Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Announces Winners At 2013 Annual Meeting Celebration

On Monday, May 13, 2013, the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, welcomed nine new Board members and announced the winners of the 2013 Mary Whyte Art Educator Award and the 2013 Philanthropy Award at the museum’s Annual Meeting Celebration.

Mary Whyte Art Educator Award – Established in 2007, the Mary Whyte Art Educator Award is designed to highlight a high school visual art teacher in the state of South Carolina who demonstrates superior commitment to their students and to their craft. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of $2,500 and is administered and presented annually by the Gibbes. This year’s winner is Ashley Webb from Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Webb accepted her award along with her family and principal. She submitted a lesson plan to encourage students to reflect on their family unit and to create compositions that were organizationally sound as well as visually symbolic of their family unit. This was a very personal lesson for the students and in some cases, the students dealt with deep rooted issues from childhood to adolescence. Upon completion of the lesson, students participated in a formal class critique. Webb says, “This critique was one of the most powerful critiques I have experienced in her ten years of teaching. There were moments of joy and laughter and moments of sadness and empathy.” Webb earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts from Clemson University, BFA (cum laude) in 2001, and her M.Ed in Secondary Administration (suma cum laude), from The Citadel in 2008. She is a Member of the Alumni Association, and holds an Advanced Placement Studio Arts Certification. In 2009, she earned a National Board Certification in Secondary Art and has a Master’s + 30.

The Mary Whyte Art Educator Award is named for renowned Charleston watercolorist and donor Mary Whyte. Additional support comes from the Cynthia Schell Charitable Trust.

James S. Gibbes Philanthropy Award – Each year the Board and staff of the CAA bestows on an individual or group the James Schoolbred Gibbes Philanthropy Award. Gibbes was deeply devoted to the betterment of Charleston’s young creative minds in the aftermath of Reconstruction. Through his 1885 bequest of $100K, which in today’s dollars is valued at $2.5M, Gibbes launched what we know today as the Gibbes Museum of Art. His generosity and vision set the state for the visual arts in Charleston by providing the funds to build the oldest art museum in the South.

Caroline and Tom Vreede are recipients of the 2013 James Gibbes Philanthropy Award. The Vreedes are known for their support of contemporary visual artists and are passing their philanthropy to their daughter and her family. Their generosity to the Gibbes began in 2001 with a contribution to help purchase the “Bombardment of Fort Sumter” by William Aiken Walker, and in 2007 they made possible the purchase of a major work by Mary Whyte entitled “The Artist”. Since 2004 they have made repeated gifts to build The Vreede Collecton of James Whistler prints at the Gibbes, and this year they provided us with two more. This is all in addition to their many financial contributions, their service on the Board of Directors and Collections Committee.

Dr. Anton Vreede – Graduated from Medical School at the University of Amsterdam in 1957. He was a Medical Officer in the Royal Dutch Navy, from 1957-59. Vreede immigrated to the United States in 1959. He finished specialty training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and practiced General and Vascular Surgery in Binghamton, NY, from 1967 until retirement in 1995. He served as Chairman of the Surgical Department and was Vice President of the Medical Staff of two area hospitals; a member of the Board of Directors of United Health Services for 10 years; was President of the Broome County Medical Society; member of the Advisory Board of Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Central New York, and Clinical Professor in Surgery at SUNY Binghamton. Vreede married his wife Caroline in Binghamton, NY, in 1968, and moved permanently to Kiawah Island in 2001 in order to be close to their daughter Janneke, her husband and two grandchildren.

The Board of Directors of the Gibbes Museum of Art welcomed eight new members to their ranks. New members are David Adams, Ann Burnett, Esther Ferguson, Shannon Gillespie, Leonard Hutchison, Lucinda Lenhardt, Catherine Smith, and Andrea Volpe.

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. Highlights of the Gibbes collection can now be viewed on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

For more info call the Museum at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Presents Eclectic Interiors: A Mix of Antique and Contemporary Furnishings with Susan Sully – May 20, 2013

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is pleased to present the next event in the Art with a Twist series, a lunchtime lecture with author Susan Sully. In her latest publication, “Houses with Charm: Simple Southern Style” (Rizzoli International Publications, Spring 2013), Sully explores southern antiques and architecture. During her lunchtime lecture at the Gibbes, audiences will enjoy a virtual tour through the 18th to the 21st century properties featured in the volume.

The lecture explores the two themes of the book—the South’s “Pure and Simple” vernacular architecture and the “Simple Elegance” with which homeowners combine fine antiques with relaxed surroundings. Ranging from a Creole plantation house in Louisiana, a Greek Revival row house in Savannah, a neo-vernacular country house in Mississippi, and a “cottage-Gothic” residence in Atlanta, the featured residences offer insights into the architectural history of the region. Integrating time-honored lessons of the past, a number of homes also incorporate contemporary design sensibilities, making them especially appealing for today’s sensibilities. Many designed by the South’s leading architects and interior decorators, these houses reveal the inspired approach to tradition and gracious simplicity that define Southern charm. “Susan will engage and educate our audience with fascinating details about the history of southern antiques and architecture,” says Angela Mack, Executive Director of the Gibbes Museum of Art.

A leading authority on Southern architecture and design, Susan Sully is the author and photographer of many books published by Rizzoli International Publications, including “The Southern Cosmopolitan” and “The Southern Cottage”. She has also co-authored books with leading Southern architects and interior designers including Bobby McAlpine, Phoebe Howard, and Norman Askins (forthcoming). A graduate from Yale University with a degree in art history, she has contributed articles to “The New York Times”, “Veranda”, “Martha Stewart Living”, “Southern Accents”, “Town & Country Travel”, and other publications. Her books have appeared in magazines including “Architectural Digest”, “Town & Country”, “House Beautiful”, “Traditional Home”, and “World of Interiors”. Sully lectures frequently on the subject of Southern architecture and design at organizations including Sotheby’s Institute and the Smithsonian’s National Building Museum. She also writes a blog called (www.southerncosmopolitan.com).

Monday, May 20 at 12noon: lecture and lunch
$20 Members, $30 Non-Members (includes boxed lunch)
For details and to purchase tickets please visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org/events) or call 843/722-2706 x 21.

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. Visit highlights of the Gibbes collection on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Offers Lecture by Cathy Horyn – Mar. 15, 2013

The Women’s Council of the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, presents “Art of Design”, a benefit for the museum on Friday, Mar. 15, 2013. Renowned New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn will be the featured presenter at the auxiliary group’s annual spring luncheon. Guests will dine in the fabulous setting of the tented Gibbes courtyard while Horyn shares stories of life in the fashion fast lane. The gathering will be designed by Christina Baxter of CiBi Events and catered by Caroline’s Market and Catering. A silent auction featuring fine art, jewelry, fashion, and other unique items will take place in the Welcome Gallery of the Museum prior to the luncheon.

Throughout her career, Cathy Horyn’s unflinching reviews of fashion’s top designers have generated both journalistic praise and criticism. She began her career in fashion journalism in 1986, writing for the Detroit News, and has contributed to Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, the Washington Post, and the International Herald Tribune, among other premier fashion publications. In 1999, she became the fashion critic for The New York Times and also maintains the popular blog, On the Runway. Fueled by a mixture of passion and intelligence, Horyn’s opinions of the fashion world are never dull!

Tickets for the luncheon are $125 and must be purchased in advance at (www.gibbesmuseum.org/events) or by calling 843/722.2706 x22. Check-in for the seated gathering will begin at 11am, bidding for the auction items will be open from 11am – noon, and the luncheon and lecture will begin promptly at 12:30pm

A limited number of $1,000 sponsorships are available by contacting Lasley Steever at (lsteever@gibbesmuseum.org) (843/722-2706 x24). Sponsorships include tickets to “Art of Design” as well as acknowledgement at the event. Croghan’s Jewel Box, Production Design Associates (PDA), Stems, Studio R, and Event DRS are the first major corporate sponsors to sign on for “Art of Design”. Charleston Magazine is the media sponsor for the event.

Founded in 1950 as the Gibbes Art Gallery Auxiliary, the Women’s Council currently boasts 120 active members in addition to association, sustaining, affiliate, guest, and honorary members. For over sixty years, members of the Women’s Council have donated their time, talent, and financial support to the museum.

Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located along Charleston’s Museum Mile in the heart of historic district, the museum is dedicated to collecting and presenting Southern art from the Colonial period through today. The Gibbes’ permanent collection consists of over 10,000 works, principally American with a Charleston or Southern connection.  The museum offers an impressive roster of special exhibitions and public programs throughout the year.

The Museum is located at 135 Meeting Street in Charleston.

For more info visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

Society 1858’s Winter Party Heats Up the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC – Feb. 8, 2013

Society 1858 presents “Habanero Rhythm,” on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, from 8 – 11pm, in celebration of the Gibbes exhibition Vibrant Vision: The Collection of Jonathan Green and Richard Weedman. The auxiliary group’s winter party embraces the energy of the dance movement that was brought to Cuba by Haitian refugees in the mid-nineteenth century. The slow and rhythmic dance celebrates African art and music.

A dizzying array of visual, performance, and culinary arts, “Habanero Rhythm” offers a sultry escape in the middle of winter. Society 1858 President Helen Pratt-Thomas says, “This cutting edge event provides intimate access to an acclaimed local artist, builds future arts leaders, and the opportunity to give back to the Gibbes Museum.” Artist Jonathan Green, and his partner and studio director, Richard Weedman, will be the guests of honor at the auxiliary group’s February fiesta. Guests will enjoy live music by Leah Suárez, who blends traditional jazz standards and world folk music with a strong Latin influence, as well as a performance by the Garage Cuban Band who will play a mix of old Cuban folk and jazz standards. Throughout the evening, Latin-inspired foods will be provided by Moe’s Southwest Grill.

Tickets for “Habanero Rhythm” are $50 for members of Society 1858 and $75 for non-members. Tickets may be purchased in advance either online at (www.gibbesmuseum.org/events) or by calling 843/722-2706 x21. Due to capacity limits, tickets may not be available at the door so everyone is encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. All guests must be at least 21 years of age.

“Habanero Rhythm” is sponsored by Wells Fargo, Lou Hammond & Associates, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, The Intertech Group, Maybank Industries, Moe’s Southwest Grill, MUSC, Art Mag, and PDA. Additional support is provided by FUEL and Palmetto Brewery.

Work by Jonathan Green

Vibrant Vision: The Collection of Jonathan Green and Richard Weedman is on view at the Gibbes from Jan. 11 – Apr. 21, 2013. Over the past thirty five years, acclaimed artist Jonathan Green and his partner and studio director, Richard Weedman, have amassed an astonishing collection of paintings, sculpture, and works on paper. Selected from their collection, this exhibition features work by African American, Caribbean, Latin American, and American artists that reflect the diverse cultural influences that have shaped American art since the twentieth century.

Vibrant Vision is made possible by the generous support of Gibbes, etc., BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, and Art Mag.

Society 1858 is a dynamic group of artists, patrons, and art enthusiasts who support the mission of the Gibbes Museum of Art. The auxiliary group’s purpose is to inspire, entertain and inform a new generation of art philanthropists with a love for the visual arts.

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.
The Gibbes Museum of Art is located at 135 Meeting Street in Charleston, SC.

For further info visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Calls for Entries for Mary Whyte Arts Educator Award – Deadline Mar. 1, 2012

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is calling for entries for the annual Mary Whyte Arts Educator Award. Established in 2007, the Mary Whyte Art Educator Award is designed to highlight a high school visual art teacher in South Carolina school districts who has demonstrated superior commitment to their students and to their craft. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of $2,500 and is administered and presented annually by the Gibbes Museum of Art. The application deadline is March 1, 2013.

For further info visit (www.marywhyteaward.org).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Showcases Musicians and Music Historians In Art and Fame Lecture Series

As a complement to the fall exhibition “Sound and Vision: Monumental Rock and Roll Photography”, the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is hosting a three-part lecture series titled “Art and Fame”. Beginning Sept. 21, 2012, music lovers will have the opportunity to hear from a pop culture curator, popular musicians, and music historians every other Friday night. Following each lecture, guests will enjoy a wine and cheese reception provided by Duvall Catering & Event Design, a chance to mingle with the speakers, and book signings on Sept. 21 and Oct. 12, 2012. Tickets for individual lectures are $20 for museum members and $30 for non-members. Tickets for the three-part lecture series are $50 for museum members and $80 for non-members. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended and tickets may not be available at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at (www.gibbesmuseum.org/events), or by calling 843/722-2706 ext 22.

The Series includes:

Sept. 21 – Christopher Murray with Donovan – Guest curator of the “Sound and Vision” exhibition and director of Govinda Gallery in Washington, DC, Christopher Murray will be joined by recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Donovan, whose portrait is featured in the exhibition. Donovan, the legendary folk-rock and pop troubadour will share highlights from his multi-decade career while Murray will discuss the intersection between popular music and great photography.

Oct. 12 – Warren Perry – Editor of “Echoes of Elvis: The Cultural Legacy of Elvis Presley” and co-author of “Elvis 1956: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer”, Warren Perry will discuss how Elvis’s life, widespread fame, and legend fit into the greater framework of American culture and beyond.

Oct. 26 – Musicians Panel Discussion – Stanfield Gray, Music Editor of “Charleston Magazine” will moderate this discussion about art and fame with a panel of South Carolina-based musicians.

Lecture attendees will have the opportunity to win a pair of tickets for the intimate Glenn Frey concert produced by Music with Friends at the Dock Street Theatre on Nov. 13, 2012. The name of the winner will be drawn at the final lecture and the winner need not be present to win.

Music with Friends is a membership organization that brings legendary recording artists to Charleston’s Dock Street Theatre three times a year. Club members enjoy intimate concerts and private gatherings. Past performers include Diana Ross, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bonnie Raitt, and Smokey Robinson. Visit (www.musicwithfriends.com) for more details.

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. Visit highlights of the Gibbes collection on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

 

 

 

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Receives Artwork from Charleston native J. Henry Fair

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, has received a work of art from Charleston native J. Henry Fair, whose photographs were exhibited at the museum in a solo exhibition in 2011. The photograph, titled Bacon, Warsaw, NC, is now a part of the museum’s permanent collection and is currently on view in The Charleston Story exhibition.

Bacon, Warsaw, NC, 2008, by J. Henry Fair, C-print, 70” x 50”, gift of the artist

“We are so pleased to have one of Fair’s large-scale aerial photographs in our collection. The 2011 exhibition J. Henry Fair: Industrial Scars evoked much conversation about his abstract images that are both aesthetically pleasing and unsettling in their depictions of the changing southern landscape,” noted Gibbes Executive Director Angela Mack.

J. Henry Fair moved from Charleston to New York City in 1980 to pursue a career in photography. For decades he enjoyed success making portraits of many of the world’s notable singers, musicians, and performers—his clientele has ranged from Yo-Yo Ma to Emmylou Harris. However, his passion for the environment became a driving force in his career and in 2000 he launched the Industrial Scars project. Drawn to sites where the land has been drastically changed by the mining or manufacturing of coal, petroleum, fertilizer, or paper pulp, Fair documents the effects of industrial processes on our landscapes.

A self-described environmental activist, Fair originally set out to record these sites to inspire both environmental reforms and changes to consumer behavior; however, while flying above acres of toxic wastes spilling into waterways and covering the landscape, he discovered an unexpected beauty in his subject. He began to see intriguing shapes, patterns, and mesmerizing colors in the wastelands. Fair’s photographs became more abstract, and surprisingly pleasing to the eye. It is this unsettling sense of beauty found in tracts of bauxite waste, coal ash, and phosphate discharge that has drawn worldwide attention to his work and to his mission.

In 2011, the Gibbes Museum of Art hosted an exhibition of Fair’s photographs highlighting images that he has taken of industrial sites in the southeastern United States over the last five years. As a result, the artist generously donated one of his images to the museum. Bacon depicts a hog fecal waste lagoon in Warsaw, NC, that formed as a result of waste run-off from industrial hog farming.

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. Highlights of the Gibbes collection can now be viewed on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

For further information call the Museum at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

 

 

 

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Offers Free Admission – Sunday July 8, 2012

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, will be offering free admission this Sunday, July 8, 2012, from 1-5pm, to see its current exhibits including: “Mary Whyte: Working South”, “Places for the Spirit: Traditional African American Gardens of the South”, and “South Carolina Doodle 4 Google 2012 Finalists”.

Work by Mary Whyte

In the exhibit, ” Mary Whyte: Working South,” renowned watercolorist Mary Whyte captures the essence of vanishing blue-collar professions from across ten southern states in this traveling exhibition. The exhibition features 50 watercolor portraits, sketches, and drawings that focus on vanishing rural and industrial workforces that were once ubiquitous throughout the region but are now declining due to changes in our economy, environment, technology, and fashion. From the textile mill worker and tobacco farmer to the sponge diver and elevator operator, Whyte documents the range of southerners whose everyday labors have gone unheralded while keeping the South in business.

“Places for the Spirit: Traditional African American Gardens of the South,” features the work of fine art photographer Vaughn Sills and her stunning collection of photographs documenting African American folk gardens and their creators. Sills began photographing folk gardens in 1987 after visiting Mrs. Bea Robinson’s garden in Athens, GA.

“South Carolina Doodle 4 Google 2012 Finalists,” features entries from kindergarten through high school students which were submitted from across South Carolina and these ten finalists represent the top submissions in each age group.

For further information call the Gibbes at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Announces Winners of Various Awards At 2012 Annual Meeting Celebration

On Monday, May 14, 2012, the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, welcomed nine new Board members and announced the winners of the 2012 Factor Prize for Southern Art, the 2012 Mary Whyte Art Educator Award, and the 2012 Philanthropy Award at the museum’s Annual Meeting Celebration.

Painter John Westmark was recognized as the winner of the 2012 Factor Prize for Southern Art and received 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. Born in Alabama and raised in Florida, John Westmark is a painter whose large-scale works incorporate store-bought paper sewing patterns collaged directly on the surface. Populated by figures cut and shaped from the patterns, Westmark’s paintings create mythical narratives, much like folklore cut from the fabric of human experience.

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 five finalists who along with Westmark, included Aldwyth, Brian Dettmer, Young Kim, and Bob Trotman.

Robin Boston, a 9th-12th grade art teacher from Stratford High School in Berkeley County received the 2012 Art Educator Award and the $2,500 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. High school teachers submitted online applications through early March on (www.marywhyteaward.org).

Boston submitted a lesson plan Student Inventions: Art and Engineering that was a hands-on, interdisciplinary, reality-based collaboration between visual arts and engineering students based on the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) educational initiative. The project was a cross-curricular unit involving engineering, computer technology, industrial design, commercial art, innovative thinking, competition, teamwork, and creativity.

Boston earned her Bachelors of Art from Charleston Southern University and her Masters Degree from the University of South Carolina. She has been teaching at Stratford High School since 1997 and has been the Director of Berkeley County Summer Gifted and Talented High School Program since 1991.

In addition to Boston, the other finalists this year were Ashley Webb of Wando High School and Carol Gardner of Hanahan High School. The Mary Whyte Art Educator Award is named for renowned Charleston watercolorist and donor Mary Whyte, whose work is currently on view at the Gibbes in the exhibition Mary Whyte: Working South. Additional supporters of the Award are the Cynthia Schell Charitable Trust and Bettina Whyte.

Harriet Smartt was honored with the fourth annual James S. Gibbes Philanthropy Award. Smartt has been a dedicated member of the Gibbes since 1993, is Past President of the Women’s Council, currently serves as Second Vice President on the Gibbes Board of Directors. In 2003, Smartt created the Museum Fellows program which has brought in over $2.2 million in revenue and engaged hundreds of members who have helped sustain the institution over the past nine years.

The Board of Directors of the Gibbes Museum of Art welcomed nine new members to their ranks.  New members are Thomas Bennett, Tippy Brickman, Kenneth Canty, Gale Messerman, Lorraine Powers, Harold Rhodes, Elizabeth Saal, Kristin Stevens, and Barbara Tribble.

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. Highlights of the Gibbes collection can now be viewed on Google Art Project at (www.googleartproject.com).

For further info call the Gibbes at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, Offers Free Admission Community Day – April 21, 2012

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, announces an “Art of Healing” themed Community Day on Saturday, Apr. 21, 2012, with complimentary admission and free activities from 10am – 1pm. Community Days, sponsored by Roper St. Francis Healthcare, are held quarterly to offer visitors the opportunity to experience the Gibbes’ dynamic programming free of charge. This Community Day will be focused on the healing powers of art, and children can participate in a variety of art and health-related activities including the creation of get well cards. Musical performances will include Blessed Sacrament School in the Rotunda at 10:30am and Old Fashioned Notions at 12noon on the front steps.

Visitors can enjoy the final weekend of the special exhibitions The Art of Alfred Hutty: Woodstock to Charleston in the Main Gallery and Jill Hooper: Contemporary Realist in the Rotunda Galleries. Both special exhibitions are on view through Sunday, Apr. 22, 2012.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the South Carolina Lowcountry’s only private, not-for-profit health care system. The 657-bed system consists of 90 facilities and services in seven counties. Member hospitals include Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Mount Pleasant Hospital and Roper Rehabilitation Hospital. Plans to build a hospital in Berkeley County are in progress. Roper St. Francis Physician Partners is a comprehensive network of more than 180 physicians that covers a complete range of primary care and 20 subspecialties.

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 Museum at 843/722-2706 or visit (www.gibbesmuseum.org).