Cartersville Artists Awarded at Rose Lawn Festival

Seven artists were chosen as winners from a field of 155 vendors at the 38th Annual Arts Festival at Rose Lawn last Saturday, Sept. 14, in Cartersville.  A total purse of $1,000 was awarded.  

Serving as judges for the festival were Pam Beagle-Daresta and Maggie Estes, both of Atlanta.

Taking home honors for Best of Show was John and Judy Zeigler of Murphy, NC, for their blacksmithing and gourd art.  

The judges said “the Ziegler’s exemplified what the Arts Festival at Rose Lawn is all about,” noting that their work takes “a long-standing skill and portrays it in new and exciting forms,” plus the whole family participates in the legacy of this work.

First place in Fine Arts went to first-time Rose Lawn exhibitors Bobby and Robin Johnston for their unique jewelry items created from natural stones and found objects. The Johnston’s are from Jemison, AL, and participate in arts festivals full time.

The top award in Heritage Crafts went to Faye and Bill Wallis of Carrollton for their turned wood creations.  Appealing to a broad audience, the Wallis’ have won either Heritage Crafts First Place or Best of Show at the Arts Festival at Rose Lawn for six of the past nine years, despite being reviewed by 18 different judges during this time.

The second place awards in both categories went to artists from the host city Cartersville. Judges honored Keith Lewis in Fine Arts, noting that “his paintings were a standout.”  Allatoona Elementary Teacher Whitney Rupp was recognized for her “unbelievable potential” in pottery.

Another local artist received third place in Fine Arts. Jennifer Underwood of Cartersville was recognized for her photography, with the judges commenting that Underwood has “an amazing eye for composition and color.”

Heritage Crafts third place honor went to Nazare Hoffpauir of Ringgold, for the art of crochet, a technique that she learned from her grandmother while growing up in Portugal.  Both Estes and Beagle-Daresta shared the idea that this artist was “chosen for the heritage that she introduces to others, and for her extremely unique use of color.”

In closing the judges noted there were so many wonderful artists in the show and they would like to encourage each of them in their work.  

The Arts Festival at Rose Lawn was hosted by Bartow County Government, with sponsors Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Century Bank of Georgia and Wynn Buick GMC.  The festival returns to Cartersville for the 39th year onSeptember 20-21, 2014.  Artists may learn more about the event at www.roselawnmuseum.com.

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