The Charlotte Street Foundation provides support and recognition for artists. On Wednesday, the organization contacted three artists with the news that each was selected to receive a $10,000 visual artist award. Artists don't apply. They're nominated. And there's no restriction on how the money is spent.By Laura Spencer
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Kansas City, MO – Ari Fish, Sonie Ruffin, and Caleb Taylor are this year's recipients of the Charlotte Street Foundation's Visual Artist Awards.
Clothing designer Ari Fish graduated in 2006 from the Kansas City Art Institute. Fish also appeared last season on the reality fashion show, Project Runway.
Sonie Ruffin is a self-taught fabric artist, designer, author, and curator. Ruffin's known for her vibrant story-telling quilts about the African-American experience.
Caleb Taylor works in painting, printmaking, ceramics, and installation. Taylor studied ceramics and painting at Northwest Missouri State University and completed his MFA in painting from Montana State University in 2008.
This year's panel of award advisors include: Maria Buszek, curator and assistant professor of Art History at the Kansas City Art Institute; Russell Ferguson, who chairs the UCLA department of art; James Martin, a Kansas City-based independent curator and writer; Stacy Switzer, artistic director of Grand Arts in Kansas City; and Gregory Volk, New York-based art critic and curator.
Since 1997, the Charlotte Street Foundation has awarded $477,500 to 76 visual and performing artists. Works by this year's fellows will be featured in the 2010 Charlotte Street Foundation Awards exhibition later this year.Download recent arts stories or subscribe to the KCUR Arts Podcast