I wandered into Luna Park (Sydney, Australia) hoping to find excited crowds waiting to board the ferris wheel and bumper cars, or anxiously falling in line for some cotton candy or other tooth-decaying snack. But when I hopped off the ferry at Milsons Point, I entered the mouth of Luna Park and was greeted with an apologetic sign: “No Rides Today. Sorry.”

The park itself was open, but the game shacks were boarded up and the rides were locked behind iron gates. Luna Park was empty and felt like a ghost town. The feeling was even accompanied by the sound of crying boy. (He read the sign, too — and he was very upset.)

Without the people, carnival sounds, or the whirr of the rides, it was as if I was walking through the remains of youth and fun.

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I got a juror citation! One of four winners out of more than 300+ entries from regional artists? Not bad, huh?

Below is the article from the Knox Alliance website. To learn more about the Dogwood Arts Festival, click here.

April 2008

The Dogwood Arts Festival 2008 Fine Arts Show Winners Announced
Four awards have been presented to local artists as part of the Dogwood Arts Festival 2008 Fine Arts Show with thanks to ORNL Federal Credit Union. An awards ceremony and public reception will take place on Friday, April 4, from 5-9pm at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville as part of First Friday activities and will feature complimentary hors d’oeuvres catered by The Lunchbox. The 2008 Fine Arts Show, a collaboration between the Dogwood Arts Festival, the Arts & Culture Alliance, and Three Flights Up Gallery, features works in the areas of acrylic, charcoal, clay, colored pencil, digital and film photography, drawing, handwoven works, mixed media, oil, pastel, watercolor, wood, and more by 67 local artists. It will be on exhibit April 4-18.

All 102 pieces in the exhibit, including the award winners, were chosen by juror Neely Hyde, Director of Exhibits for the Association for Visual Arts in Chattanooga. Hyde viewed 324 submissions from 130 artists in 34 cities to select the show. “I’m incredibly impressed by the talent exhibited in all of the entries. This show was extremely difficult to jury. The Dogwood Arts Festival should take great pride in offering local artists the opportunity to compare their work to that of others throughout the region,” she said.

The brief awards ceremony will start at 6pm with an introduction by Eddie Mannis of the Dogwood Arts Festival.

The Best of Show award of $500 was awarded to Melynda Moore Whetsel of Knoxville for her piece, “Trust” (Collage / Mixed Media).

A Juror’s Citation of $150 was awarded to Lia Ballentine of Knoxville for her piece, “Monte Carlo Fun House” (Cross-Processed Digital Photograph glazed on Wood).

A Juror’s Citation of $150 was awarded to T. Michael Martin of Clinton for his piece, “Molecular Shift” (Mixed Media on Wood Panel).

A Juror’s Citation of $150 was awarded to Marion Randolph of Oak Ridge for his Scarlet Oak bowl.

Click here to view a complete list of artists in the exhibition. [Not an active link.]

Many of the works on display are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition. The exhibit hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm and Saturday, 11am-3pm, with extended hours on Friday, April 11, from 9am-7pm in conjunction with the Dogwood Arts Festival parade on Gay Street. The Emporium is located at 100 S. Gay Street in downtown Knoxville. For more information, please call (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.