2/8/07

Local artist makes unexpected mark (on your car)
By Brian Jarvis

BRIAN JARVIS/Manning Times
Graphic designer Ned Chilton can’t reveal his winning license plate design until after it is formally unveiled Tuesday evening. His winning design will be featured in next week’s Times Extra Clarendon Scene.

Ned Chilton’s work will soon become the face of South Carolina – at least on some specialized license plates.

Of nearly 40 entries, Chilton’s design was chosen in a statewide contest sponsored by the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The theme: “Driven by the Arts.”

“It combined two things I really like – art and South Carolina,” Chilton said. “I felt like I submitted some good designs and thought I had a decent chance. It feels good to get the recognition. It was a chance to something visible on a pretty wide scale.”

For his efforts, Chilton received a $500 check – and an invitation to see his design unveiled Tuesday at the Columbia Museum of Art, in which his license plate will be displayed on two of BMW’s latest models.

“The proceeds from the license plate sales will benefit arts education programs for schools and communities across the state,” said SCAC Executive Director Suzette Surkamer. “Everyone who purchases a plate will help ensure that students have opportunities to enhance their learning through the arts.”

With over twenty years in the business, Chilton cut his teeth designing sets for Grease and South Pacific as an artist-in-residence in Mount Airy, the North Carolina town that served as the backdrop for Andy Griffith’s Mayberry. Over time, Chilton designed more than 50 graphics and logos for companies ranging from NASCAR to Wrangler to the popular bikini line, “Barely There.”

“I’ve done a little of everything, I guess – anything involved in art or graphics or communication,” said Chilton, who holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from East Carolina University as well as an associate’s degree in visual communication from the Art Institute of Atlanta. “It’s something I’ve done from the time I was a little kid. I was always drawing. Sometimes I think it’s a curse because it’s a hard way to make a living, but I didn’t go into it for the money. I went into it because it was all I thought about. I get a lot of satisfaction from the whole creative process. If I weren’t doing this, I’d be building houses. I like to create things.”

Originally from Tar Heel country, Chilton was drawn to Clarendon for its scenic landscapes and family-friendly community.

“I love this area,” he said. “The nature, the water, the wildlife, the people. I’ve come to appreciate South Carolina’s independent spirit and it’s role in the Revolutionary War. The history appeals to me because I’m in that spirit myself. Not caring what other people think is something I identify with.”

A part-time art teacher at Laurence Manning Academy, Chilton has his sights set on drumming up business in the Myrtle Beach area. Most recently he enlisted his help to sister Cissy, who will be opening a giftware and children’s apparel shop inside Studio 1916.

“I’ve worked with so many different companies that I can pretty much boil it down to basics. You get people’s attention and sell them something,” Chilton said. “The same principles apply whether it’s retail or real estate.”

Naturally Chilton is competing in the DMV’s design contest for South Carolina’s traditional license plate – to which he recently submitted six entries.

“That’s the one I really want to win,” Chilton said. “When I enter a competition, I’m in it to win.”

Ned Chilton’s work can be seen at homepage.mac.com/nedc and homepage.mac.com /nedc/ART.

His license plates will be available for purchase through the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.