Sisters who grew up in Mt. Pleasant receive national art awards

WASHINGTON D.C. - Two sisters originally from Mt. Pleasant, Jann Pollard and Lucinda Lawrence, are getting national attention after taking home third-place finishes in a national art contest.

Pollard and Lawrence received the awards in different entries of the Daughters of the American Revolution 128th Continental Congress' art competition. As descendents of a veteran of the Revolutionary War, Pollard and Lawrence qualified to compete in the event.

This year's theme was 'Honoring Our Patriots While Preserving Our Family Stories.”

Lawrence's piece of work was a historically based fictional one-act mystery play about the threat of eminent domain taking away an old, historic family house. Pollard received her third-place award in the art and sculpture and oil painting category.

'We talk the same language of art, but our mediums are different,” Pollard said.

The painting attempts to replicate the story of her ancestor's escape from a British prison ship into the woods until a woman agreed to take him in.

Pollard, who now lives in Charlotte, was a professional artist before retiring, but she said it's still a surprise whenever she wins an award like this.

'It's always a surprise,” Pollard said. 'You never know. This is a national contest.”

She has also won awards at the Southern Watercolor Society and California Watercolor Association.

It's her second time with a top-three finish since joining DAR. Her watercolor of Pollard and Lawrence's parents' family farm won first place in 2017.

This time around, winning with her sister is a bonus.

'It's great to have a sister to share these thoughts with,” Pollard said.

There wasn't much of a celebration between the sisters, though, aside from a photo with the awards. Pollard said they went back to spending plenty of time at the Continental Congress.

Pollard has been a member of DAR since 2017. Lawrence became a member in January.

Looking ahead, there's little doubt of whether Pollard will continue to enter her work into contests.

'Oh yes, I do (plan on future entries),” Pollard said definitely.