First State Times

Wilmington, Del. – The works by the Delaware Division of the Arts Award Winners are appearing at Cab Calloway School of the Arts from October 7 to November 4, 2022, with a reception on Friday, October 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. Special readings from literary fellows will begin at 7pm, and performances from students will be held before and after.

These Delaware artists have been recognized for their outstanding quality of work. The exhibition includes multiple mediums.  Visual arts on display include paintings, polymer, photography, charcoal, sculptures, and media arts. Samples of literary winners’ works can be perused in a reading nook, and performance pieces are available for one’s listening pleasure.   

Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellowships recognize artists for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards. Individual Artist Fellows are publicly acknowledged and benefit from the additional exposure to their work. Fellows are required to showcase their work in a public exhibition or performance, so we’ve set up a special section on DelawareScene.com for you to experience their work.

In 2022, the Division received work samples from 132 Delaware choreographers; composers; musicians; writers; and folk, media, and visual artists. The work samples were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals who considered the demonstrated creativity and skill in each artist’s respective art form. Twenty-five artists were awarded fellowships in the following categories – one, Masters; 13, Established; and 11, Emerging. The 25 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Dover, Georgetown, Hockessin, Lewes, Magnolia, Middletown, Newark, Smyrna, Townsend, and Wilmington.

Masters Fellow Linda Blaskey was a writer from the start: “I was always getting into trouble in school because I was writing stories rather than paying attention in class.” Fortunately, she had encouraging teachers, and once she set out on her path, there was no turning back. 

Emerging artist Stephanie Boateng has owned a business since she was 18 years of age selling prints, originals, and stickers of her art. Now the recent University of Delaware graduate is beginning her career as a professional artist, hoping to share the joy she feels when making her work. “My portraits are very emotional beings,” created to be “an experience of happiness, love, and beauty” both for herself and her viewers.

Established artist Joseph Barbaccia is “continuously excited about how a specific medium which is traditionally used in one genre can be expanded to a successful level in another.” In 2018 he moved to Georgetown, Delaware where his workspace was smaller. He landed on polymer clay as “the perfect choice.” The material – with its transparency and a full color spectrum – allows him to create in both two and three dimensions. 

Emerging artist Maia Palmer, in addition to her career as an artist, is also a faculty member at Cab Calloway School of the Arts! She is the high school Visual Arts teacher, and loves sharing her talent and passion for the arts with her students.  She particularly enjoys “the immediacy of drawing . . . the grittiness of charcoal. I love that I can work directly with my hands on the paper.” Her large scale charcoal self-portraits address her personal journey as a migraine sufferer.

Do not miss the Award Winners Reception on October 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Meet the artists to congratulate them on their recognition, socialize in the lobby, tour the art in the gallery, and enjoy performances and readings by the award-winning artists.   

About Cab Calloway School of the Arts: Cab Calloway School of the Arts (CCSA) is the premiere public school with an arts-based curriculum in the state of Delaware. Founded in 1992 by a group of parents seeking quality education in a motivating environment, the school is part of the Red Clay Consolidated School District (RCCSD). Named after the American jazz icon, Cab Calloway, CCSA provides both academic and arts education for students in grades 6-12.

About the Fellowship: The Division offers fellowships in the artistic disciplines of choreography, folk art, jazz, literature, media arts, music, and visual arts. Artists’ work samples are reviewed by nationally recognized out-of-state arts professionals, considering both demonstrated creativity and skill in the art form. The awards—$3,000 for Emerging Artists, $6,000 for Established Professionals, and $10,000 for Masters—allow artists to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs that will help advance their careers. The highest honor—the Masters Fellow—is reserved for those who meet rigorous criteria. Only one Masters Fellow can be awarded each year. Disciplines rotate every three years. During the fellowship year, recipients are required to showcase their work in a public exhibit or performance in Delaware. For more details about the Individual Artist Fellowship program, please visit the Grants for Artist page.

Original source can be found here.