The National Sculpture Society in New York, NY, is pleased to announce the election of sixteen new Sculptor Members. Hailing from the east coast to the west coast, the sculptors demonstrate talent and skill in the diverse subject matters and mediums of their sculptures. Alex Palkovich of Florence, SC, is now part of this select group of Sculptor Members. Currently, Palkovich is the only Sculptor Member in South Carolina. The remaining newly elected Sculptor Members (in alphabetical order) are: Richard Becker (CA); George Bumann (WY); Darrell Davis (TX); Martin Thomas Gates (FL); Jay F. Goldstein (PA); Ben Hammond (UT); Stephen C. Layne (PA); Jan Mapes (AZ); Lauren Mills (MA); Eugene Morelli (MT); Tanya Ragir (CA); Roger Reutimann (CO); Chris Riccardo (FL); Stephen C. Spears (AL); David H. Turner (VA). Those designated as NSS Sculptor Members and Fellows total less than 200 nationally. In 1893, founding members, including Daniel Chester French, Augustus St. Gaudens, and Stanford White, established the Society to "spread the knowledge of good sculpture." Today, NSS continues to support sculpture as an active, vital, not-for-profit organization. NSS' programs include Sculpture Review magazine, the NSS News Bulletin, scholarships, the Alex J. Ettl Grant and rotating exhibitions. These educational programs are just a few of the ways NSS serves as a link between the public, sculptors and collectors. For more information contact Gwen Pier by e-mail at (gwen@nationalsculpture.org) or visit (www.nationalsculpture.org).
The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg in Spartanburg, SC, announced today that Jennifer Evins has joined the Arts Partnership staff as Director of Development. In that role, Evins will be responsible for directing the development and marketing efforts for The Arts Partnership and The Chapman Cultural Center. "I am delighted to welcome Jennifer to The Arts Partnership staff," said H. Perry Mixter, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Arts Partnership. Her knowledge and experience in development work are second only to her passion for arts and culture and how they can best serve the Spartanburg community." Tommy Young, Chairman of The Arts Partnership's Board of Trustees, said, "Jennifer played an essential role in the vision for and funding of the Chapman Cultural Center, and I can think of no more appropriate role for her to play now than to direct the fund raising efforts for the operations and programs of this great facility and the organizations housed here." Evins has been most notably known for chairing the Capital Campaign for the Chapman Cultural Center Project and has served as a volunteer in the arts in Spartanburg since 1995. She served recently as Executive Chair for the City of Spartanburg's Creative Energy Initiative and inaugural Chair of Spartanburg Creative Taste. In past years she has served on the boards of Ballet Spartanburg, the Music Foundation and The Arts Partnership. Evins currently serves as one of seven Trustees of the Spartanburg County Foundation and an appointed member of the City of Spartanburg's Public Safety Commission. She is one of ten members serving on the inaugural Board of The College Hub of Spartanburg County to improve educational achievement in Spartanburg County. In the last two years, Evins has been instrumental in helping the YMCA of Greater Spartanburg raise over $4 million to build a new Family YMCA at the Pine Street location. Her first job was when she was fifteen as a gate attendant in an Indianapolis city park, followed by college internships for the Tenth Pan American Games and the Indianapolis Convention Center. After graduating from Hanover College, Evins had a professional career in marketing and public affairs. Her last assignment was as Public Affairs Director at WSPA-TV, NewsChannel 7. The Arts Partnership owns and operates The Chapman Cultural Center and provides financial support for arts education and cultural programming in Spartanburg County. The Arts Partnership provides major operating support for eight county-wide cultural agencies including The Spartanburg Science Center, The Historical Association, The Artist Guild, Ballet Spartanburg, The Music Foundation, Carolina Foothills Artisan Center, The Spartanburg Museum of Art and The Spartanburg Little Theater and Youth Theater. For further info call Perry Mixter at 864/278-9669.
The 6th Annual Antique Bikes on Main
was held on July 25, 2010, in downtown Chesnee, SC. Despite temperatures
reaching 108° F, a record estimated crowd of 10,000 attendees
and 6,000 motorcycles was in attendance. Attendees and vendors
reported traveling from as far away as VA, FL, and the Memphis,
TN, area to participate in this year's free event. The event was
hosted by Chesnee Classic Cycles, sponsored by the Northeast Area
Council and dedicated to the late J. M. "Hoover" Hayes.
Net proceeds will be equally divided between Chesnee's Carolina
Foothills Artisan Center and the Chesnee Head Start Program. Each
organization will be presented a check, in memory of "Hoover"
Hayes, during the Aug. 9, 2010 Chesnee City Council Meeting at
Chesnee City Hall. For further info call Dennis Harris at 864/590-2141,
Clint Button at 864/814-6418 or visit (www.antiquebikesonmain.com).
Hand papermaking artist Jocelyn Chateauvert has been awarded
the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship to study the sculptural
qualities of plants life and the art of botanical illustration
in the jungles of Guyiana, South America. She is the first artist
in a craft medium to be granted the Smithsonian Fellowship, and
the first to study in Guyana. She will spend 18 days this summer
and return again in December to the sparsely populated country
at the north end of the Amazon rainforest documenting the variety,
diversity, and stunning beauty of the roughly 53,000 plant species
in the region. Chateauvert, who has been using handmade paper
to create plant sculptures for over 20 years, intends to bring
a direct botanical understanding by observation of plant life
to her art. As she wrote in her fellowship application: "My
passion to transform handmade paper into an emotional representation
of plant life will be informed with a greater knowledge of its
structure, physical attributes and species relationships."
Chateauvert has been researching the biological holdings of the
Guyiana shield at the herbarium of the Smithsonian's National
Museum of Natural History and studying botanical illustration
for the past month in preparation for her travels. Raised in Iowa
and a longtime resident of the live oaks, marshes and dunes of
Charleston, SC, Chateauvert has a strong connection to plants
and has devoted her life to, as she says, "Transforming plant-based
paper into plant-themed inspired artwork." She has won numerous
awards and been featured in exhibits nationally and internationally
and everywhere in between. She holds a Master of Arts and a Master
of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa. The Smithsonian
Fellowship is granted each year to 12 artists, giving them the
opportunity to study their craft virtually anywhere in the world.
For information regarding the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship
contact Will Morrison by e-mail at (morrisonb@si.edu).
The Coastal Community Foundation in Charleston, SC, named Elizabeth McKeever as the 2010 Griffith/Reyburn Lowcountry Artist of the Year. She will receive $5,000 to support her artistic pursuits and the creation of an oil-on-canvas piece representative of Lowcountry culture. She competed with 23 other artists in a rigorous application and Panel Review process to win. "This award would allow me to enroll my son in a pre-school program, giving me more time to paint," said McKeever. She went on to say, "Increased work hours and visibility will help me further my long-term goals, including that of obtaining local gallery representation." Mike Griffith and Donna Reyburn established the Griffith/Reyburn Lowcountry Artist Award Fund of Coastal Community Foundation in 2003 to support the work of visual artists who create works of art that reflect Lowcountry culture. Each year applications are accepted from Charleston County residents. The award ($5,000) is intended to support the creation of a work of art which will then be the personal property of the artist to keep, show, give away, or sell. Qualified applicants for the award must complete a brief application form and submit it to a review panel. The panel then convenes to select the winner based on the applicants' answers to each question. The final choice is made on how close those answers resonate with the mission of the Griffith/Reyburn Lowcountry Artist Award Fund of Coastal Community Foundation, which is to promote the Lowcountry through the work of the local visual artists in Charleston County. Elizabeth McKeever is a local Charleston artist with a recent calling to landscape scenes as a metaphor for the spiritual and emotional state. She went to college on an academic scholarship with the intent to pursue law and politics, but then chose to become an artist. "The choice to become an artist was not a light matter for me, because I knew that the path would be more uncertain and require a strong amount of self-reliance," said McKeever justifying her decision for the change. After receiving her B.A. in studio art and a minor in philosophy, McKeever worked in advertising for one year before returning to graduate school. She was selected as the first artist-in-residence for the Gibbes Museum of Art and taught art classes to adults there for seven years. In the past she has also done interior design work and waited on tables for supplemental income. Now, she has her own business, is married, and the proud parent of an almost 4-year-old. Established in 1974, Coastal Community Foundation is a public grant making foundation fostering philanthropy for the lasting good of the community in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton and Jasper Counties. Thousands of families, businesses, individuals and organizations have built over 550 individual funds and endowments at the Foundation to benefit specific charities and/or broad areas of community life education, basic human needs, conservation and preservation, arts, health and neighborhood/community development. In its 36-year history, Coastal Community Foundation has awarded more than $98.5 million in grants and manages assets in excess of $130 million. Last year, Foundation funds generated over $12.3 million for charitable programming, community projects, educational initiatives and scholarships. To learn more visit (www.CoastalCommunityFoundation.org).
For fiscal year 2010/2011, the Gibbes Museum of Art, in Charleston, SC, is pleased to announce two new hires and several staff promotions. On June 29, 2010, Lasley Poe Steever joined the museum in the newly created position of Program and Events Manager. Meredith Siemens joins the Gibbes today as Rental Events Coordinator. The new fiscal year brought the promotion of several staff members including Sara Arnold, former Associate Curator of Collections and now Curator of Collections, Marla Loftus, former Director of Communications and now Director of Museum Relations, Rebecca Sailor, former Education and Outreach Coordinator and now Associate Curator of Education, Janet Scarborough, former Director of Finance and Administration and now Chief Financial Officer, and Pam Wall, former Associate Curator of Exhibitions and Interpretation and now Curator of Exhibitions. Prior to joining the Gibbes as Program and Events Manager, Steever worked in special events for the 2010 Spoleto Festival USA. Before moving to Charleston in 2009, Steever worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She joined the Met in 1998 where her positions included Managing Editor for the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History and Website Content Manager. Steever is a 1996 Cum Laude graduate of Duke University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Fine Art. As Program and Events Manager, Steever will manage all internal and external museum programs. In addition to her new role as Rental Events Coordinator for the Gibbes, Meredith Siemens runs Code Red Consulting, a communications firm that specializes in marketing for lifestyle clients. Prior to Code Red Consulting, she served as Editor for "Where Magazine". Siemens is a 2005 graduate of DePauw University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications & English Writing. She is involved in many community organizations and events including the BB&T Charleston Wine & Food Festival, Spoleto SCENE, Charleston Young Professionals, and Covered in Blue Colon Cancer Awareness. As Rental Events Coordinator for the Gibbes, Siemens will promote the museum as a premier rental venue in the Charleston area. Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection and presents special exhibitions throughout the year. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives that serve the community by stimulating creative expression and improving the region's superb quality of life. For further information visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).
A pair of bodypaint artists from North Carolina's Piedmont Triad region earned the right to be called World Champions at The 2010 World Bodypainting Festival competition held in Seeboden, Austria. Scott Fray and Madelyn Greco of Team LivingBrush walked away with second place in the category "World Award - Brush & Sponge" after two days of executing designs that were presented before a jury of globally distinguished artists. The "Brush & Sponge" category, closest to classical painting, is marked by designs meticulously executed by hand. Artistic teams are limited to two bodypainters and each design must be completed in 6 hours' time; prior to judging, photography and a glamorous stage presentation similar in scope to a large outdoor concert. The World Bodypainting Festival draws around 30,000 visitors each year to Seeboden, located on picturesque Lake Millstatter See in the South of Austria. Billed as "Europe's Most Colourful Event", forty-eight countries have come to be represented in the competition since the festival's inception, ten years ago. The 2010 World event was Fray & Greco's second bodypainting competition. They tied for first place after the preliminaries and placed second in a field of 36 finalists behind a Canadian artist. The pair established their World Class potential competing for the first time just five months earlier in 2010, when they became the top-finishing US artists at the North American Bodypainting Championships in Las Vegas. Last year's first place World Champions, a US team who did not compete at the North American Championships, finished fourth in the world this year. Fray and Greco, an engaged couple residing in Reidsville, NC, are thrilled with the success of their first World Competition and have been honing their skills as a team for the past 6 years. The pair met by chance when Greco was drawn to Fray through his bodypaint artistry on display at a festival. Fray grew up in Michigan and received an education from the Center of Creative Studies College of Art and Design in Detroit. Greco was born and raised in Erie, PA, and graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where she resided prior to moving to North Carolina. Other professional distinctions for the couple include a standing Guinness World Record, set in 2007 for painting the most people in a 24-hour period. For further info about the World Bodypainting Festival visit (www.bodypainting-festival.com). For further info about LivingBrush Bodypainting visit (www.livingbrush.com), call Scott Fray at 336/541-0630 or Madelyn Greco at 336/541-0632.
Redux Contemporary Art Center in Charleston, SC, announces the award of a $70,000 program grant from the esteemed Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts for two-year exhibition support. Established in 1987 in accordance with Warhol's will, the foundation's objective is to foster innovative artistic expression and the creative processes that support artists and their work. The Foundation values the contribution that organizations like Redux make to artists and audiences and to society as a whole by supporting, exhibiting and interpreting a broad spectrum of contemporary artistic practice. The Foundation is focused primarily on supporting work of a challenging and often experimental nature. In this regard the Foundation encourages curatorial research leading to new scholarship in the field of contemporary art. The Foundation is committed to the precept that the arts are essential to an open, enlightened democracy. It therefore seeks to advance an inclusive cultural dialogue by providing resources to organizations that support artists reflecting a diverse society and by affirming that freedom of artistic expression is fundamental to such a society and must be vigorously protected. To advance these values, grants are awarded to not-for-profit organizations in the United States. Today Andy Warhol's impact on artists, art institutions and the creative culture of our country is stronger than ever. The Foundation's programs and initiatives continue to evolve and expand to address the needs of the visual arts community nationwide. Over the past seven years, the exhibition program at Redux has expanded to include international and national artists whose work has never been exhibited in South Carolina. Through their work, these artists introduce Charleston to issues in contemporary art that would be nearly unavailable to the public otherwise. The exhibitions at Redux showcase artists who ask tough questions and make works that please, astonish and sometimes unsettle audiences. Working with a limited budget and support from the community, Redux has managed to bring many outstanding, challenging contemporary artists to Charleston. Redux currently presents six to eight exhibitions a year, featuring work by internationally renowned and local, emerging and mid-career artists. As Redux moves into its eighth year, these funds will provide additional support for its innovative and thought-provoking exhibitions, lectures, films and artist residencies. For more information, please contact Redux Contemporary Art Center at 843/722-0697 or visit (www.reduxstudios.org).
The Society of Bluffton Artists (SoBA) in Bluffton, SC, announces their recently elected Board of Directors for 2010-2011. The officers include: President - Chris Clayton; Vice President - Howard Ramey; Treasurer- Steve Wilson; Recording Secretary - Bonnie Mason; Corresponding Secretary - Dee Johnson; Publicity - Sandra Wenig; Gallery Manager - Cathy Cooney; Volunteer Coordinator - Pat Gardiner; Membership - Judy Weissman; Member at Large - Arturo Iriarte; Adult and Children's Classes - Mary Ann Putzier; and Public Relations - Dave Dickson. The Society of Bluffton Artists' Gallery is located in historic Old Town Bluffton. The spacious gallery provides an elegant display of original oil, watercolor, mixed media, acrylic and pastel paintings, photography and sculpture by local and regional artists. For further info call 843-757-6586 or visit (www.sobagalleries.com).
The North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, in partnership with Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales, Ltd. is pleased to announce that we have raised $24,800 at the 11th Annual Benefit Auction "Going, Going, Gone To Pots!" held Sunday afternoon, April 25th, 2010, at the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove. The auction featured over one hundred fifty pieces of fine contemporary and historical North Carolina pottery. The evening was made possible through the generosity of North Carolina potters and collectors, Signature Sponsors: Community One Bank, First Bank, and Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales, Ltd., along with Gold Sponsors: Progress Energy, Insurance Associates of the Triad, Total Communications, the Umstead Hotel and Spa, Sodexho, and Pugh Funeral Home. Our Silver sponsors were Cabot Cheese, Seagrove Stoneware Inn, Eco Ornaments, Duck Smith House, Village Printing, Rock Ola Cafe, Klaussner Foundation, Kirk McNaughton and Linda Carnes-McNaughton, Energizer Battery, Asheboro, and the NC Zoological Society. Our volunteers were many and they made this a wonderful event. The Auction Committee comprised of the NCPC Board members, the NCPC staff and Bonnie Burns and Dick and Joanne Peterson put in many hours planning and fund raising. During the Auction Preview hour Bluegrass music was featured by Matthew Nance and friends and attendees enjoyed a light buffet. Exhibitions are made possible through the generosity of our membership, the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Mary and Elliott Wood Foundation and the Goodnight Educational Foundation. Thank you! The mission of the North Carolina Pottery Center is to promote public awareness of and appreciation for the history, heritage, and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina. The Center is located at 233 East Avenue in Seagrove, NC. For more information, please call 336/873-8430 or visit (www.ncpotterycenter.org).
The second annual Give & Take spring fundraiser held at Artspace in Raleigh, NC, had another successful year, thanks to our donating artists, event sponsors, and all those who attended the event and/or purchased artwork. This year's event raised more than $6,500, a new record for Give & Take! Thank you to our sponsors, Poyner Spruill LLP and Raleigh Downtowner, as well as the 75 artists who donated pieces to the event, the Bowerbirds for an awesome performance, and to everyone who joined us for the evening. Proceeds from Give & Take go to the Artspace Scholarship Fund. The scholarship fund allows Artspace to provide full tuition for up to 50 students to attend Summer Arts Program classes each year. With the success of this event, we hope to extend scholarships also to our many other classes and workshops for children and adults throughout the year. Thank you for inspiring creative energy in tomorrow's artists! Artspace, a thriving visual art center located in downtown Raleigh, brings the creative process to life through inspiring and engaging education and community outreach programming, a dynamic environment of over 30 professional artists studios, and nationally acclaimed exhibitions. Approximately 95 artists hold professional memberships in the Artspace Artists Association. Thirty-five of these artists have studios located at Artspace. Artspace is located in Historic City Market in Raleigh at the corner of Blount and Davie Streets. Artspace is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, the Raleigh Arts Commission, individuals, corporations, and private foundations. For more information visit (www.artspacenc.org).
The Art Institute of Charleston, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, will be holding its inaugural commencement exercises on June 19, 2010, at 10am at the Charleston Music Hall at 37 John Street in downtown Charleston, SC. Up to fifty students will be receiving diplomas, including those invited to "walk" at the ceremony from past graduating classes. Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., who was instrumental in recruiting The Art Institute to Charleston, will deliver the graduation address. The Art Institute of Charleston opened its doors in April 2007, starting with a total of 59 students. By the fall of 2009, there were nearly 700 students in the total student body. President Richard Jerue of The Art Institute of Charleston shares that it was a challenge opening an Art Institute in Charleston, "There had never been an Art Institute in a city with such a small population as Charleston, and there were some who thought it just couldn't be successful." says Jerue. "But as city leaders looked closer, seeing we were a whole lot more than a culinary school, and as Art Institute leaders realized that the architectural, cultural and hospitality richness of Charleston matched perfectly with all that an Art Institute could offer, it became clear this could be an excellent fit." The proof is in the enrollment numbers which have consistently been exceeding expectations. At the ceremony, graduates will be receiving diplomas: Associate in Arts in Graphic Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Associate in Arts in Web Design & Interactive Media, Certificate in Culinary Arts, Associate in Arts in Culinary Arts, Associate in Arts in Culinary Arts with a concentration in Baking & Pastry, Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts Management, Certificate in Commercial Photography, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photographic Imaging and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. Academic Dean Dr. Esther Kramer says, "When you start a new school, it takes a while to build up to a significant amount of graduates. In the past, we have had a handful of graduates at the end of various quarters and we have held celebration dinners for these students and their families. Now, we are at a point where a full graduation ceremony is in order, and all past graduates are invited to participate on June 19th." In keeping with The Art Institute of Charleston's commitment to the community and cutting edge spirit, it is fitting that graduating students and faculty members will, for the first time in the state, wear "green" gowns at the ceremony. These robes are a new, environmentally friendly way to keep the traditional academic regalia in place, while helping to insure a sustainable future. The gowns are made entirely from recycled plastics made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles taken from landfills. The robes are made by a company called Green Weaver, who states that to date, 3.5 million bottles have been reclaimed to produce these gowns. The Art Institute of Charleston, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, is one of The Art Institutes, a system of over 45 schools located throughout North America, and is centrally located in downtown Charleston with the main campus at 24 North Market Street, and a satellite campus at Fountain Walk on Charleston's harbor front at 360 Concord Street. The college offers degree programs in Culinary Arts; Wine, Spirits & Beverage Management; Graphic Design; Interior Design; Web Design & Interactive Media; Photographic Imaging; Fashion & Retail Management and Digital Filmmaking & Video Production. For more information visit (www.artinstitutes.edu/charleston).
The HUB-BUB Artists-in-Residence Program (Spartanburg, SC) is pleased to announce the incoming 2010/11 group of residents. Corinne Manning, Ian Shelly, Kerri Ammirata and Ron Longsdorf will move to Spartanburg on June 15, 2010, and spend the next 11 months making work and getting involved in community based art projects specific to their personal interests. Each year, HUB-BUB invites three emerging young visual artists and one creative writer to "live free and create" in studio apartments located above the Showroom Gallery in the HUB-BUB building. HUB-BUB is quickly gaining recognition as a top national community-based residency program; this year over 160 artists/writers from across the country applied for the four spots. The artists/writer who were chosen stood out for the quality of their work and their interest in community service. Corinne Manning is a fiction writer with an MFA in Creative Writing from UNC Willmington. Her time in Spartanburg will be spent working on her novel "Potential Monsters" and acting as an intern for the Hub City Writers Project. This is an exciting opportunity especially with the opening of Hub City's downtown community bookstore. Ian Shelly is a ceramicist with an MFA from U. Missouri. A west Texas native, he plans to spend his time exploring ceramic sculpture inspired by science and military weaponry. He has vast teaching experience and hopes to transition his teaching philosophy of interaction, application and enjoyment into service in the Spartanburg community. Kerri Ammirata is a painter and printmaker with an MFA from U Boston. A trained landscape painter, her current work is inspired by Australian Aboriginal art. Ammirata looks forward to teaching workshops and getting connected to the local community. Ron Longsdorf is a sculptor with an MFA from U Deleware. His installation work explores the connections to personal relationships, places and objects. He hopes to get the community involved in a collaborative participatory project. To learn more about the HUB-BUB artists-in-residence, visit (www.HUB-BUB.com).
Melissa Gravano
Walterboro, SC, artist, Melissa Gravano's portrait of "Ashila", was selected for the 2010 Piccolo Spoleto Festival Juried Art Exhibition. Margaret Hoybach, the painting/2-D juror for the show, selected a total of 65 diverse and stimulating works from the 272 pieces submitted. The exhibition promises to provide an excellent display from a diverse and talented group of talented South Carolina artists. The exhibition is free and open to the public between 8:30am and 5pm, from May 28 through June 11, 2010, and will be on display at the Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting Street in Downtown Charleston. For further info call Gravano at 843-908-1677.
The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design (CCCD) in Hendersonville, NC, is pleased to announce the ten Windgate Fellowships and four Windgate Museum Internships for 2010. This is the fifth year of awarding students in these two programs, supported by the Windgate Charitable Foundation and administered by the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design. To date, the Windgate Fellowship program has awarded a total of $750,000 to 50 graduating seniors working in a craft medium representing 30 colleges and universities in 20 states. For the Windgate Museum Internship program, the CCCD has worked with 11 museums across the US and in the UK, awarding a total of $100,000 to 20 undergraduate and graduate students from 16 universities. Each of the ten Windgate Fellows, a graduating senior whose work relates to craft, will receive $15,000 to complete an 18-month proposal that will propel their career forward after they complete their undergraduate degree. These fellows were selected from 92 applications representing 50 universities from throughout the United States. Universities with a strong craft program were invited to each nominate two graduating seniors for this prestigious fellowship. This year's recipients are: Dustin Farnsworth, BFA Woodworking/Functional Art, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. With the fellowship, I plan to move to Asheville, NC, and over the course of a year work for three or more makers whose work varies in style and material, each for a three-month period. Working for established makers at varying levels of sustainability, I hope to refine my craft while developing the mastery of wood and steel necessary to become a self-sustained craftsman. Amy Hamai, BA, Metal, San Diego State University. My perfect 18 months will involve attending workshops at Penland School of Crafts and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts to refine my technical abilities in jewelry making and to attend conferences and trade shows (SBAG Seattle, SOFA Chicago and ACC Baltimore) to broaden my awareness of contemporary craft conversations and insights into the professional world. I will also set up a longed for studio space to work on a body of work. Daniel Icaza, BFA Metals/Jewelry, Arizona State University. I will expand upon my current series of art by using more valuable materials that will strengthen the series, as well as establishing my own studio where I can continue my craft and become an independent artist/jeweler. The majority of the Fellowship will be used to procure equipment and to purchase raw materials to produce work. Alexis Myre, BFA, Jewelry/metal arts, California College of the Arts. During the fellowship I will first address the kinetic aspects of my work by attending Arthur Ganson's workshop at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. After Haystack I will visit New Mexico to research the use of symbolism in the traditional crafts of Taos, Jemez and San Ildefonso Pueblos. During my stay I will attend SOFA West and visit various galleries for exposure to the professional contemporary side of craft. My dream is to create a carefully crafted kinetic installation, where the objects come to life and the wall pieces serve as backdrops and diagrammatical explanations to tell a collaborative story. Rachael Nyhus, BFA, Metal Arts, California College of the Arts. With the Windgate fellowship I will travel to Italy for a workshop with Valentin Yotkov, a master of chasing and repousse. Subsequently I will go to Bulgaria where I will study the Thracian treasure, an exquisite example of those techniques. I will also attend Terra Madre in Torino, Italy. Terra Madre will provide me with valuable insight and knowledge into the emerging food revolution. When I return to the Bay Area, I envision starting a studio where I can create a body of work informed by these experiences. Benjamin Reid, BFA sculpture, University of North Carolina Asheville. I will use the fellowship to pay the cost of two summer classes at Penland School of Crafts, taught by Yuri Kobayashi and Deb Stoner. I will enroll in a series of courses at Wake Technical Community College that cover machining, computer numerical controlled milling and CNC programming. To explore the roots of my design aesthetics, I will visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, three nautical museums in South Carolina, New York and Connecticut, the entomology collection at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and Philadelphia Insectarium. With the remaining funds I will outfit and supply a personal studio and create a body of work. David Skaurud, BFA Furniture, Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With the Fellowship I will attend workshops, acquire essential studio equipment, and travel to furniture shows. The workshops will include a titanium frame building class at UBI, and bladesmith and metalsmith classes. I will be able to purchase a TIG welding machine, an anvil and leather rated sewing machine not possible for me without the Fellowship. I plan to travel to ICFF New York, and Milan, Italy furniture design fairs to experience a wide breadth of work created by the best in design. David Stock, BFA Glass, California State University @ Chico. With the Fellowship I will travel to Ebeltoft, Denmark to work for two months as an intern for glass artist Tobias Mhl at Mhl & Drivsholm Glas to study his blend of Scandinavian design with traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques. Following the residency I will briefly visit five other European countries with rich glass traditions, including Hauges Hantverksglas in Kultorp, Sweden and Tzompanakis Blown Glass in Kokkino Chiorio, Crete recognized for their sustainable studio practices. Abigail Waltz-Hill, BFA Fibers, Arizona State University. With the Windgate Fellowship I will create a body of work that further explores my interests in land, maps, connections and narratives related to physical space using hand dyed and printed fabrics in a non-traditional quilt design. To further explore my craft, I will travel to Washington, DC, to visit the Textile Museums and the Renwick Gallery and to take workshops at Penland School of Crafts. The Fellowship will also allow me to set up a studio near my home in Chandler, AZ. Thoryn Ziemba, BFA glass, Tennessee Tech University. Paul Marioni and Paul DeSomma both work outside the orthodoxy of glass while never abandoning tradition and craft. I will work with each artist in their studios for a month. While in Seattle and California I will also visit artists, galleries and museums in the region. With the remainder of the Fellowship I will purchase materials and rent hot and cold shops to complete a body of work. The 2010 selection panel included: Jan Katz, Curator, Center for Southern Craft and Design, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans; Harriet Green, Visual Arts Director, South Carolina Arts Commission; Miguel GÛmez-Ib·Òez, Executive Director, North Bennet Street School, Boston; and Stoney Lamar, wood/metal sculptor and Windgate Foundation representative, Saluda, NC. The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design has partnered with museums in the US and UK to provide four Windgate Museum Internships for students (future curators) to work with craft collections, research, and/or exhibitions. CCCD provides $5,000 to each selected museum for the internship. Museums then select the intern from an expanded pool of highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students across the country. Students receive compensation for their work, and an opportunity to work with skilled professional curators and craft objects. This year's Windgate Museum Internship recipients are: Alicia Arroyo, a MA graduate in the History of Decorative Arts & Design, at the Parsons School of Design, with experience working with jewelry will be an intern at The Oakland Museum of California, which is planning a retrospective exhibition and publication on the work of Modernist jeweler Margaret De Patta, in conjunction with the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. She will be helping to organize the photography and rights for the De Patta Exhibition. Laura Houston, graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May with a major in history and material culture studies has been selected Windgate Intern at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She will be working on the 2012 traveling exhibition and catalogue of the Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio Collection of contemporary ceramics. Marilyn Zapf, was an intern at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design after graduating in 2009 from The University of Georgia, with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalworking. She will have a six-week internship within the Research Department of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. At the museum her duties will include photo and text rights research, mailing list development, for a major exhibition on the subject of Postmodernism, to be staged at the V&A in 2011, and publishing in the area of craft, including the "Journal of Modern Craft" (Berg Publishing). Zapf will begin graduate work in the fall at the V&A/RCA History of Design program. Robert Coby, a senior majoring in glass at the Cleveland Art Institute, will intern during the summer at the Cleveland Museum of Art. He will review the holdings related to decorative arts, with a focus on glass, compare these with the collections in Toledo and Pittsburgh, completing a report with ideas for exhibition display and interpretation of the Museum's glass collection within the 20th and 21st century art galleries. The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design is a regional center at the UNC Asheville Kellogg Center in Hendersonville, NC. The mission of the CCCD is to advance the understanding of craft by encouraging and supporting research, scholarship and professional development. For more information about its grant programs, exhibits, and other programming, please visit (www.craftcreativitydesign.org) or call 828/890-2050.
The South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC, has acquired a collection of artwork and prints by the popular South Carolina artist Jim Harrison. The 80 prints are a gift of collector Reaves McCall of Hartsville, SC, said Chief Curator of Art Paul Matheny. They join an original painting of Lake Murray, also donated by McCall, to add this important contemporary painter's work to the museum's growing art collection. "Mr. McCall was inspired by Harrison's work when he saw one of his prints in a gallery. This led him to amass a substantial collection of the artist's prints, as well as several original paintings," said Matheny. "We are thrilled with his donation, and very grateful to him for it." The prints comprise a nearly-complete collection of Harrison's published work, and will serve as a visual archive of the artist's portfolio, he said. The painting, "Sunset on Lake Murray," is an acrylic painting on canvas depicting Lake Murray, which is a relatively unique image for the artist since it portrays the popular lake in the Midlands of South Carolina, as opposed to the country scenes or seascapes he is typically known for, said the curator. "Harrison is known for his rural scenes of 'disappearing America' as well as for scenes of the South Carolina coast. Many of his pastoral paintings feature barns sporting advertisements for Rock City, Coca Cola or other common products, which were once common in the South but are now rare. The prints are largely of this type. "He also is known for his attention to detail, for rendering blades of grass and tree leaves in an almost photorealistic but stylized manner. The newly-donated painting represents the same attention to detail in the surface of Lake Murray's water." Matheny finds it interesting that Harrison began his career as an apprentice to sign painter J.J. Cornforth, who created hand-lettered signs on the sides of buildings and barns as advertisements. "Harrison began to see these original 'works of art' disappearing as the barns and buildings began to decay, which led him to begin to document these places in his own artwork." Matheny said he is working with the museum's outreach manager, Jeff Powley, to create a traveling exhibit of the prints that will be available to art centers and galleries around the state. "It will be great to see some of these images exhibited in areas where they might originally have been created or inspired." For information about the traveling exhibition program, contact Jeff Powley at 803/737-4159.
We at Carolina Galleries in Charleston, SC, are pleased to announce that Margaret Peery's monumental watercolor "North view from Lamboll" has been recently acquired by the Greenville County Museum of Art in Greenville, SC, for their permanent collection. Carolina Galleries is pleased to have assisted in this transaction. Peery is a signature member of the Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Southern Watercolor Societies. She has recently had paintings accepted in the "Allied Artists of America 94th Juried Exhibition", the "Georgia Watercolor Society 29th National Exhibition", "The Southern Watercolor Society 31st Annual Exhibition", and the "Louisiana Watercolor Society 38th International Exhibition". Her work can be found in the collections of the Bank of America, Carolina First, Federal Reserve Bank, the Gibbes Museum of Art, the Greenville County Museum of Art, Roper Hospital, and many private collections. There are still a couple of rooftop scenes available from this series, as well as some beautiful landscapes as well. Please take a look at (www.carolinagalleries.com/artist.shtml?id=175&category=20). For further info call Carolina Galleries at 843/720-8622 or visit (www.greenvillemuseum.org).
On Thursday, May 20, 2010, the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, held its 59th annual membership meeting in conjunction with the Columbia Art Association's 94th annual meeting. Board president Dr. Ronald C. Rogers officiated the meeting, which included the announcement of the board officers for 2010-2011. Duncan McIntosh serves as president with Luther J. Battiste, III as vice-president, Kathryn Hilliard Stuart as secretary and Joel A. Smith, III as treasurer. At the meeting, the following trustees were elected to serve for the Class of 2013: Melissa Blanchard, Dr. Carlton Hughes, Paul V. Fant, Steve Anastasion, Jodie W. McLean, Thad H. Westbrook and Nathaniel A. (Nate) Barber. Life trustee Cary K. Smith made a special presentation to the family of the late L. Arlen Cotter for his many years of dedication, service and support of the museum. Cotter served on the Board of Trustees and the Columbia Art Commission and was instrumental in the planning and design of the Museum building. The President's Award was presented to Contemporaries' board president Ryan Hyler, Maryanne Belser and Pence Scurry for their time and commitment in fundraising for the Chihuly chandelier acquisition. The Director's Award for employee of the year was presented to Jonathan Goley for his stellar work in the Curatorial department. Among a myriad of responsibilities, Goley works tirelessly with exhibition design, in-house photography and website development. The Chairman's Award, presented by C. Carroll Heyward, Columbia Museum of Art Commission chair, was given to L. Gregory Pearce, Jr. for his continuing support of the Museum as Richland County liaison. The Vendor Service Award was given to Roger A. Wise, sales representative of Blanchard Rental Services, for providing the Museum with the equipment and machinery needed to install the Chihuly chandelier. Mac Arthur Goodwin presented his namesake award for excellence in education in the arts to Carol Robertson, an elementary art educator for more than 30 years. Robertson implemented the regional "Jumpstart" conference for art educators 12 years ago. Recently, her empty bowls project involved the entire school population at Lexington Elementary in creating handcrafted ceramic bowls. The bowls were used in an art installation at the school and each day rearranged to spell out a word evocative of hunger that promoted a food drive for the Lexington Interfaith Community Center. For further information call the Museum at 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).
Julyan Davis' painting "Interior, Abandoned Mansion II" has been recently acquired by the Greenville County Museum of Art in Greenville, SC, for their permanent collection. Carolina Galleries in Charleston, SC, is pleased to have assisted in this transaction. Davis is being recognized as a Southern contemporary master artist with paintings now in collections of the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, Morris Museum in Augusta, GA, and now Greenville. Carolina Galleries has 19 gorgeous paintings by Davis in stock at the moment, including several of Charleston, particularly some of upper King Street before it was "revitalized". Please take a look at (http://www.carolinagalleries.com/artist.shtml?id=116&category=20). For further information call Johnson Hagood at Carolina Galleries at 843/720-8622 or visit (www.greenvillemuseum.org).
Focusing on small occurrences such as a memory rings from a raindrop in a puddle of water or a single leaf fluttering in the wind, Lisa Anderson has compiled a multi-media exhibit that includes intimate depictions and visual stories informed by science and her perception. Anderson's body of work entitled, "Occurrences: an examination of phenomena in nature" has been selected for exhibition May 21 - June 5, 2010, at Le Jardin Botanique, located on the campus of the University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland. Anderson, who is an associate professor of art and graphic design at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, SC, will travel to Switzerland to install the exhibit, lecture at the opening, and make valuable contacts with area artists, galleries, museums, University of Fribourg students and faculty, as well as those from nearby educational institutions. Her body of work celebrates occurrences in the natural world and promotes global awareness by highlighting natural phenomena and the exploration of its processes and origins. Handmade paper, commercial papers, photography, pastels, pencils, wood, fabric, glass, and other natural and plant materials are combined and collectively designed into two and three-dimensional works. "With the ever-increasing global awareness of the fragility of our planet, my goal is to signify and present the natural world as a kind of gift, not as a resource to be used and forgotten," said Anderson. "The creation of this body of work, the significance of an international exhibit and lecture, and the practical experience of installation which includes interactions with gallery directors, faculty, and students will certainly support my artistic endeavors and translate into the classroom, providing my students additional insight into this aspect of a visual art career. I look forward to gaining new perspectives and learning opportunities from this experience," says Anderson. Following the exhibition at the University of Fribourg, Anderson plans to travel to Lausanne, Switzerland to visit with the University of Art and Design Lausanne ECAL where she hopes to establish a new international collaborative. Anderson says, "I plan to explore the possibilities of student and/or faculty exchange, joint workshops and/or projects, joint exhibitions either physical or virtual, and the reciprocal participation of teaching staff in diploma examination boards. It would be an incredible opportunity to have their faculty review our students' portfolios and visa versa. I would love to bring the Swiss design aesthetic to our students and perhaps 'shake' them up with ours." Anderson received her bachelor's degree from Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho and her MFA degree from the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho in 2000. She has been a faculty member at USC Upstate for 10 years. For more information, contact Anderson, associate professor of art and graphic design at USC Upstate, at 864/503-5829 or e-mail to (landerson@uscupstate.edu).
Mary Garrish, impressionist landscape artist represented by the Dobbin Gallery at Freshfields Village, located at the junction of Kiawah and Seabrook Islands, SC, was recently selected to participate in the annual Richard Schmidt Fine Art Auction to be held in Colorado in September. Schmidt, one of the most influential artists in the world today, personally selected each painting for the auction based on the body of work submitted by the artist. Garrish served as president of the American Impressionist Society from 2005 to 2007 and is a member of the Oil Painters of America. This year , she was also selected by the National Park Service to depict the Everglades and Dry Tortugas. "Impressions of the Everglades", original oils from her Artist in Residency program will be featured at the Dobbin Gallery beginning May 31 through August 31, 2010. The Dobbin Gallery is celebrating its second year at Freshfields Village. For information call 843/768-0450 or visit (www.dobbinartgallery.com).
The Arts Council of Henderson County, based in Hendersonville, NC, announces an artist membership drive to help build support for its exhibitions, programs and operations. There are two membership levels of special interest for artists: $40 regular artist level and $60 for the Artist Plus level, which includes all benefits as the $40 level, plus a link to the artist's website from the Arts Council's website. Benefits for the $40 artist level include: No fee for 1st entry to juried and judged Arts Council exhibitions, and reduced fees for subsequent entries. There are four juried/judged 2010 exhibitions: "WOOD!", "Bring Us Your Best VII" (all media), "Fiber Arts", and "Through a Lens: Carolina Images"; Members-only display privileges for promotional materials at the Arts Council; Reduced entry fee for 51st Art on Main; Exclusive membership rates for specific Arts Council events and Art on Main merchandise; Quarterly newsletter (print or electronic); Copy of Henderson County Arts & Cultural E-Directory (and updates); and Electronic notification of other regional exhibition and show opportunities. A complete list of benefits is available at (www.acofhc.org), or contact the Arts Council at 828/693-8504 or e-mail at (acofhc@bellsouth.net). "An artist membership is a good value if you plan to enter any of the Arts Council's exhibitions," said Executive Director Jim Faucett. "Plus, your financial support also helps to strengthen the arts community as a whole." The Arts Council of Henderson County, located on the second floor of the historic Skyland Hotel, 538 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC 28792, is a community organization that advocates for the arts and provides opportunities to enrich the lives of children and adults through the arts. The Arts Council gallery and offices are handicapped accessible. The Arts Council is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, the State of North Carolina, the Community Foundation of Henderson County, Henderson County, and the Henderson County Travel and Tourism Bureau.
On May 3, 2010, the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, announced the winners of the 2010 Factor Prize for Southern Art, the 2010 Mary Whyte Art Educator Award, the 2010 Philanthropy Award at the museum's Annual Meeting Celebration, as well as new Board Members. Mixed media artist Radcliffe Bailey was on hand to receive the 2010 Factor Prize and the $10,000 cash prize that accompanies the award. The Factor Prize acknowledges an artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic achievement in any media while contributing to a new understanding of art in the South. A native of Bridgeton, NJ, Bailey lives in Atlanta, GA, where he received his BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 1991. Greatly inspired by jazz music, he is best known for his mixed media works and site-specific installations that explore his personal background and the history of African Americans. Bailey's work is included in the collections of many prestigious organizations including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the High Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Gibbes Museum of Art. Throughout the year, artists were nominated or could self-nominate for the Prize online at (www.factorprize.org). In March, seven panelists narrowed the list to six finalists who along with Bailey included Aldwyth, Willie Birch, William Christenberry, Sally Mann, and Joyce Scott. Anne Cimballa, an art teacher for grades 7, 9, and 10 at the Charleston County School of the Arts received the 2010 Art Educator Award and the $1,000 cash prize that accompanies the award. Established in 2007, the Mary Whyte Art Educator Award is designed to recognize a high school visual art teacher in the tri-county area who has demonstrated superior commitment to his or her students and craft. Cimballa submitted the lesson plan Palette Knife Painting Inspired by the Works of Brian Rutenberg. Students visited the Gibbes exhibition "Brian Rutenberg: Tidesong" and created original landscape paintings using their own photos of the Lowcountry while painting with palette knives in the style of Rutenberg. High school teachers in the Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester school districts submitted lesson plans and examples of work after completing an online application on the Gibbes website (www.gibbesmuseum.org). In addition to Cimballa, the other finalists this year were Dan O'Brien of West Ashley High School and Mary Catherine Middleton of Wando High School. Jim and Esther Ferguson were recognized as the winners of the second annual Gibbes Philanthropy Award. The Fergusons are long-time supporters of the museum and their personal art collection is currently on view at the Gibbes in the exhibition 'Modern Masters from the Ferguson Collection". The Fergusons made the lead gift in the successful campaign to bring the artist Christo to Charleston. On April 13, the world-renowned artist gave a lecture and presentation to a sold-out crowd at Memminger Auditorium. The Fergusons are personal friends of Christo and own two of his objects that are part of the special exhibition at the Gibbes. At the celebration, a special Corporate Philanthropy Award was presented to BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Ann Burnett, Vice President of Health Network Services, was on hand to accept the award for BlueCross BlueShield. In addition to the award winners, the Gibbes board welcomed nine new members to their ranks. New members are Jill Almeida, William Beadleston, David J. Cohen, Eleanor Hale, Rhett Ramsay Outten, Sarah J. Smith, Susan M. Smythe, Kathryn J. Wendell, and Charles L. Wyrick. Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection, and presents special exhibitions throughout the year. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives that serve the community by stimulating creative expression and improving the region's superb quality of life. For further information call the Gibbes at 843/722.2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).
Virginia Derryberry, a noted painter and UNC Asheville (NC) art professor, has been named a visiting artist at the prestigious American Academy in Rome. She will spend a two-week residency at the Academy in June producing new works. Derryberry plans to use resources found in the Academy's newly renovated Janet C. Ross Library as well as specific collections of Caravaggio paintings in the Italian city to inform her personal investigation of the intersection of art and alchemy. Founded in 1894, the Academy fosters the pursuit of advanced research and independent study in the fine arts and humanities. A native of Tennessee, Derryberry holds a master of fine arts degree from the University of Tennessee and a master of arts degree from Peabody College. She joined the UNC Asheville faculty in 1996. Since then, she has received a number of University awards, including the Distinguished Teaching Award, the University's highest honor. In addition to teaching art classes and serving as the current chair of the Art Department, Derryberry has also been director of UNC Asheville's nationally acclaimed Undergraduate Research Program. Derryberry's work has been shown in solo exhibitions in New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Represented by Hodges Taylor Gallery in Charlotte, NC, and Cumberland Gallery in Nashville, TN, her work has been included in numerous exhibitions, including "20th Century Painting" and "Convergence." Her paintings are also in the collections of the Knoxville Convention Center, Carnegie Museum of Art, Tennessee State Museum, Morris Museum of Art and the West Virginia Permanent Collection. Derryberry has received two Individual Arts grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts as well as the West Virginia Governor's Award. In 2005, Derryberry was named a recipient of the Southeastern College Art Conference Artist Fellowship. She has also been featured in "New American Paintings" magazine. For further info call the UNC Asheville News Services at 828/251-6526.
The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, has received two National Endowment for the Arts grants in the fiscal year 2010 funding cycle: a $100,000 American Masterpieces: Visual Arts Touring Grant and a $30,000 Access to Artistic Excellence Grant. "The Museum is delighted to be awarded these generous grants, which will allow the public to more fully engage with our artworks, their themes and the traditions in which they were created," said Kathleen Jameson, incoming Executive Director. "The NEA has provided another extraordinary opportunity for the Mint to share its resources, and the timing of these grants is critical as we move forward with an expansion initiative, which will include new opportunities to showcase our Romare Bearden collection." The American Masterpieces: Visual Arts Touring Grant will support an exhibition entitled "Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections," which will include approximately 75 works of art that span the career of this internationally renowned Charlotte-born artist (1911-1988). This is one of only five American Masterpieces Grants that were awarded to museums nationwide in the current funding cycle. The exhibition and subsequent national tour will underscore not only Bearden's artistic mastery, particularly in the technique of collage, but also his development of narrative and thematic explorations of his native South. Collages, paintings, watercolors and prints will be assembled from the holdings of the Mint (which holds the largest public collection of Bearden's work) as well as other private and public collections. The exhibition, which will open on the centennial of Bearden's birth, will examine how the South served as a source of inspiration throughout his career. This key theme has never before been explored in any previous exhibition or writings on the artist. Southern Recollections will include large thematic groupings which incorporate many works that refer to Bearden's childhood home in rural Mecklenburg County. The exhibition will debut next year at the new Mint Museum Uptown, which will open on October 1, 2010. After its run there (September 2, 2011-January 1, 2012), it is slated to be presented at two other venues. The Access to Artistic Excellence grant will support key interactive components of the Mint Museum Uptown's Family Gallery, as well as hands-on materials that will carry families from this unique space into the permanent collection galleries on two upper floors. The Family Gallery will provide an introduction to the collections through creative, collaborative play in a hands-on setting. NEA funding will support the design and fabrication of two of five zones in the Family Gallery: Memories of Mecklenburg House, a three-dimensional play house based on a collage by Romare Bearden, and Imagination Station, a studio/exhibition zone stocked with art materials for drop-in art-making. Grant funds will also support the development, production and assessment of Gallery Connections, a set of materials to be utilized by families in the permanent collection galleries. The narrative quality, powerful aesthetics and themes of community make Bearden's work a natural for the Family Gallery. The museum tested a model of the Bearden house during Art Under Construction, an exhibition of prototypes presented in 2009 at ImaginOn and funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The house, which will be refurbished for use in the Family Gallery, drew enthusiastic responses from children who easily engaged in this make-believe and self-directed environment. Although the Mint offers frequent classes, camps and family days, the Imagination Station zone will provide families with a creative hands-on opportunity anytime during regular museum hours. Gallery Connections will provide comfortable entry points for parents and children to continue their conversations in the more formal gallery spaces. The NEA awarded 50 Access to Artistic Excellence Grants to museums across the country. The Mint Museum is involved in a major expansion project: the construction of a new 145,000-square-foot facility in uptown Charlotte and the reinstallation of the historic Mint Museum Randolph. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the new facility will house collections of American art, Contemporary art and Craft + Design. Following the opening of the new location, collections at the Mint Museum Randolph will be reinstalled and feature collections in Ceramics, Art of the Ancient Americas, and Historic Costumes & Fashionable Dress. The Mint Museum is funded, in part, with operating support by the Arts & Science Council, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc.; the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts; the City of Charlotte; and its members. To learn more visit (www.mintmuseum.org).
The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, has received a $90,000 grant from The Hearst Foundation, Inc. to support educational programming for children and youth, as well as the teachers who instruct them in art. This is Hearst's third grant to the Mint. The timing of this renewed support is particularly key as the institution is completing a major expansion project that entails opening a new uptown Charlotte facility. The grant will help fund the myriad of classes, tours, student art exhibitions, workshops and numerous other learning activities that annually impact approximately 40,000 children and youth, many of whom are underserved and at-risk. The hundreds of teachers who benefit from enrichment opportunities at the Mint each year pass on what they learn to thousands of students, thereby bolstering the K-12 school art curriculum. The high-quality, inclusive educational opportunities offered by the museum are intrinsic to the institution's mission and give young people a valuable introduction to the arts, instilling in many of them a lifelong interest in and understanding of art and craft. Research has shown that students who participate in rigorous arts programs are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, and four times more likely to participate in a math or science fair, among other accomplishments. The Mint bolsters the arts in schools by serving as a parallel classroom for K-12 students and an educational resource for teachers. Its collections, exhibitions and programs encourage a thoughtful exploration of human culture that supplements classroom learning in ways that are accessible to students of various ages, socio-economic levels, ethnicities and learning styles. "It is an honor to receive special recognition and support once more from a national enterprise such as the Hearst Foundation," said Director of Education Cheryl Palmer. "This grant will help inaugurate the new Mint Museum Uptown and allow us to offer many more educational programs for children, families and schools." The Mint Museum Uptown will open in October 2010. One of the centerpieces of this facility will be a 1,845-square-foot Family Gallery, designed as a fun place for families with children ages 18 months to 10 years to feel comfortable with art as they explore activities together. It will incorporate works of art from the permanent collection and hands-on activities, and serve as a family-oriented introduction to the entire museum. The new museum will feature two studio classrooms to expand the number of painting, drawing, mixed media and clay classes offered for teachers, teens, children and adults. In addition to the studio classrooms, there will be small classrooms on the two gallery levels in the new facility for simple hands-on activities with tour groups. A larger auditorium, educational technology in the galleries, reading areas, and flexible public spaces inside and outside on terraces will be important components to reach a broad audience. The charitable goals of the Hearst Foundations reflect the philanthropic interests of William Randolph Hearst. The Hearst Foundation, Inc. was founded in 1945 by publisher/philanthropist William Randolph Hearst. In 1948, Mr. Hearst established the California Charities Foundation, renamed the William Randolph Hearst Foundation in 1951. Both Foundations are national private philanthropies operating independently from The Hearst Corporation. The Hearst Foundations are national philanthropic resources for organizations and institutions working in the fields of education, health, culture and social service. Their goal is to ensure that people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives. The Hearst Foundations support programs that enrich the lives of young people by engaging them in cultural activities, primarily through arts-in-education programs. Grants are awarded to major institutions and community organizations in the arts and sciences that address the lack of arts programming in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade curricula by providing comprehensive, on-site and/or outreach education activities. The two Foundations are managed as one entity, sharing the same funding guidelines, leadership, and staff. Staff based in the headquarters in New York City review all proposals from organizations located east of the Mississippi River, and staff in the San Francisco office review requests from organizations west of the Mississippi. The Mint Museum is involved in a major expansion project: the construction of a new 145,000-square-foot facility in uptown Charlotte and the reinstallation of the historic Mint Museum Randolph. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the new facility will house collections of American art, Contemporary art and Craft + Design. Following the opening of the new location, collections at the Mint Museum Randolph will be reinstalled and feature collections in Ceramics, Art of the Ancient Americas, and Historic Costumes & Fashionable Dress. The Mint Museum is funded, in part, with operating support by the Arts & Science Council, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc.; the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts; the City of Charlotte; and its members. To learn more, visit (www.mintmuseum.org).
In response to recent media about the Cameron Art Museum's financial situation, the museum has received support and advice from two important members of the community in Wilmington, NC. ASG Security Service Manager Paul Tiso contacted his home office after hearing about the museum's plight, resulting in an adjustment to the museum's security rates. Les Hewlett, a retired engineer living in the area, has connected the museum with Waste Reduction Partners, a group of retired engineers who volunteer to do energy assessments for municipal and non-profit groups. Cameron Board of Trustees member Rick Myracle says, "The Cameron Art Museum is grateful for this support from our community. It is thanks to the kind support of businesses and individuals like these that the museum is able to serve its community." The Cameron Art Museum presents 6-8 changing exhibitions annually; ongoing family and children's programs; a unique program of tours for Alzheimer's patients and their caretakers; interdisciplinary programs (lectures, music, films, literature, dance); and ongoing workshops and classes in ceramics at the Clay Studio with resident master artist Hiroshi Sueyoshi. For more information about the museum, please visit (www.cameronartmuseum.com).
The Arts Council of Henderson County in Hendersonville, NC, announces the availability of the first edition of the Henderson County Arts & Cultural Directory - Organizations and Businesses. The Directory is only available electronically. There is no cost to receive this first edition of the electronic directory. Subsequent editions will be available only to Arts Council members and supporters, and member organizations and businesses. A revised edition is planned this summer in order to add arts and cultural organizations and businesses that are not included in the first edition. "The directory will always be a work in progress," said Executive Director Jim Faucett, "and will help the Arts Council offer better referral services to the public, improve communications within the arts and cultural community, and foster new collaborations and partnerships." Applications are available by contacting The Arts Council at 828/693-8504 or e-mailing to (acofhc@bellsouth.net). The web address is (www.acofhc.org). The Arts Council of Henderson County, located on the second floor of the historic Skyland Hotel, 538 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC 28792, is a community organization that advocates for the arts and provides opportunities to enrich the lives of children and adults through the arts. The Arts Council gallery and offices are handicapped accessible. The Arts Council is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, the State of North Carolina, the Community Foundation of Henderson County, Henderson County, and the Henderson County Travel and Tourism Bureau.
The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, today announce the completed installation of the Dale Chihuly art acquisition chandelier in the museum's David Wallace Robinson, Jr. Atrium. The installation marks the first of its kind in the state and measures 14' tall, 5' wide and 11' deep. The design was chosen to enhance the asymmetrical design of the museum's atrium space and a "Carolina Sunset" color-scheme will incorporate Columbia's "Famously Hot" shades of golds, oranges and reds. The public celebration of the installation will be held in conjunction with this year's Museum gala, Red Hot...Cool! 60 Years of Color on Saturday, April 17, 2010. The completion of this installation also marks the success of a public-fundraising campaign by which the Contemporaries raised over $360,000 through private donations and fundraising events - led entirely by the young professional affiliate group of the museum with the generous support and guidance of a team of community mentors, the Board of the Museum of Art and the staff of the museum. The fundraising total covers the cost of the acquisition, long-term maintenance of the piece, educational support, lighting and a documentary video. "This project represents a commitment by our organization to the museum and to the community as a whole. We understand that we are the first young-professional organization in the nation to undertake the commissioning of a project of this magnitude. Our hope is that through this project we will begin to foster and cultivate a new generation of philanthropy in Columbia and beyond," said Ryan Hyler, the organization's president. The commission is a significant work by the internationally renowned artist, Dale Chihuly of Washington State. Chihuly installations are found in numerous museums and private collections around the world, including: The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Seattle Museum of Art, The de Young in San Francisco, and the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dale Chihuly's expertise in glass-blowing has transformed the medium and his works are recognized by the organically inspired shapes and bold colors of his design. For more information on the Art Acquisition Fund, on volunteering with the Contemporaries, or on the Artist, Dale Chihuly, please contact Maryanne Belser at 803/730-3757 or e-mail to (maryannebelser@gmail.com). The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art are comprised of an active membership of over 400 young professionals from the Columbia area. The mission of the Contemporaries is to provide an opportunity to support the Museum through: promoting the Museum and its programs, diversifying the Museum's membership, and leading the next generation of Museum supporters. The Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina's premier international art museum and houses a world-class collection of European and American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, porcelain and works by significant furniture and silver makers, as well as American, Asian, and modern and contemporary art. In recent years the Museum's collection of Asian art and Antiquities has grown through generous gifts to the collection. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli's "Nativity", Claude Monet's "The Seine at Giverny", Canaletto's "View of the Molo", and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum's newly commissioned Chihuly chandelier is now on view in the Museum's David Wallace Robinson, Jr. Atrium. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums as well as educational programs for all ages that include art classes, art camps, lectures, films and concerts. It is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina. Generous support to the Museum is provided by the City of Columbia, Richland County, the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties. For further info call the Museum at 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).
Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, has been granted accreditation, by the American Association of Museums (AAM). This accreditation is a widely recognized seal of approval that brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement. "The accreditation of Brookgreen Gardens is indicative of its long-standing commitment to excellence, in all that it does," said AAM president Ford W. Bell. "For nearly 80 years, Brookgreen Gardens has been a welcome inspiration, refuge and retreat for the surrounding community. The members of that community can also take pride in that fact that in their midst is one of America's premier museums." "We are extremely pleased to receive the accreditation which along with our accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and our standing as a National Historic Landmark places Brookgreen as one of a select group of institutions in the country with these accomplishments ," said Bob Jewell, President and CEO of Brookgreen Gardens. "The AAM has meticulous standards and a comprehensive process for accreditation that covers every aspect of our organization, from the dedication to our mission and the stewardship of our collections to educational interpretation and facilities and risk management." The accreditation visiting committee wrote in their report," The staff members at Brookgreen are all well-qualified for their positions and accomplish their work efficiently with museum best practices standards and its volunteers deserve special mention. The Gardens need the 350 volunteers to keep things running smoothly and the open communication between staff and volunteers fosters an atmosphere of shared purposes and shared values." The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. AAM is the only organization representing the entire scope of museums and professionals and non-paid staff who work for and with museums. Every type of museum is represented including art, history, science, military and maritime, and youth museums, as well as aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, arboretums, historic sites, and science and technology centers. Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit organization located on US 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, SC, is open daily to the public. For more information, visit (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.
The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC, has received a grant from an anonymous donor through the North Carolina Community Foundation. The grant for $31,190 will make a significant impact on the museum in a time of financial uncertainty. These funds will be used to provide valuable support for exhibitions, public programs, and educational programs for adults, children and families. Museum Director Deborah Velders says, "We are deeply grateful for this generous support of our museum and its efforts to provide qualitative excellence in the arts. Our entire community benefits from such philanthropic leadership, generosity; and vision of our city's continuing cultural vitality." The Cameron Art Museum presents 6-8 changing exhibitions annually; ongoing family and children's programs; a unique program of tours for Alzheimer's patients and their caretakers; interdisciplinary programs (lectures, music, films, literature, dance); and ongoing workshops and classes in ceramics at the Clay Studio with resident master artist Hiroshi Sueyoshi. The North Carolina Community Foundation is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and has made nearly $63 million in grants since its inception in 1988. With more than $100 million in assets, the NCCF sustains 1,000 endowments established to provide long-term support of a broad range of community needs, nonprofit organizations, institutions and scholarships. The NCCF partners with 60 affiliate foundations, including the New Hanover County Community Foundation, to provide local resource allocation and community assistance in 66 counties across the state. For more information, visit (www.nccommunityfoundation.org). For more information about the museum, please visit (www.cameronartmuseum.com).
By putting $100,000 on the philanthropic table,
business and civic leaders Marsha and Jimmy Gibbs are challenging
community leaders of Spartanburg, SC, to step forward in support
of the Chapman Cultural Center. As a kick-off to the newly
created Nita Milliken Society, the Gibbs have issued a financial
challenge for other private citizens to donate $10,000 for each
of the next two years. The challenge has the potential to generate
$300,000 by the end of the Center's 2010-11 fiscal year. The Nita
Milliken Society is named after the late wife of textile giant
Roger Milliken. Mrs. Milliken was an avid supporter of the arts
in Spartanburg and a familiar face at the Chapman Cultural Center's
predecessor, the Spartanburg Art Center on Spring Street. Arts
Education Director Ava Hughes observed, "Nita Milliken was
an inspiration to all of us in the arts. She not only gave
financially, she provided leadership on boards and committees
throughout the years, and shared her time and talents to work
to make Spartanburg a better place to live". The Nita Milliken
Society was created by the Chapman Cultural Center to establish
an on-going group of supporters giving at least $10,000 per year.
In addition to the Nita Milliken Society, other societies have
special focuses too! The Arts X Society with a minimum $100 donation
focuses on young community leaders, the SpArk Society with a minimum
$500 donation focuses on family, and the Peggy Gignilliat Society
with a minimum $1,000 donation focuses on honoring Mrs. Gignilliant's
dedication to the arts through support and annual scholarship.
"Many years ago when I accepted a seat on the board at Converse
College, Mrs. Milliken sent me a personal note of encouragement,"
Gibbs said. "She told me to just do my best, and her support
and guiding wisdom have stayed with me ever since. In the philanthropic
work that we do, Marsha and I, try to follow in her footsteps.
We are very proud to be a part of this program and know that she
would be too." The first half of the challenge is for this
spring through June 30, 2010. The first five donors with
a two-year commitment will be matched by the Gibbs. "We already
very close to reaching this first year's challenge," Perry
Mixter, president of The Arts Partnership, said. "The arts
in Spartanburg and this institution in particular are forever
grateful to Nita Milliken for all she did for us. We believe is
most fitting that Marsha and Jimmy Gibbs have extended her influence
in this way. They, too, are making a huge difference in the direction
that the arts are taking in our community. It is because of the
support from people like Mrs. Milliken and Marsha and Jimmy Gibbs
that the arts flourish here." The Arts Partnership of Greater
Spartanburg is a nonprofit agency that oversees the Chapman Cultural
Center and raises funds and awareness for nine different arts
and cultural organizations in Spartanburg. The nine Partners are
the Artists' Guild of Spartanburg, Ballet Spartanburg, Carolina
Foothills Artisan Center, the Spartanburg County Historical Association,
the Music Foundation of Spartanburg, the Spartanburg Art Museum,
the Spartanburg Science Center, Spartanburg Little Theatre, and
the Spartanburg Repertory Company. The Center's 2009-2010 fundraiser
goal is $1.2 million. To become of a member of the Nita Milliken
Society or to participate in any of the Chapman Cultural Center's
giving programs, please contact Sr. Director of Development Kyle
Boyles at 864/278-9663.
The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, announced the
Short List of Finalists for the third annual Factor Prize. The
Factor Prize, awarded annually with a cash prize of $10,000, acknowledges
an artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic
achievement in any media while contributing to a new understanding
of art in the South. The winner of the 2009 Factor Prize
was photographer and digital montage artist Stephen Marc. Artists
who work in, who are from, or who create work related to Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia were nominated for the
Prize online at (www.factorprize.org) through Feb. 28, 2010. In
early March, seven panelists reviewed the hundreds of applicants
and narrowed the list to six artists. The seven panelists
for the 2010 Factor Prize were philanthropists Elizabeth and Mallory
Factor who established the prize; David Houston, Chief Curator
of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art; Leslie King-Hammond, Founding
Director of the Center for Race and Culture at the Maryland Institute
College of Art; Holly McCullough, Chief Curator of Fine Arts and
Exhibitions at the Telfair Museum of Art; Pam Wall, Associate
Curator of Exhibitions and Interpretation at the Gibbes Museum
of Art; and the 2009 winner Stephen Marc. The six artists (profiled
below) selected for the 2010 Factor Prize Short List of Finalists
are Aldwyth, Radcliffe Bailey, Willie Birch, William Christenberry,
Sally Mann, and Joyce Scott. "This year's finalists are an
exceptional group of artists who represent the wide array of high-quality
art being created in the southern region. Through the Factor Prize,
the Gibbes continues its legacy of supporting contemporary artists
while honoring the talents of artists working in and from the
South," said Angela Mack, Executive Director and Chief Curator
of the Gibbes. The winner of the 2010 Factor Prize will be announced
on May 3 at a ceremony at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston.
Nominations for the 2011 award can be made beginning June 1, 2010
on the (www.factorprize.org) website. The Factor Prize website
not only serves as a nomination point for artists but it is also
a publicly accessible online archive of information about Southern
artists that can be used by curators, collectors, academicians,
and the public. South Carolina artist Aldwyth has worked
in relative seclusion for several decades. She creates intricate
collages and assemblages, often monumental in scale, from found
objects, appropriated images, text, and other elements. Aldwyth
was recently honored with a major one-person traveling exhibition
organized by the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College
of Charleston. A native of Bridgeton, NJ, Radcliffe Bailey lives
in Atlanta, GA, where he received his BFA from the Atlanta College
of Art in 1991. Greatly inspired by jazz music, he is best
known for his mixed media works and site-specific installations
that explore his personal background and the history of African
Americans. Bailey's work is included in the collections
of many prestigious organizations including the Art Institute
of Chicago, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the High Museum of Art,
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Willie Birch is a painter,
sculptor, and draftsman whose work draws upon African American
culture and traditions in his native New Orleans. He earned
his BA from Southern University in New Orleans and later received
an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.
Birch's work is included in the collections of numerous institutions
including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of
Southern Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. For
over forty years, William Christenberry has used his drawing,
painting, sculpture, and photography as a means to document his
home state of Alabama. A resident of Washington, DC, he has
taught at the Corcoran College of Art and Design since 1968 and
has been included in numerous one-person and group exhibitions
and the collections of art museums across the country. Most
recently, Christenberry was honored with a major one-person exhibition
at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC. Born
and raised in Lexington, VA, Sally Mann is best known for her
intimate photographs of her family and her unique portrayal of
the southern landscape. Using a hundred year old camera,
she creates photographs from eight by ten inch wet-collodion glass
plate negatives. Mann has exhibited her work throughout the
world and is included in many prestigious collections including
the Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Museum of Modern Art, New
York; and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Joyce Scott, who
resides in Baltimore, creates sculpture and installation pieces
using a variety of techniques including weaving, quilting, beadwork,
and glasswork. Her work addresses issues of gender, race,
and class struggles particularly in the South. Scott earned
her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore
and an MFA in crafts from the Institute Allende in Mexico. Established
as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of
Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston's
historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over
10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern
connection, and presents special exhibitions throughout the year.
In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public
programming and educational outreach initiatives that serve the
community by stimulating creative expression and improving the
region's superb quality of life. For further info contact Marla
Loftus, Director of Communications, Gibbes Museum of Art at 843/722-2706
x38 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).
The Green Hill Center for NC Art in Greensboro, NC, responds to community interest in supporting local artists and art organizations by establishing more affordable opportunities to become a member. Beginning in March 2010 membership levels have been decreased by ten to fifty dollars. The more affordable membership levels come at a time when traveling locally for events, exhibitions and children programs is a priority for most households. The new membership levels advance Green Hill Center's mission to engage the community in NC arts and artists. With such busy and chaotic lives there is no more important time than now to spend reflective, contemplative time in a world-class art gallery or expose children to the tools of art-making and creativity. At Green Hill Center, access to the great art of NC and its artists is core to its mission, as is providing children an opportunity to learn through the arts in a hands-on art studio; ArtQuest. Established in 1974, Green Hill Center for NC Art is a non-profit organization devoted to the North Carolina's visual arts, artists, and cultural life. Green Hill Center's mission is to exhibit NC art and present innovative programs that inspire educate and engage diverse audiences. Green Hill Center receives funding for m United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, North Carolina Arts Council, VF Corporation, Lincoln Financial and many other generous grantors and contributors. For more information about Green Hill Center for NC Art go to (www.greenhillcenter.org).
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, NC, will extend its operating hours to 9pm on the first and third Fridays of each month starting April 2, 2010. Later hours will allow patrons of the Knight Theater (which is adjacent to the museum) and other venues to visit the museum prior to a performance and thus combine an evening of visual art with an evening of performing art. Because of the museum's proximity to Charlotte's Historic South End, later hours will allow South End Gallery Crawl participants the opportunity to include the Bechtler in their evening art viewing. Docent-led tours of the museum will be offered at 6:30pm on each late night. Entertainment and program offerings are in the planning stages and will be implemented in the coming months. All portions of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art will be open during the extended hours. Regular admission applies. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors, college students and educators; $4 for youth (11 to 14) and free for children (up to 10). The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to the exhibition of mid-20th-centry modern art. It is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler, a Charlotte resident and native of Switzerland who assembled and inherited a collection of more than 1,400 artworks created by major figures in modernism. The collection comprises artworks by seminal figures such as Alberto Giacometti, Joan Miro, Jean Tinguely, Max Ernst, Andy Warhol, Le Corbusier, Sol LeWitt, Edgar Degas, Nicolas de Stael, Barbara Hepworth and Pablo Picasso. For museum details visit (www.bechtler.org).
The Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, was awarded $100,906 to install solar panels on the roof of its building which will reduce the amount of energy the museum has to purchase. The grant, awarded by the SC Budget and Control Board's State Energy Office, is one of nine renewable energy projects funded by the Energy Office that are part of $2.8 million awarded to non-profit organizations and government entities in South Carolina through funds made available by the federal government in Washington, DC. "This project is a great example of using renewable energy to improve the environment and the economy," John Clark, director of the energy office, said. "Patrons of the museum will be able to learn more about solar technology as they see it work first hand." This scalable project fosters market penetration of renewable energy technology by promoting the benefits of solar power production. The Museum will endorse a cleaner, healthier environment by utilizing a renewable resource to reduce and displace its traditional electricity consumption. There are currently no solar projects of this size in the city of Columbia. "We are thrilled to be making technological advances that are greatly impacting our environment. This project provides a foundation to build upon to combat rising energy costs," Museum executive director Karen Brosius said. The Museum is in the planning stages for the project that will be completed by December 2011. The South Carolina Energy Office (SCEO) provides a broad range of resources designed to help citizens, businesses and public entities save energy and money. In recent years, the SCEO has helped save South Carolina over $250 million through public and private energy-saving measures and new energy technologies. The SCEO is a unit of the South Carolina Budget and Control Board. Additional information can be found at (www.energy.sc.gov). For further information call the Museum at 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).
The SC Arts Foundation in Columbia, SC, will present former SC Governor and US Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley with the McNair Award for his leadership and dedication to the arts and arts education in SC. The presentation takes place at the SC Arts Gala, at 7pm on May 6, 2010, at the Columbia Museum of Art. "Throughout his career, Dick Riley has worked tirelessly to improve lives and opportunities for citizens and students in our state and nation. He has been a champion of the arts as a means of enhancing our quality of life, economic development and the education of our children," says Patrick R. VanHuss, SC Arts Foundation president. "The members of the SC Arts Foundation join me in honoring Governor Riley for his tremendous efforts in supporting the arts and improving education for all students." As a member of the SC General Assembly, Riley was instrumental in crafting legislation that established requirements for arts instruction during the school day. As Governor of South Carolina (1979-87), Riley initiated the Education Improvement Act to enact a quality program of public instruction for current and future generations. Among other initiatives, the EIA directed funding to support Gifted and Talented programs in the arts for public schools. In 1980, he created the Governor's Task Force on the Arts, charged with laying "the foundation for building an infrastructure for the arts in South Carolina." This led to the creation of the Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural Affairs, which championed the growth of the state's arts sector and comprehensive reform in arts education through the Arts in Basic Curriculum program. He was instrumental in establishing the SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. In 1980, he added to the prestige of the SC Arts Commission's Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award, giving it the official designation as the Governor's Award for the Arts. During his tenure as US Secretary of Education (1993-2001), Riley helped launch initiatives to raise academic standards; improve instruction for the poor and disadvantaged; increase parental involvement in education; expand grants and loans to help more students attend college; and prepare young people in America for the world of work. The Goals 2000 national education goals established during his administration were the first to include the arts as core curriculum subjects. Established in 2007, the McNair Award is named for the late Governor Robert E. McNair, who signed legislation to create the Arts Commission in 1967 to "ensure that the arts continue to grow and play an ever more significant part in the welfare and educational experiences of our citizens." Reserve tickets to the South Carolina Arts Gala online or by calling 803/734-8696. The event is hosted by the SC Arts Foundation and sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Tickets are $50 per person. Established in 1972, the SC Arts Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing, encouraging and supporting the art and artists of South Carolina. Throughout its history, the SCAF has pursued creative ways to help the business community and private citizens contribute to a thriving arts community across the state. The organization is led by a diverse board of directors comprised of statewide business and civic leaders, artists, educators and others interested in supporting the rich variety of artistic expression found in the Palmetto State. For more information, visit (www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/Foundation) or call 803/734-8696.
The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg in Spartanburg, SC, is pleased to announce that it has added 13 members to its board of trustees, for a total number of 44 members on the full board. The new members include: Ingo Angermeier, President and CEO, Spartanburg Regional Health Care System; Ethan Burroughs, Spartanburg Market President, Wachovia/Wells Fargo Bank; Dr. Fritz Butehorn, Physician, Spartanburg Ear, Nose, and Throat; Victor Cordone, Vice President and Branch Manager, The Palmetto Bank; Dr. Nicholas Fleming, Physician, Carolina Medical Associates; Tracy Hannah, Civic Leader; Dr. Para Jones, President, Spartanburg Community College; Dr. Colleen Perry Keith, President, Spartanburg Methodist College; Jo Peavey, Civic Leader; Dr. John Stockwell, Chancellor, USC Upstate; Thomas P. Whalen, Plant Manager, Spartanburg Plant, Michelin North America, Inc.; Shane Martin, Senator District 13 (R) Spartanburg County Legislative Delegation; and J. Derham Cole Jr., Representative (R) House, District 32, Spartanburg County Legislative Delegation. "We are pleased to have these distinguished community leaders as additions to our Board of Trustees," Board Chair Jamie Fulmer said. "They are all dedicated citizens who bring an impressive track record of professional and civic accomplishment. We will benefit greatly from their knowledge and their wisdom, and look forward to working with them to enhance the cultural life of the Spartanburg region." The two elected officials are ex-officio representatives of the Spartanburg County Legislative Delegation; all others will serve through 2012. At this time, there are 44 members on the full board, with 12 of them serving on the Executive Board, which is a policy-making board that meets monthly. The full board meets quarterly. The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg is a nonprofit agency that supports nine cultural, arts, science and history organizations in Spartanburg. Based in the Chapman Cultural Center in downtown Spartanburg, the Arts Partnership provides ownership and administration of that three-building facility that includes the 500-seat David Reid Theatre, Spartanburg Art Museum, Spartanburg Little Theatre, Spartanburg Science Center, Spartanburg Historical Association, Artists' Guild of Spartanburg, the Music Foundation of Spartanburg, and Ballet Spartanburg. Its primary mission is to provide financial and ways-and-means support to its "Partner" organizations, including monetary allocations. The other Partner organizations that don't reside at the Chapman Cultural Center are Carolina Foothills Artisan Center (in Chesnee) and Spartanburg Repertory Company. The Executive Board includes: James S. Fulmer, Jr. Chair; Thomas R. Young III, Vice Chair; Michael L. Menard, Treasurer; Mary Freedman, Secretary; Martin S. Cornelson; Marsha H. Gibbs; Thomas H. Keim, Jr.; Dr. Joab M. Lesesne; Julie W. Lowry; Betty Montgomery; Gregory H. Wade; and Donald P. Woodward. Other Board of Trustees members include: Dr. Louis Buttino; Martha "Muffet" Chapman; James Cheek; Gene Conroy; Anna H. Converse; Cecilia K. Hanna; Timothy K. Henson; Hon. Jeff Horton; Marshall Jordan; H. Perry Mixter; Rebecca Pittman; Hon. Robert Reeder; Reneé B. Romberger; Paige K. Rousey; Udo Skarke; James H. Thomas, Jr.; Gloria M. Ward; Russell R. Weber; and Dr. Thomas D. White, Jr. For further info call Steve Wong, Marketing Director at 864/278-9698.
The student photography exhibition, first organized
by the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, "From
Behind the Lens," is now on view in Senator Lindsey Graham's
office in Washington, DC. "I am so pleased to be a part of
this inaugural effort to bring a little bit of South Carolina
to Washington," Graham said. "These students have really
done remarkable work. The walls of my office now showcase some
of South Carolina's best talent. I couldn't be more proud or appreciative
of the students' work." Three South Carolina high schools
representing three distinct geographic regions were selected to
participate in a student exhibition at the Columbia Museum of
Art's Wachovia Interactive Education Gallery in the fall of 2009.
Student's work from Dorman, Gilbert and West Ashley High Schools
represents an exploration of the landscapes the students are surrounded
by every day. "The teachers should be commended for their
commitment and creativity in planning and promoting this project,"
Museum executive director Karen Brosius said. "Neither
the students, nor the teachers, will ever forget this opportunity."
The Museum's education staff worked with art educators from each
school, who developed and taught lesson plans based on the exhibition
"Ansel Adams: Masterworks". "My students were very
inspired by the photographs of Ansel Adams. We discussed how they
could use that inspiration to capture their own successful photographs
of the Upstate," Robert Urban, Dorman High School art teacher
said. The mission of the Wachovia Education Gallery at the Columbia
Museum of Art is to foster the creation, appreciation, understanding
and enjoyment of the visual arts through student exhibitions and
an interactive art environment. Emphasizing creativity and excellence,
we reach out to South Carolina teachers, students and parents
and the public to develop a dialogue based on works from our permanent
collection and special exhibitions. This work, coupled with our
interactive components, gives visitors a visual arts language
by fostering their ability to think critically and creatively. The
Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina's premier international
art museum and houses a world-class collection of European and
American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building
on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collection includes
masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from
the Samuel H. Kress Collection, porcelain and works by significant
furniture and silver makers, as well as American, Asian, and modern
and contemporary art. In recent years the Museum's collection
of Asian art and Antiquities has grown through generous gifts
to the collection. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli's
"Nativity", Claude Monet's "The Seine at Giverny",
Canaletto's "View of the Molo', and art glass by Louis Comfort
Tiffany. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned
museums as well as educational programs for all ages that include
art classes, art camps, lectures, films and concerts. It is the
recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its
contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O'Neill Verner
Governor's Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to
the arts in South Carolina. Generous support to the Museum is
provided by the City of Columbia, Richland County, the South Carolina
Arts Commission and the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington
Counties. For further information call the Museum at 803/799-2810
or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).
The Arts Council of Henderson County has been awarded $15,000
from The Janirve Foundation to upgrade and expand Henderson County's
only public art gallery. The Arts Council, 538 North Main
Street, 2nd Floor, is located in the historic Skyland Hotel in
downtown Hendersonville, NC. The Janirve Foundation is a private
grant making foundation established by the late Irving J. Reuter,
an executive in the automobile industry. The Foundation
became active on a full-time basis upon the death of his widow,
Jeannett Reuter, in 1984. The majority of its grants
are made to organizations located in Western North Carolina. Renovation
of the Arts Council's galleries, the D. Samuel Neill Gallery and
the hallway gallery, is a major component of its Facilities Enhancement
Project (FEP), which also includes redeveloping under-utilized
rooms in its suite for multi-purpose use, such as additional gallery
space, class and meeting rooms. The FEP, when completed,
will enable The Arts Council to offer new exhibition opportunities
for local and regional artists, and community arts, cultural and
education organizations and institutions. Completion of
the project will also result in space for visual and performing
arts classes, and community meetings. "We are thrilled
about this award from The Janirve Foundation, which will allow
us to begin work on this much-needed renovation," said Arts
Council Executive Director Jim Faucett. "These physical
improvements both in the galleries and classroom spaces
will help support the Arts Council's desire for greater
outreach locally and regionally." Potential exhibition partners
might include local public, private and parochial school and college
exhibitions; other community arts organizations within Henderson
County and in the adjacent counties of Polk, Transylvania and
Buncombe; organizations that serve minority and other under-served
populations; and, individual artists. "Exhibitions at the
Arts Council will enable participating organizations and artists
a highly visible, professional environment in which to reach new
and larger audiences," offered Board President Doug Jarvis. "We
also believe that our expanded facilities will help create improved
communications within the regional arts communities, and foster
new collaborations both within the arts communities and
with other community organizations." The Arts
Council of Henderson County is a community organization that advocates
for the arts and provides opportunities to enrich the lives of
children and adults through the arts by offering exhibits, art
education and performances. The Arts Council gallery and
offices are handicapped accessible. The Arts Council is supported
in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, the State of North
Carolina, several funds administered by the Community Foundation
of Henderson County, Henderson County, and the Henderson County
Travel and Tourism Bureau. For more information contact The Arts
Council of Henderson County at 828/693-8504; e-mail at (acofhc@bellsouth.net)
or visit (www.acofhc.org).
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