University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, Offers “MFA Summer Exhibition”

The University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, is presenting “MFA Summer Exhibition”, on view in the McMaster Gallery, through July 29, 2016.

The exhibition includes work by Jamie Berry, Jeremy Bickford, Allison Dunavant, Julie Hamer, Josh Knight, Marcella Kuykendall, Chad Penner, Sylvia Ady-Potts, Edmari Hernandez-Silen, John Henry Tecklenburg, and Cody Unkart.

This exhibition is a survey of works by current graduate students entering their 2nd and 3rd year of the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of South Carolina’s School of Visual Art and Design. The wide variety of works include: drawing, installation, painting, sculpture, and video.

McMaster Gallery is located in the University of South Carolina’s School of Visual Art and Design at 1615 Senate Street, Columbia, SC, with accessible street parking on Pickens, Senate, and Henderson.

The gallery is free and open to the public and the hours are Monday – Friday 9am – 4:30pm (closed weekends and all university holidays)

For more information contact: Shannon Rae Lindsey, Gallery Director by e-mail at (slindsey@email.sc.edu) or phone 803/777-5752.

University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, Offers Exhibit of Exploring the Anatomical Body Through Apr. 1, 2016

The University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, is presenting “Arte Corporis: Exploring the Anatomical Body,” featuring a group exhibition including works by Melissa Gwyn, Dawn Hunter, Lisa Temple-Cox, and Mallory Wetherell, on view in the McMaster Gallery, through Apr. 1, 2016.

Please join us for the Closing Exhibition Reception Thursday, Mar. 31, 2016, from 5:30-7:30pm.

The “Arte Corporis: Exploring the Anatomical Body” exhibition showcases anatomically and medically inspired contemporary art including drawing, painting, and ceramics. The artists in the exhibition employ their own connection to the study of medicine and/or anatomy through a wide range of applications and approaches.

This visual art exhibition will coincide with the two-day symposium “Art, Anatomy, and Medicine since 1700”. The symposium is sponsored by the University of South Carolina’s Provost’s Office and the School of Visual Art and Design, in partnership with the Columbia Museum of Art. The related symposium will showcase scholarly papers that address visual, theoretical, cultural, historical and/or contemporary connections, relationships, conflicts and/or collaborations among the visual arts, anatomy/dissection, and medicine from the eighteenth century to the present.

The symposium will be held at the Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, Mar. 31 – Apr., 1, 2016.

McMaster Gallery is located in the University of South Carolina’s School of Visual Art and Design at 1615 Senate Street, Columbia, SC with accessible street parking on Pickens, Senate, and Henderson. The gallery is free and open to the public and the hours are Monday – Friday 9am – 4:30pm (closed weekends and all university holidays).

For more information contact: Shannon Rae Lindsey, Gallery Director by e-mail at (slindsey@email.sc.edu) or call 803/777-5752

University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, Offers 61st ANNUAL ART AUCTION – Mar. 2, 2016

USC’s 61st Annual Art Auction will include original artworks of a variety of mediums including: sculpture, printmaking, photography, paintings and ceramics made by faculty, current students, and alumni of the University of South Carolina’s School of Visual Art and Design.

These artworks will go to the highest bidders Wednesday Mar. 2, 2016, from 6-9pm in the McMaster Gallery, at the School of Visual Art and Design, located at 1615 Senate Street. Columbia, SC, at the 61st Annual USC Art Auction.

This popular event will be held at McMaster Gallery, in the School of Visual Art and Design on the corner of Pickens and Senate Streets. There will be a preview party at 6pm followed by the live auction at 6:30pm. The art will be on display beginning at 1pm that day for public viewing. The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided.

The auction is sponsored by the School of Visual Art and Design in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. Proceeds from the auctioned works are divided between the artists and the university’s art scholarship and gallery fund. Credit cards (excluding Discover) and checks will be accepted.

For more information, contact Shannon Lindsey, Gallery Director and organizer of this year’s event, at 803/777-5752, 803/777-4236, or e-mail to (slindsey@email.sc.edu).

McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, Offers Gala Art Sale Fundraiser – Dec. 4, 2015

McKissick Museum, located on the horseshoe at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, will celebrate its “Southern Rhythms Annual Gala Art Sale” on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, from 7-10pm. Tickets are $50 for McKissick Museum members; $60 for non-members.

“Southern Rhythms” features work by South Carolina artists and artists with ties to the Palmetto State that reflects on the music that enriches the Southern experience. Held in conjunction with “Heard at Every Turn: Traditional Music in South Carolina”, the artworks featured consider how music shapes our lives and how it affects and is inspired by different communities.

“Rhythm can be found anywhere,” says Edward Puchner, McKissick’s Curator of Exhibitons, “within a dance step, in the rumble of a train on a trestle, or within the sound of raindrops on a roof top. Featuring works by over thirty artists from across the Southeast, “Southern Rhythms” signals the beats, rhythmic patterns, or tempos of our everyday activity that together make up and enrich the world we all share.”

“Southern Rhythms” artist list includes: Jo Ann Amidon, Joseph Begnaud, Renee Bergeron, Karen Brown, Paula Brown-Steedly, Jemes Davis, Colin Dodd, Mary Ann Ehasz, Winton and Rosa Eugene, Claire Farrell, Bonnie Goldberg, Ann Hubbard, Liisa Salosaari Jasinski, Doni Jordan, Julia Knight, Alicia Leeke, Connie Lippert, Lee Malerich, Eleanor McCain, Carol Pittman, Cindy Saad, Glenn Saborosch, Edward Shmunes, Michael Story, Amanda Suber, Janet Swigler, Betsy Thorne, Wendyth Wells, Fletcher Williams III, Mike Williams, Ellen Emerson Yaghjian, and Olga Yukhno.

For tickets and information contact McKissick Museum at 803/777-7251 or visit (artsandsciences.sc.edu/mckissickmuseum).

University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, Offer FOLKFabulous – Aug. 22, 2015

The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum will present the 3rd annual FOLKFabulous festival on August 22, 2015, from 11am-5pm in front of the Museum on USC’s historic Horseshoe in Columbia, SC. This event is free and open to the public.

FOLKFabulous brings together the best of South Carolina’s traditional musical performers, instrument makers, and community music advocates for a day of education, music making, and fun. Scheduled performing artists include: NEA National Heritage Fellow Drink Small, Mill Billy Blues, Minister Jarell Smalls, Palmetto Blue, John Thomas Fowler, El-Shaddai Ambassador’s Choir, and Grupo Frenesi Digital.

Demonstrating instrument makers include: Appalachian Spirit Instruments, luthier Steve Reeves, Gullah Geechie cultural advocate Queen Quet, and Native American flute maker Chris Weik. In addition, advocates from the hip-hop, traditional gospel, old-time music, and bluegrass music communities will be featured in interactive presentations. Attendees are encouraged to bring their acoustic instruments and participate in our “picking tent,” regardless of their skill level or genre preference.  FOLKFabulous will also feature a Food Truck Rodeo.  For more information on the day’s schedule, performers, and participating artisans, visit: (artsandsciences.sc.edu/mckissickmuseum).

FOLKFabulous will open McKissick’s newest exhibition, “Heard at Every Turn: Traditional Music in South Carolina”. This exhibit represents year three of McKissick’s Diverse Voices series, which celebrates the traditional arts and folkways of the Southeastern United States. “Heard at Every Turn” will explore the diversity of traditional music in South Carolina from historical and contemporary perspectives, with a particular focus on the shared histories, geographies, and aesthetics among these varied musical expressions in the Palmetto State.

FOLKFabulous is funded with support from the South Carolina Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Community partners include OneColumbia for History and Arts and the South Carolina Bluegrass and Traditional Music Association.

McKissick Museum tells the story of Southern life: community, culture, and environment. It is located on the University of South Carolina’s historic Horseshoe with available parking in the garage at the corner of Pendleton and Bull streets. All exhibits are free and open to the public. Museum hours are 8:30am-5pm, Monday thru Friday and 11am-3pm, Saturdays. The museum is closed Sundays and State holidays.

For more information, call Ja-Nae Epps at 803/777-2876.

McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, Offers Behind the Scenes Tours – July 18 and 22, 2015

Have you ever wondered how exhibits are created? Do you have great treasures tucked away in your house? If so, the McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, has two upcoming programs just for you!!!!

Saturday, July 18 at 1pm – From the Attic to the Exhibit: Making Collections Matter. Chief Curator of Collections and Research Claire Jerry offers a revealing look at how collections are converted to exhibits.

Wednesday, July 22, 12pm (noon) – Behind the Scenes Tour. Did you know that most museums on display between 1%-5% of their collections? Have you ever wondered what’s on those “M” floors listed in the elevator? McKissick invites you to take a peek behind the scenes at some of our most beloved, but rarely viewed treasures.

For further information call Ja-Nae M. Epps at 803/777-2876.

University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, Presents “Native and Now” – Apr. 3, 2015

The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, will present “Native and Now”, a concert with contemporary Native American band Dark Water Rising, on Friday, Apr. 3, 2015, at 7:30pm in the Booker T. Washington Auditorium on the USC Campus. Admission is free with an e-ticket, which can be accessed at (www.eventbrite.com/e/native-and-now-an-evening-with-dark-water-rising-tickets-16140946004). The concert is being offered in conjunction with the exhibition, “Traditions, Change, and Celebration: Native Artists of the Southeast”, on view through July 25, 2015.

Dark Water Rising

Dark Water Rising is one of the most vibrant bands in contemporary Native American music. The group is led by the dynamic vocalist Charly Lowry, who has grown from being a finalist on the popular television series, “American Idol”, into an accomplished artist that effortlessly blends Native American traditional music, gospel, blues, and R&B. Dark Water Rising has been featured on National Public Radio and their 2013 album, “Grace and Grit: Chapter I”, was recently awarded a NAMMY (Native American Music Award) for “Best Gospel/Inspirational Recording.” Members of the Lumbee and Coharie tribes, the band describes their sound as “rocky soul,” evoking the landscape and musical roots of their native Eastern North Carolina.

“It is a common misunderstanding that Native American music boils down to flutes and chanting,” says Doug Peach, South Carolina Folklife and Traditional Arts Program Director. “Dark Water Rising counters this stereotype with bluesy guitar, soulful vocals, and undeniable energy.” “Native and Now” is the fifth public program for McKissick’s exhibit “Traditions, Change, and Celebration: Native Artists of the Southeast”. “Native and Now” presents a unique opportunity to see these artists at no charge and experience contemporary Native American popular music at its best.

This program is presented in conjunction with the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs’ conference series, “Working Together Works: Prosperity Through Minority Empowerment,” which will begin at 8am on Friday, Apr. 3 at the Marriott Hotel in Columbia. For more information and to register, please contact Lori Brock by e-mail at (lbrock@cfma.sc.gov) or call 803/333-9621 x. 8.  The South Carolina Arts Commission and Word of Mouth Productions are also sponsors of “Native and Now”.

The Booker T. Washington Auditorium is located at 1400 Wheat Street with available parking across the street.

For more information, call Ja-Nae Epps at 803/777-2876.

McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, Presents Power in Native Art: American Indian Aesthetic and Artistic Sovereignty – Feb. 6, 2015

The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, will present Power in Native Art: American Indian Aesthetic and Artistic Sovereignty on Feb. 6, 2015, from 3:30–5pm in the Museum’s second floor south gallery. This event is free and open to the public.

Today, the ability of artists to express themselves through their work is often taken for granted. Many indigenous artists, however, confront challenges in the creation and display of their works. Power in Native Art: American Indian Aesthetic and Artistic Sovereignty will focus on these challenges, addressing topics such as: who has the power to control artistic expression, how indigenous artists use their power to address issues that face American Indians, and the power of indigenizing the curation process.

The program will involve a series of presentations by leading national and regional scholars including: Gabrielle Tayac of the National Museum of the American Indian, Jenny Tone-Pah-Hote of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, Nancy Palm of the University of North Carolina – Pembroke, and Christopher Olszewski of the Savannah College of Art and Design.  The presentations will be moderated by Stephen Criswell, director of the Native American Studies Center at the University of South Carolina – Lancaster.

“This program presents a fascinating opportunity to understand the various issues associated with American Indian artists and artistic expression in the contexts of traditional and contemporary art,” says Doug Peach, South Carolina Folklife and Traditional Arts Program Director. “Importantly, the presenters involved are not only well-respected scholars and artists, but several are members of Native American tribes. These experiences provide invaluable perspectives to the goals of this event.”

Power in Native Art: American Indian Aesthetic and Artistic Sovereignty is the fourth public program for McKissick’s exhibit “Traditions, Change, and Celebration: Native Artists of the Southeast”. This program is presented in conjunction with the Department of Anthropology and the Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina, and is supported by the South Carolina Arts Commission.

McKissick Museum is located on the University of South Carolina’s historic Horseshoe with available parking in the garage at the corner of Pendleton and Bull streets. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

For more information, call Ja-Nae Epps at 803/777-2876.

McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, Celebrates Native American Heritage Awareness Day – Nov. 18, 2014

The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, will celebrate Native American Heritage Awareness Day on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, with a screening of the film “The Cherokee Word for Water” at 7pm.  This event is free and open to the public.

“The Cherokee Word for Water” is inspired by the true story of Wilma Mankiller – the first modern female Chief of the Cherokee Indians – and highlights a Cherokee community’s struggle to bring water to their people. Set in Mankiller’s rural Oklahoma Cherokee community, the movie highlights a community coming together to improve its life condition. In the process, they inspire trust among one another, and reawaken values of reciprocity and interconnectedness. Charlie Soap – the film’s director and Wilma Mankiller’s husband – will be participating in a conversation after the screening.

The film is presented as a part of McKissick Museum’s year-long exhibit, “Traditions, Change, and Celebration: Native Artists of the Southeast,” and in partnership with the Department of Anthropology, Institute for Southern Studies, Women and Gender Studies, and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of South Carolina. “Traditions, Change, and Celebration: Native Artists of the Southeast” represents year two of McKissick’s Diverse Voices series, which celebrates the traditional arts and folkways of the Southeastern United States.

Other events for Native American Heritage Awareness Month include Native American Heritage Awareness Day at the South Carolina Statehouse, also on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, and the Native American Indian Film Festival: (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Native-American-Indian-Film-Video-Festival-of-the-Southeast/154115854684326).

McKissick Museum is located on the University of South Carolina’s historic Horseshoe with available parking in the garage at the corner of Pendleton and Bull streets.

For more information, call Ja-Nae Epps at 803/777-2876.

University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, has Confirmed Jurors for “Crafting Civil (War) Conversations” Exhibition

The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum in Columbia, SC, recently identified five distinguished museum professionals and academics with expertise in the craft-based media of ceramics, fiber, glass, metal, and wood to serve as jurors for “Crafting Civil (War) Conversations”, on display Feb. 2 – May 30, 2015. This major exhibition invites artists who work in these various media to create artworks that imagine a scene of reconciliation between the descendants of enslaved people and the descendants of slave owners, all as a means to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the end of the Civil War.

The jurors include:
•           Carla Funk, Director & Chief Curator, Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts, The Foosaner
Art Museum, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

•           Anne C. Currier, Professor of Ceramics, Division of Ceramic Art, Alfred University,
Alfred, NY

•           Albert LeCoff, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Center for Wood Art,
Philadelphia, PA

•           Jim Masterson, Shop Forman, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN

•           Diane C. Wright, Barry Curator of Glass, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA

Our hope is that this roster of jurors—including people with national and international perspectives on ceramic, textile, glass, metal and wood arts—will inspire even greater participation on the part of artists throughout the Southeast.  McKissick Museum will present $25,000 in purchase awards to prize-winning artists and/or artist collaboratives.

For more information, visit (http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/mckissickmuseum) or call Edward Puchner at 803/777-2515 or Ja-Nae Epps at 803/777-2876.