Lawrence painter wins artistic distinctions

Lawrence painter Joe Ray Kelley was accepted in several juried art exhibitions in July and won awards in a few as well.

His “Ireland-Where Else?” was selected for exhibition at the National Acrylic Painters Assn.’s seventh annual International Exhibition at the Cornell Museum in Delray Beach, Fla. The show will be on view Sept. 18-Nov. 9. His acceptance meant he was awarded Signature Artist status, which allows him to sign NAPA after his name on painting and gets his name recorded in the Tate Museum in England as a signature member of the association.

Kelley also was accepted into the 2003 River Market Regional Exhibition in Kansas City, Mo., and received a $500 prize.

Lawrence art teacher to receive award

Kansas City, Mo. — Pat Nemchock, the recently retired chairwoman of Lawrence High School’s art department, will receive the third annual award for Excellence in the Visual Arts and Education from the Kansas City Art Institute.

The award will be presented at 11 a.m. Aug. 27 at Community Christian Church, 4601 Main St., Kansas City, Mo.

The award is given in recognition of significant individual, organizational or corporate contributions to the visual arts or visual arts education in the Kansas City area.

Nemchock, above, was an art teacher at LHS for 29 years before stepping down in the spring. She has been named educator of the year, secondary art teacher for the state of Kansas and received a Governor’s Art Award.

Preparations begin for children’s choir

Children in grades 3 through 6 are eligible to participate in an Aug. 25 readiness check with Choristers, the preparatory choir for the Lawrence Children’s Tour Choir.

The check will determine if children are able to match pitch and are interested in this preparatory step for one of the nation’s top children’s choirs.

Rehearsals are from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays from September through March. Tuition is $190 for the season, and scholarships are available based on free and reduced lunch status for Lawrence schools.

For more information or to arrange a readiness check, contact Alicia at 842-6662.