Local artists’ works showcased at THOM Collective exhibit

THOMASVILLE – The Thomasville Center for the Arts’ annual THOM Collective exhibition opened to the public at a recent reception and awards ceremony. A showcase of local and regional artists, both established and emerging, the juried exhibition featured 40 artists and more than 100 works of art.

The THOM Collective exhibition is on view in the Center’s Main Gallery, located at 600 E. Washington St. through July 26.

Six winners were named at the exhibition opening:

1st place/Best In Show – Nicolina Morra of Tallahassee, Fla.

2nd place – NED stacey [sic] of Tallahassee, Fla.

3rd place – Hannah Keats of Tallahassee, Fla.

Honorable Mention – Audrey Lendvay of Tallahassee, Fla.

Honorable Mention – Teresa Van Mol of Lakemont

Honorable Mention – Ron Thomson of Thomasville

Morra received a $400 cash prize and an additional $300 from exhibition sponsor Blick.com. Additionally, Thomasville Center for the Arts accepted four student artists into the exhibition through a young artist scholarship. These student artists each received a free THOM Collective membership, which granted them eligibility to submit their work for the exhibition.

The THOM Collective is the Center’s artist association, which provides a platform for local and regional artists to grow their potential while also giving collectors access to original affordable art. Sam McCoy, the exhibitions director at the center, says groups like the THOM Collective are essential for creating a sense of community and building the creative economy among local artists.

“With tornadoes devastating the creative district in Tallahassee the week before our opening, and impacting many of our artists, we were grateful for the participation from artists who lost homes, studios, and works of art,” McCoy said.

Center for the Arts executive director Erin Wolfe Bell echoes McCoy’s sentiments.

“It’s always exciting to discover the art of talented people right in your own community, but it’s especially wonderful to know that exhibitions like this one bring people together for the common good,” Bell said. “Proceeds from this exhibition supplement the livelihood of our artists, while also raising funds for center programs – like our youth arts – which lay the foundation for the next generation of great artists.”

The THOM Collective exhibition, as well as all Thomasville Center for the Arts galleries, is free and open to the public, Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Most pieces from the exhibition are available for purchase, either in person or through the Center for the Arts website at www.thomasvillearts.org/shopping.

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