GCCA names recipients of Brandon Fellowship
Three Greenville-based #SCartists were revealed as Greenville Center for Creative Arts' incoming class of the Brandon Fellowship at its Annual Showcase on Aug. 5.
The fellowship is a 12-month program that aims to develop three emerging artists between the ages of 21 to 30 who represent the diversity of the Greenville visual arts community. Now in its eighth year, the program provides free studio space, a stipend for supplies, a supportive environment, mentorship, and art education, including professional development resources, to help these artists thrive in the next step of their education, career, or business.
“We've had such strong candidates apply for the Brandon Fellowship this year, representing the breadth of talents and perspectives of young Greenville artists,” says
Kevin Kao, the chair of the Brandon Fellowship selection committee. “We're so excited to present our new fellows and cannot wait to see the impact that they will have with GCCA as well as the greater Greenville community.”
The 2022/2023 Brandon Fellows
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(l-r) Orlando Corona, RaAmen Stallings, and Faith Hudgens. Click image to enlarge. GCCA photo by Antonio Modesto.[/caption]
Orlando Corona is a Greenville-based oil painter and printmaker, born in Mexico. His artwork is based on his Mexican culture and as a first generation immigrant in the U.S. While only having 3 years of experience, he has been in several galleries since the age of 17, and has studied under several local artists. His favorite artists include Diego Rivera, a Mexican muralist; Posada, a printmaker; and Pablo Picasso. Orlando strives to create impactful art that can be shared with others. Art is his creative way of communicating his thoughts and speaking to the world.
A self-taught painter and mixed-media artist,
Faith Hudgens grew up in Greenville and has worked professionally as a highly regarded tattoo artist since establishing her practice in 2017. Her paintings are vibrant, emotional, and layered with spirituality. She has participated in exhibitions at Greenville Technical College and the Commerce Club. Faith is an uplifter in her community and volunteers regularly with Miracle Hill Ministries hosting art classes for young girls in foster care. Faith has also hosted PRIDE events with Upstate Pride SC and donates art to organizations that support women and the LGBTQ+ community. Faith’s overarching goal is to cultivate positive change through her art and specifically, to use art as a platform to propel Greenville forward in unity, cultural diversity, and minority inclusion.
RaAmen (Rah-Mēn) Stallings Is an aspiring creative who is passionate about all forms of art. He is a graduate of both Greenville Senior High Academy and Greenville Technical College where he received an associate’s in Business Administration. Although he has worked professionally as a photographer since launching his business in 2020, RaAmen is now focused on developing his skills as a painter. He is committed to expanding his artistic practice and believes strongly in the power of art as a way to inspire and facilitate community and conversation.
This year’s Brandon Fellowship selection committee included chair
Kevin Kao, sculptor and Assistant Professor of Art at Furman University;
Danielle Fontaine, encaustic artist and Brandon Fellowship Founder;
Rhonda Rawlings, a GCCA board member and community director for Mill Village Ministries;
Nick Burns, painter and mixed-media artist and alumnus of the Brandon Fellows class of 2020;
Patricia DeLeon, painter and mixed-media artist; and
Kara Bale, operations manager for GCCA who oversees the Fellowship program.
“I couldn’t be more excited about our new fellows,” says
Kara Bale, who oversees the program at GCCA. “It was a very challenging selection process as we had so many talented and deserving applicants, but I feel the committee did an excellent job and selected three individuals who strongly reflect GCCA’s mission to enrich the cultural fabric of our community. Each has already used their art to grow community and further important conversations so it will be amazing to see what they accomplish within the supportive structure of the fellowship.”
Previous Brandon Fellows alumni have gone on to become full-time working artists, designers, participants in Artisphere and other festivals, graduate students, artists-in-residence, instructors, community muralists, published artists, grant recipients, and award winners.
An exhibition featuring the work of the 2021/2022 Brandon Fellows,
Kim Le, Sienna Patterson, and
Terrell Washington is on display through Sept. 28 in GCCA’s Main Gallery. Kim Le’s work comes from the ugly, wounded and abject parts of a young girl’s psyche, reappropriating the common language of cuteness that little girls use to cope with their pain to connect to the furious and wretched spirit of young girls and women everywhere who’ve been beaten down by the world around them. Through expressive imagery and journal entries, Sienna Patterson explores the concept of the fool's journey through the lens of her personal experiences.
Depiction the trials of self and the price that we pay to develop the ego to surpass the ego and to transcend the ego. Terrell Washington’s “Genesis: Omens and Decisions of Existence,” features Abrahamic beliefs and highlights the realness of prayer, our blessings and curses, human nature, while putting people of melanin at the center of it all. This exhibition can be viewed during GCCA’s open hours Tuesday-Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
To learn more about the Brandon Fellowship, visit
https://artcentergreenville.org/brandon-fellowship/.
About GCCA
Greenville Center for Creative Arts is a non-profit organization that aims to enrich the cultural fabric of the community through visual arts promotion, education, and inspiration. For more information, visit
www.artcentergreenville.org, call 864-735-3948, or check out GCCA on Facebook (Greenville Center for Creative Arts) & Instagram (@artcentergvl).
In a news release, GCCA heralded "an impressive background in program creation, implementation, community engagement, and fundraising" set to "propel GCCA's programming initiatives to new heights."
Before joining GCCA, he served as the director of museum experience at the Children's Museum of the Upstate. His remarkable accomplishments and dedication in the cultural sector have earned him a reputation as an influential leader with a passion for promoting creativity and the arts in the community. Pagan is also a highly engaged and active member of the local Greenville theatre community.
CEO Jess Burgess said GCCA is thrilled to have Pagan. "With his wealth of experience and visionary approach to program development, we are excited to witness our initiatives flourish and make an even greater impact on the artistic landscape of the upstate region," Burgess said
"I am excited to bring my experience in program creation, implementation, community engagement, and fundraising to the role of programs director... I am humbled to be joining a team of incredible arts administrators, and I am committed to working with them for the betterment of the upstate community," Pagan said.
Pagan will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of GCCA's arts programs, fostering creativity, and expanding outreach efforts to ensure the organization continues to thrive as a leading hub for artistic expression in Greenville and beyond.
About GCCA
Greenville Center for Creative Arts is a non-profit organization that aims to enrich the cultural fabric of the community through visual arts promotion, education, and inspiration. For more information, visit www.artcentergreenville.org, call 864.735.3948, or check out GCCA on Facebook (Greenville Center for Creative Arts) & Instagram (@artcentergvl).
From left to right: Faith Hudgens, Orlando Corona, RaAmen Stallings. The 2022/2023 Brandon Fellows showcase their live painting skills at Artisphere's Artist on the Rise tent.[/caption]
The Annual Showcase is GCCA’s premier event for artists and art lovers of all ages, featuring an exhibition highlighting the talent of GCCA’s own 
Burgess (right) comes to GCCA from Dogtown Dance Theatre in Richmond, Virginia where she has served as executive director since 2015.
Her résumé includes 15 years of experience in nonprofit administration and the performing arts. She will work closely with GCCA’s stakeholders to chart a strategic path forward for continued success. According to the organization's news release, Burgess combines a passion for engaging programming, strong fundraising abilities, and creativity, all of which are essential to being the leader of a thriving arts organization.
“I am thrilled to make Greenville, South Carolina my new home and help shape the arts community for years to come. Greenville Center for Creative Arts is in an outstanding place to make a lasting impact on the lives of artists and those who love art, and I am excited to help GCCA excel in the future,” Burgess said.
In the announcement, GCCA Board Chair Yvonne Julian said, “... GCCA will have an enthusiastic, energetic, and experienced leader who will maintain the momentum we’ve achieved in our pursuit of sustainability and expanded reach in the Greenville community and beyond.”
The center's current CEO, Kim Fabian, announced her retirement last fall.
Burgess received a bachelor's in dance and communications from James Madison University, and a professional certificate in fund development from the University of Richmond Institute for Philanthropy. Burgess serves on the board of directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Central Virginia chapter as well as that of the James Madison University College of Visual and Performing Arts.
The public is invited to meet Burgess at GCCA’s 7th birthday celebration to be held at the May 6 First Friday event, which coincides with the opening of a new art exhibition.
GCCA is currently seeking proposals for Summer Session I from June 6-July 8 and Summer Session II from July 18-Aug. 19, 2022. We welcome proposals for five-week classes and one-, two-, and three-day workshops.
We strive to offer classes in a variety of mediums and techniques and have a special need this summer for instruction in printmaking and jewelry as we anticipate that our new classroom spaces dedicated to those mediums will be up and running very soon! Some examples of what we’re looking for include:
Exhibition runs March 4-April 27