The South Carolina Festival of Flowers is once again inviting all artists living in South Carolina to participate in a print competition. The Festival will purchase the winning print design for $300, and this purchase will include printing rights. The winning print becomes the property of the South Carolina Festival of Flowers. Additionally, the winning artist will agree to sign 100 prints for “artist proof.” The winning artist also receives a print in addition to the prize money.

Each artist may submit two entries. A non-refundable entry fee of $5 for one entry and $10 two entries. The 2008 flower selected for the contest is the Peony. Creative accents such as butterflies, dragonflies, birds and bees are permitted.

The submitted artwork should be 13â€? x 16â€?. The framed and matted size will be 19″ x 22″ The artist should exclude his or her name from the front of the submitted artwork. After judging, the winning entry will then be signed by the artist.

Deadline for submission of entries is November 1, 2007. Entries should be sent to the South Carolina Festival of Flowers, P. O. Box 980, Greenwood, SC 29648.

Artists must send return postage with entries and suitable packaging so that non-winning entries can be returned after judging. All entries will be judged the week of November 12, 2007.

Please return the coupon below by September 15, 2007, to the South Carolina Festival of Flowers if you plan to participate in the competition.

Flower of the Year Print Contest Form

Trina MacNeill-Smith

2008 S.C. Festival of Flowers Print Contest Winner

Trina MacNeill-Smith grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and learned at a young age to appreciate the beauty of nature. She has a heritage rich in talents — her mother’s lineage traces back to the famous artist James Abbot MacNeill-Whistler.

For years Trina, a self-taught artist, longed to experiment with visual art and leave the workplace behind, all the while mentally painting pictures with her imagination. In 2000, she realized her dreams by cutting back from a successful business as a shop owner and hairdresser to devote time to watercolor, pastel, oil and charcoal.

Trina has won multiple awards in shows in the Upstate and was named the Artist of the Year by the S.C. Festival of Flowers in 2004 and 2006. She served as secretary of the Greenwood Artist Guild from 2006 to 2007. Trina has called South Carolina home for about 32 years and now lives near Laurens.