Artist to paint library mural in memory of Cynthia Graham Hurd
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Dart Manager Kim Odom stands next to blank
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A world-renowned artist is painting a colorful, wall-sized mural of books on the side of the John L. Dart Branch Library to honor Cynthia Graham Hurd, a 31-year employee of Charleston County Public Library and one of nine victims shot last year at Emanuel AME Church.
Artist and author R. ROBOTS will paint the bright geometric mural on the south side of the branch at 1067 King Street from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. from Tuesday, February 23 through Friday, February 26 (weather dependent). Residents in the area are encouraged to visit and watch him work, and kids can participate in a workshop with the artist from 3:30-5 p.m. on Thursday, February 25, to create their own mural-inspired artwork to be attached to book carts in the building.
Hurd was branch manager at the Dart Branch for 21 years before serving as branch manager of the St. Andrews Regional Library. The mural is being partially funded by a donation from Winston & Strawn LLP to the Cynthia Graham Hurd Memorial Fund, which was established at Charleston County Public Library by the Graham-Hurd families to promote outreach and educational programming at the two libraries she managed during her career.
The project is a collaboration between CCPL and Enough Pie, a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging and inspiring residents in Charleston’s Upper Peninsula. The organization identified the talented muralist and street artist to be part of the project.
CCPL Acting Executive Director Cynthia Bledsoe praised Enough Pie plus the many other donors and organizations committed to seeing that Hurd’s legacy continues.
“Cynthia grew up and lived just blocks from the Dart Library, and she helped thousands of people during her years there. This bright, bold mural will be a daily reminder of Cynthia and all the lives she touched,” she said.
Enough Pie Executive Director Cathryn Zommer said the Dart Library is a great community resource, and the organization is pleased to be able to help honor Hurd’s memory.
“We believe this mural will bring more folks to the branch and honor Cynthia by illuminating the magic of books and storytelling on a main wall of the building.”
About the artist:
Nick Kuszyk, aka R. Robots, is known for his large public art projects throughout the world, including sites in Berlin, Prague, London, Tel Aviv and throughout the United States. His work also hangs in galleries, and Penguin Books published his children’s book, R Robot Saves Lunch, in 2003. Kuszyk graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Painting and Sculpture and was awarded a Virginia Museum Fellowship. He currently lives in New York.
Via: Charleston County Public Library
International street artist brings 3-D skills to Charleston
From the Charleston Post and Courier
Article and photo by Sydney Franklin
On the corner of Huger and Hanover streets, a new public mural is set to welcome residents into the neighborhood. Painted on a freestanding, L-shaped wall in a vacant lot next to Taco Boy, a symbol of the city has become bold-and-bright street art thanks to internationally renowned graffiti artist Sergio Odeith.
For the project, Odeith partnered with Enough Pie, a nonprofit that promotes creative placemaking in the upper peninsula. Cathryn Zommer, the organization’s executive director, is anxious to see how Odeith’s mural will affect the community.
“Odeith is very famous for his incredible usage of corner spaces, and that corner has sat a little bit downtrodden for many years,” she said. “It’s a highly walked area and there is a thriving community just to the south. We thought the plot would be perfect.”
Odeith also created a mural at a private residence on Hester Street while in town. It’s an early 20th century view of King Street. A pop-up celebratory community gathering for the project will be held 7-9 p.m. Friday (June 5) at Corrine Jones Park, 36 Marlow St. Attendees can learn about Odeith’s work, view the Hester Street mural and listen to the local band, Archetypes. This free concert, sponsored by the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, will benefit the Charleston Parks Conservancy.
Born in Damaia, Portugal, Odeith is widely recognized for the anamorphic graffiti letters that he paints on 90-degree corners, creating a 3D effect by manipulating vertical and horizontal planes. He has created large-scale murals for major businesses such as the Coca-Cola Company, Samsung, London Shell and Estradas de Portugal.
Charleston is the third U.S. city to which Odeith has brought his spray painting skills and signature style. He also has marked the walls of Lexington, Ky., and Baton Rouge, La. In each case, he creates an image that represents the city. Kentucky has horses; Louisiana has the alligator. The mosquito will identify Charleston.
“We are thrilled that (the mural) so poignantly celebrates Charleston, South Carolina,” Zommer said. “It definitely locates us.”
Odeith, visiting the Lowcountry for the first time, sees this as a chance to make an impact on the city.
“I know people will see it and it will make them think,” he said. “I believe graffiti is like some kind of free art for everybody to have on the street. It’s something outside of the galleries. So it’s really cool that anyone can have the opportunity to take a picture of it.”
A gathering for the Huger Street mural will take place on June 20 as part of the Awakening III Solstice. Enough Pie has already invited about 18 local artists to contribute to the freestanding wall where Odeith worked.
“We are trying to bring the space back to life and we really want to see outdoor art foster in the community,” Zommer said. “The arts are a great way to have dialogue and start to inspire what people can do in their own neighborhoods.”
Sydney Franklin is a Goldring Arts Journalist from Syracuse University.
Enough Pie Announces Participating Artists for Awakening II: Fieldwork
Enough Pie of Charleston has announced the participating artists for Awakening II: Fieldwork, an all-day arts experience that actively engages the outdoor spaces of 1630 Meeting. Fieldwork will take place on June 14 at 1630 Meeting from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fieldwork will represent a wide range of artistic disciplines, including dance, musical performance, site-specific installations and more. Participants include Lisa Abernathy, Laura Ball, Ted Bullock, Julianne Bursinger, Rachel Clore, Deuce Theatre, Lisa Dietz, Vassiliki Falkehag, Tommy Fox, Jeffrey Havens, Jenny Horne, Alizey Khan, Gret Mackintosh, The Mini Cine, Sharen Mitchell, Kim Thomas, Patch Whisky, Sean Williams and Matt Wilson.
Participating artists will engage with the natural landscape and building exterior, using the on-site elements as the guide for installations, performances and more. Fieldwork calls for the creative use and reinterpretation of nearly all outdoor elements on site, from the foliage and fences to the porches and pavement.
The event is free and open to the public. Fieldwork will be followed by an on-site dinner by Butcher & Bee from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dinner tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at enoughpie.org/fieldwork. Proceeds benefit Enough Pie programming and outreach.
For more details about Fieldwork, visit enoughpie.org/fieldwork, or contact Claire Johnson at fieldwork@enoughpie.org.
Via: Enough Pie
Porches & pavement: Enough Pie calls for proposals for Awakening II
Proposals are due May 19.
Enough Pie in Charleston invites proposals for Awakening II: Fieldwork, an all-day arts experience that actively engages the outdoor spaces of 1630 Meeting in Charleston. Proposals are due May 19, 2014.
The 2013 Awakening challenged participants to awaken the long-vacant 1630 Meeting (also known as 1600 Meeting) using its rooms, walls and hallways as their inspiration. This year, Fieldwork breaks out of the bricks and mortar framework into the adjacent outdoor spaces, encouraging participants to engage with the natural landscape and building exterior as their structural guide. Fieldwork calls for the creative use and reinterpretation of nearly all outdoor elements at 1630 Meeting.
Creative projects of any size or scale are welcome, including performances, installations, and anything in between. All ages are eligible to submit a proposal. Partnerships across disciplines are encouraged. Additionally, all participants will have the opportunity to meet on site two weeks before the event to share proposals and ideas for collaboration.
Fieldwork will be held on June 14, 2014, at 1630 Meeting from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
For more details about Fieldwork, including the full call for proposals, submission form and photos of the site, visit www.enoughpie.org/fieldwork.
Related: Read about last year's project.
Via: Enough Pie
Enough Pie announces first Community Project Grants, launches next funding cycle
Enough Pie of Charleston, S.C., has announced the first recipients of the Community Project Grants program and is now accepting Letters of Intent for the next round of funding for projects in Charleston's upper peninsula. Three projects have received grants for implementation in April and May:
- Chicora Place Community Garden Vista-gram: Residents and volunteers will create planters using found materials and take part in a community photography project to document the process. The photographs will be mounted as a collage in the garden’s gazebo, serving as an educational tool to promote the garden’s features and events.
- Eastside Poetry Box & Slam: Community members are invited to submit original poems through a drop-box at the John L. Dart library to be considered for a poetry slam event at the library in May. Winners will also have their work published on the Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts website.
- Hop, Skip and a Jump: Two mosaic hopscotch boards will be built for the upper peninsula, transforming public spaces into artistic play-spaces. The boards will be created by a local artist as well as community volunteers in a series of events, the first of which was the March 22 Pop-up in the Park at Romney Street Mini Park.
Letters of Intent for the next cycle of Community Project Grants are due April 23 and must be completed through the online portal, available at www.enoughpie.org/grants.
With maximum funds of $1,000 per grant, Enough Pie funds high-impact, low-cost projects for the upper peninsula with arts and culture at the core. The Community Project Grants are limited to individuals only (no organizations please). All ages are welcome to apply. There is no application fee. Please contact grants@enoughpie.org with any questions.
Charleston’s Enough Pie launches Community Project Grants
(Updated with live application portal link on Dec. 3, 2013.)
Charleston nonprofit Enough Pie has launched the Community Project Grants, a program designed to directly contribute to the creative vitality of Charleston's upper peninsula. Letters of Intent will be accepted online through an application portal.
With maximum funds of $1,000 per grant, Enough Pie is looking for high-impact, low-cost projects for the upper peninsula with arts and culture at the core. Applicants are encouraged to approach creativity from a broad perspective and consider lasting impact. The Community Project Grants are limited to individuals only (no organizations please), but all ages are welcome to apply. There is no application fee.
Please visit the online application portal to submit a Letter of Intent. Those who wish to be considered for the first round of funding must submit by Monday, Jan. 6, 2014. All applications must be completed online.
The online portal will run through {g} grants, an application built by Good Done Great, a fellow tenant of 1630 Meeting. Good Done Great provides consulting, technology, and managed services for corporations and foundations to make a more meaningful and effective impact with their charitable giving.
To learn more about the Community Project Grants, visit www.enoughpie.org/grants. Please send all questions to grants@enoughpie.org.
Photo by Jared Bramblett
Via: Enough Pie
“Awakening” to breathe new life into 86-year-old building
Enough Pie has announced July 13 as the date for Awakening, a one-day art and performance event designed to breathe new life into 1600 Meeting, an 86-year-old vacant structure on upper Meeting Street in Charleston. Awakening takes place at 1600 Meeting from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The rooms and hallways of 1600 Meeting will be open for creative reinterpretation during the three-day window between cleanup and renovation. Awakening is a temporary and site-specific event, never to take place in 1600 Meeting again.
The event features a wide range of art forms, such as dance, sculpture, photography, interactive installations, textile art and more. Participants include Carol Antman, Jared Bramblett, Justin Brewer, Martha Brim, Alyson Burns, Margaret Crane, John Duckworth, Susan Farrell, Carroll Fitzpatrick, Laura Gaffke and Tina Hirsig, Kevan Hoertdoerfer and Vassiliki Falkehag, Alizey Khan, Gret Mackintosh, John Merritt, Sharen Mitchell, Austin Norvell, Alex and Sara Radin with Melanie Spinks, Beverly Currin and Bethany Jeanicke, Kim Thomas, and Patch Whisky. For an updated list of participants, sponsorship opportunities and more information, visit www.enoughpie.org/awakening.
Photo by Olivia Rae James.
About Enough Pie
In operation since January of 2013, Enough Pie is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of creative placemaking and community development through innovative programming, project grants and collaborative advocacy for smart, inclusive growth. Enough Pie focuses its efforts on the upper peninsula of Charleston, S.C. For more information, please visit www.enoughpie.org.
About 1600 Meeting
Built in 1926, 1600 Meeting is located in Charleston’s burgeoning creative corridor on upper Meeting Street. Though vacant in recent years, the space was once home to an Exxon office, antique shop and technical college. Now 1600 Meeting will transform into a creative hub, being reborn and repurposed to house nonprofits, artists, designers and creative small businesses. For more details, visit www.1600meeting.com.
Via: Enough Pie
AWAKENING: call for artist proposals
Calling all artists! Submit a proposal for AWAKENING, a one-time art installation and performance event designed to breathe new life into 1600 Meeting, an 86-year-old vacant structure on upper Meeting Street in Charleston.
The rooms and hallways of 1600 Meeting will be open for creative re-interpretation during the three-day window between cleanup and building renovation. The space will belong to all artists: dancers, painters, actors, sculptors, musicians, filmmakers, photographers and everything in between. Artists of any age, background, approach and medium are welcome, as are teams or individuals and projects of any size or shape.There are no rules or required dimensions.
Hosted by Enough Pie, Awakening will be a temporary and site-specific event, never to take place in 1600 Meeting again. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Artist proposals are due May 6. Selected participants will be notified of their acceptance May 20. Awakening is scheduled for early June, but the final event timeline is dependent on the 1600 Meeting renovation schedule. The final event date will be announced as soon as possible.
For submission details and photos of the interior of 1600 Meeting, visit enoughpie.org/awakening or download the call for artist proposals.
About Enough Pie
In operation since January of 2013, Enough Pie is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of creative placemaking and community development through innovative programming, project grants and collaborative advocacy for smart, inclusive growth. Enough Pie focuses its efforts on the upper peninsula of Charleston, S.C. For more information, please visit www.enoughpie.org.
About 1600 Meeting
Built in 1926, 1600 Meeting is located in Charleston's burgeoning creative corridor on upper Meeting Street. Though vacant in recent years, the space was once home to an Exxon office, antique shop and technical college. Now 1600 Meeting will transform into a creative hub, being reborn and repurposed to house nonprofits, artists, designers and creative small businesses. For more details, please visit www.1600meeting.com.
All images are of 1600 Meeting.
Via: Enough Pie