a musical homecoming celebration to honor the county's rich musical heritage.
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| Rockabilly Highway Mural II Underway | | 
In mid March, Brian Tull made the first brush strokes for the highly anticipated Rockabilly Highway Mural II (RHM II). The mural is the second local public art project for the McNairy County native who now lives and works in Nashville. RHM I, which was finished in 2009, touched off something of a local cultural revolution with a full blown Rockabilly music festival springing up around the dedication ceremonies. RHM II is slated for dedication at the 2012 Rockabilly Highway Revival on June 9. Both murals honor McNairy County's significant contribution to the history and development of Rockabilly music and pick up the theme of legendary Rockabilly Highway (45 South) which bisects the county. Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins met for the first time at a Presley show in Bethel Springs. That meeting lead to Perkins seeking out Sam Phillips at an upstart Memphis record label, Sun Records. Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and other music notables always found receptive audiences in McNairy County prior to and after their commercial success, Cash playing a well remembered show at Stantonville, just days before signing with Sun. Rock-n-Roll's undisputed first DeeJay, Dewey Phillips, on whose career the Tony Award winning musical Memphis, is based, was from Adamsville. The controversial Phillips, a star in his own right, was the first to play Presley, Perkins, Lewis, Cash, Roy Orbison and other Rockabilly pioneers over the airwaves. Carl Perkins made his first known recordings in Eastview at the makeshift studio of Stanton Littlejohn. McNairy County boast two native sons in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. And on the list goes. Tull's mural will depict two young musicians, guitars in hand, against the backdrop of a 50 model automobile at a roadside filling station. Perhaps even more than RHM I, this mural will evoke the period, the music and the feel of the highway. You can check out Tull's original reference photos and follow the progress of the mural at the link below. Rockabilly Highway Mural II on Facebook! |
| AiM Book Club - April Selection "The Sixth Man" | |
The Arts in McNairy Book Club meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM in the conference room of Selmer's Jack McConnico Public Library. There is no meeting in December. All gatherings center around an informal discussion and the groups strives for an eclectic mix of titles to engage different interests. There are no fees associated with the club and it is open to everyone. The next selection is David Baldacci's The Sixth Man. Come out and join book club. You need bring nothing but yourself and your desire to discuss some interesting books and authors with a great group of people!
April 19 Sixth Man by David Baldacci
May 17 Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
June 21 Being Dead is No Excuse by Metcalfe and Hays
July 19 The Bone Yard by Jefferson Bass
Aug. 16 Tara Road by Maeve Binchey
Sept. 20 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Joe Ford
Oct. 18 Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
Nov. 15 Noel by Richard Paul Evans
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| Music at the Market Features Mural Subjects May 12 | |
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An original reference photo by Brian Tull for RHM II features Rose and Gilbert. |
Mark your calendar for Saturday May, 12, 2012. Eileen Rose and the Legendary Rich Gilbert will make their first appearance in Selmer at the downtown farmers market, or should we say their first live appearance. Larger than life replicas of Rose and Gilbert began to take shape in March, as Brian Tull launched his effort to complete Rockabilly Highway Mural II. Tull sought out the musical dynamic duo, who make up one half of the band Silver Threads, to be the visual subjects for RHM II, partly due to their look and partly due to their authentic sound. Not only does their style and stage presence suggest the Rockabilly period, their music evokes something familiar - hauntingly nostalgic even - yet somehow contemporary and immediate. It is a combination seldom heard in mainstream music these days. Rose sees Tull's work in much the same light. In a July interview she noted, "I think it speaks a lot to Brian's integrity as an artist that he chooses subjects that aren't cookie cutter, seen it 1,000 times, American Idol look alike people. We're a honky tonk, rockabilly, country band making honky tonk music - but with a bit of an edge, something that you can't quite put your finger on, even though there is a very traditional, familiar element to all of our songs. Brian's art, like The Silver Threads, draws on his love and respect for the classic but at the same time, he puts something new and original into it, part of who he is and how he views the world." Learn more about Silver Threads at the link below.
Rose and Gilbert will be playing a 7:00 PM acoustic set at the farmers market to kick of the outdoor music season in McNairy County. The new series is being styled, "Music at the Market." RHM II will be nearing completion (weather permitting!) by the time of the concert and Tull will be on hand painting and greeting mural fans. It will be a unique, multifaceted, cultural experience for both artists and audiences. Where else could Rose and Gilbert play in front of a twenty foot likeness of themselves? Where else could audiences hear the sweet sounds of Silver Threads while watching their image emerge from a blank wall? A small admission fee to the event will help support future AiM events and programs. Further support for Music at the Market is provided by an Arts Builds Communities Grant awarded by the Tennessee Arts Commission and administered by the Jackson Arts Council. Don't miss it!
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| Rockabilly Highway Revival Headliners Announced. | | |
Last week, MRA, AiM, and the Rockabilly Committee announced that the 2012 Rockabilly Highway Revival will feature a double headliner. The incredible Brandon Giles will make an encore performance while legendary Sun recording artists, Sonny Burgess and the Pacers make their first appearance on the Selmer stage. This continues the RHR tradition of mixing Rockabilly flavored contemporary artists with Rockabilly legends. To date, RHR has featured four original Sun recording artists alongside a half dozen young musicians who draw inspiration from their sound. More details TBA as the 2012 RHR draws near!   |
| New State Arts Plate Revealed | | |
The winning design for the new Tennessee arts plate was recently revealed. Nashville artist Leslie Haines' colorful design (right) came out on top, with designs from artists around the state also receiving good support from the voting public. A portion of all proceeds from specialty license plates sold in Tennessee benefits the Tennessee Arts Commission's numerous grant programs but the arts dedicated plates, such as this one, earn a higher percentage for cultural programs. Tennesseans for the Arts is assisting with preorders of the attractive new design which will be available later this year at a cost of $35 each. 500 preorders are needed to send the new design to production.
Learn more about Tennesseans for the Arts, meet the winning artist, see the other finalists and preorder plates at the link below.
www.stateyourplate.org |
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