Turchin Center Unveils 22nd Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition Finalists: A Celebration of Nature’s Artistry!

Turchin Center Unveils Finalists for the 22nd Appalachian Mountain Photography

Competition

BOONE, NC – January 10, 2025 – The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) is excited to present the finalists for the 22nd Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition (AMPC). This year’s exhibit, titled Making Kin: Belonging & Longing in Appalachia, will be showcased from February 7 to May 3, 2025, at the Bickers Gallery. The AMPC exhibit highlights the creativity and viewpoints of photographers delving into the intricate ties between individuals, locations, and belonging in the Appalachian area.

From over 500 images submitted by 76 artists, jurors Frances Bukovsky and Susan Patrice of Kinship Photography Collective selected 47 photographs that encapsulate the varied and intricate relationships that define Appalachia. Motivated by the theme Making Kin: Belonging & Longing in Appalachia, this year’s judges sought images and projects that celebrate “diverse roots, complicated connections, and intertwined relationships,” illustrating the numerous ways Appalachia constructs a feeling of kinship and community.

Finalists: The Turchin Center commends the following artists whose works will be highlighted in this year’s exhibit

Series Artists:

•  Marcus Morris
•  Sarah Pfohl
•  Eliza Bell Schweizbach

Single-image Artists:

• Jesse Barber
• Ken Barrett
• Marie Bongiovanni
• Lynne Buchanan
• Eva Buckner
• Heather Cormons
• Alex Cox
• Dani Fresh
• Abigail Fritsch
• Alicia Green
• Isabelle Green
• Kaoly Gutierrez
• Cary Hitchcock
• Mars Johnson
• Liz Lasine
• Erik Mace
• Reed Mattison
• Lou Murrey
• Barron Northrup
• Julie Rae Powers
• Randy Redman
• Kelsey Riso
• Laura Rudkin-Miniot
• Kaye Savage
• Robert Seevers
• Ariel Shumaker-Hammond
• Ricardo Tejeda
• Reuben Van Hoeve
• Edward Williams
• Elizabeth Williams

The 22nd AMPC exhibition will inaugurate on Friday, February 7, 2025, with a public reception that evening during Fizzy First Friday and will remain on display until May 3, 2025. People’s Choice voting will occur in-person in the gallery. The competition winners will be revealed at the private Awards Reception on March 22, 2025. Guests are encouraged to experience this poignant exploration of Appalachian identity, history, and kinship.

Furthermore, this year’s AMPC is collaborating with the Appalachian Journal, which will be publishing a special issue on visual arts that highlights significant work by Appalachian artists and researchers. This year’s AMPC jurors along with selected photographer, Marcus Morris, will be featured in the journal, alongside a transcription of a panel discussion from 2021 with Appalachian photographers Clarissa Sligh, Lydia See, and Megan King. An ARTtalk and panel discussion featuring jurors Susan Patrice and Frances Bukovsky, along with exhibiting artist Marcus Morris, will occur at the Turchin Center on April 4, 2025 (First Friday), followed by a reception for the launch of the Appalachian Journal special issue.

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is made possible through the generous support of the Mast General Store, with additional backing from Appalachian Voices, Bistro Roca, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Footsloggers Outfitters, Peabody’s Wine and Beer, and Stickboy Bread.

For further details on the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, please visit tcva.org or reach out to Shauna Caldwell, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts: Situated in the center of Boone, NC, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts serves as an energetic center for contemporary art and cultural participation. As a part of Appalachian State University, the center is dedicated to promoting meaningful connections among art, artists, and audiences through exhibitions, programs, and events that honor the diverse voices and landscapes of Appalachia.