Mary Whyte donates first sculpture to Charleston
New addition at Joe Riley Waterfront Park
Mary Whyte and Lilly Jones (l-r) are all smiles in front of “Lilly.” Charleston Post & Courier photo by Henry Taylor.
Last week, Mary Whyte joined Charleston dignitaries and one special Citadel cadet in a Charleston park for a memorable gifting.
Though Whyte’s normal medium is watercolor, her foray into sculpture is now a fixture in her city’s Waterfront Park.
Lilly depicts a young Black girl reaching to the sky. The eponymous subject of the bronze statue, Lilly Jones, is now a Citadel cadet who attended the dedication ceremony.
“On behalf of our citizens, I’d like to thank Mary Whyte. This remarkable statue of Lilly is a beautiful and joyous work of art, and I can’t imagine a more appropriate home for it than Waterfront Park,” Mayor John Tecklenburg said.
“The statue of Lilly is not only a tribute to our African American community, but will be a joyful welcome to Waterfront Park visitors as well,” Whyte remarked.
Visit Lilly at Joe Riley Waterfront Park, Vendue Range & Concord Street in Charleston.