Hamilton – Northwest Alabama Arts Council president Tyna Pyburn today announced the creation of a scholarship for Marion County and Winfield public high school seniors.  The $500 “Reflections of the South” Art Scholarship will be awarded to a senior who has been engaged in the study of visual arts in high school and who intends to continue art studies in college with a goal of having a career in the arts. 

 Art forms include painting, sculpture, photography, graphic design, architecture, arts education, or art museum work.  The scholarship funds will be provided for the purchase of art supplies.

 Applications were sent to guidance counselors at Brilliant, Hackleburg, Hamilton, Marion County, Phillips, and Winfield high schools.  Applications are also available online at the arts council’s website, www.NorthwestAlabamaArts.org.

 Pyburn stated, “This was a logical next step for the arts council in promoting the arts and art education in Marion County.  The success of the Jerry Brown Arts Festival over the past two years and the increased corporate and community support has allowed us create this scholarship program.  We are excited about the opportunities it will present to the seniors to have an arts-related scholarship available in the county.  We have many students who receive academic and athletic scholarships, but there is a group of students who are interested in the arts and who will excel in the arts given the opportunity.  We hope we can eventually do more, moneywise, but we feel this is a good starting place.”

 Applications must be received by April 30 for consideration by the arts council panel.  Announcement of the scholarship winner will take place at the winning student’s senior awards day ceremony.

 For additional information, call Pyburn at (205) 544-1413.

Jane Powless, (right) of Hamilton, is shown receiving her Jerry Brown face jug from Northwest Alabama Arts Council public relations co-chairperson Kimmy Vinson.  Powless participated in a raffle for the face jug during festival weekend on March 6 and 7.  Proceeds from the face jug, donated by Brown, are used to support the arts council’s art education programs in Marion County. 

Eighth Annual Jerry Brown Arts Festival deemed success
By KATHRYN HIRSCHFELD
Staff Writer, Journal Record

HAMILTON - Organizers deemed the Eighth Annual Jerry Brown Arts Festival a success with approximately 5,000 attendees from 16 states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
“It was a good, solid festival,” said Marla Minter, public relations officer for the Northwest Alabama Arts Council, which hosted the event on March 6-7 at the former Walmart location in Hamilton.
“It was beautiful weather and the logistics went smoothly, including the parking. There were no issues, whatsoever, with the parking.
“We had wonderful support from the local community and 55 total corporate sponsors--by far the most ever for a JBAF--and even more impressive in this tough economy.
“We appreciate Regi Klement, of Klement Texas Ltd., for allowing us to use the former Walmart building. We’d also like to thank the City of Hamilton, the Marion County Commission and all of the individuals and businesses who helped sponsor the event.”
Minter explained that the arts council was blessed to also have the most volunteers ever for the JBAF. 
“In addition to offering corporate sponsorship monies, many local businesses had employees who volunteered their time, which was a tremendous help to the arts council, and was sincerely appreciated,” she said.
With 69 artists from five states appearing and attendees from 16 states traveling to the festival, the JBAF and its reputation continue to grow in the arts community.
Minter noted,” We sincerely believe, after talking with the artists, that the respect and reputation of the festival continues to grow each year, and better and better artists will continue to apply.”
Organizers are already working on next year’s festival.
“It’s a 13-month-long process,” said Minter.