Limestone Art Professor Carolyn Ford Wins "Best In Show" At Tennessee Exhibit

Limestone University Professor of Art Carolyn Ford took home a Best In Show award for her works of art featured in a recent juried exhibit in Tennessee.

Ford was awarded the Best In Show/Susan Becker Award by juror Coral Turner at the A1LabArts exhibit “GRIT” held March 5-26 at The Emporium Arts Alliance in Knoxville.

Ford’s selected works included a large ceramic platter entitled “Kiss My Grits” and a ceramic wall-hanging disk called “If You’ve Got Time to Lean, You’ve Got Time to Clean,” inspired by who she calls the grittiest person she knows, her mother. Ford fuses nostalgic imagery to humorously illustrate concepts, regional colloquialisms of wisdom, as well as tell personal narratives.

Through exhibitions, performances, and educational activities, it is A1LabArts’ intention to develop the creative artists’ and the community’s appreciation for interdisciplinary and new art forms. A1LabArts is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 by a group of local artists in Knoxville.

Ford currently has two works featured in the exhibit “Last Call VI: Handmade Ceramics for Storing, Pouring, & Sipping Fine Libations,” which runs through April 30, at The Companion Gallery in Humboldt, TN. The exhibit consists of pitchers, decanters, bottles, ice buckets, shakers, flights, goblets, steins, shots, rocks cups, tumblers, etc. of every type of clay, temperature, and atmosphere. Ford’s selected works humorously illustrate drinking puns.

She has been a part of Limestone’s Department of Art since 2003, previously serving as Department Chair for 10 years. Her works are exhibited nationally as well as belonging to the Asheville Art Museum’s permanent collection. She is currently on sabbatical from Limestone, creating new works until she departs for Mission Clay Art and Industry’s Artist in Residence program in Phoenix, AZ. For more information on her work, please visit www.carolynfordart.com.