by Greg | Jan 10, 2022 | News
Greenville, SC – Greenville Center for Creative Arts (GCCA) is pleased to announce seven new members elected to its board of directors.
- Earle Furman, GCCA Founder and Chair, NAI Earle Furman, LLC
- Daniel Hartway, Upstate SC Business Banking Manager/SVP, First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.
- Benjamin Hepner, Attorney, Holder Padgett Littlejohn + Prickett
- Blair Knobel, Editor-in-Chief, TOWN Magazine
- Kate Lacher, Artist & Creative Coordinator, Craig Gaulden Davis
- Rhonda Rawlings, Neighborhood Engagement Director, Mill Village Ministries
- Heather Wheless, Sr. Director of Human Resources, Thermo Fisher Scientific
In addition, the organization elected these officers.
- Chair – Yvonne Julian, Retired, Sales Executive, The Dow Chemical Company
- Vice Chair – Bradley Wingate, Director of Visual & Performing Arts, Greenville County Schools
- Treasurer – Tony Callander, Retired, Partner, Ernst & Young LLP
- Secretary – Jim Gorman, Studio Artist
“We are thrilled that GCCA has attracted such a tremendous slate of new directors to help us strengthen our impact and achieve our strategic goals,” says Kim Fabian, GCCA’s Executive Director. “Their collective talents will help to ensure long-term sustainability and foster meaningful economic and outreach impact through the education, advancement, and promotion of the visual arts.”
GCCA also named two former directors as members of its Founder’s Circle: artist Patricia Kilburg, and philanthropist and retired business leader Tracy Hardaway. This distinction recognizes these GCCA founders for their vision and commitment to the organization.
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).
by Greg | Jan 3, 2022 | News
Greenville, SC – Greenville Center for Creative Arts (GCCA) is excited to announce the opening of their February exhibitions, My Daughters Gathers Seeds by Rachel de Cuba and matthew anthony batty & Production Landscape with Meghan Kirkwood. The exhibition opens with a First Friday reception from 6:00 – 9:00 pm on Friday, February 4th and continues until March 23rd, 2022. The exhibition will also be open during the First Friday on March 4th, 2022. As part of GCCA’s exhibition programming, there will be an ARTalk discussion on Tuesday, March 8th from 6:00 – 7:00pm.
My Daughter Gathers Seeds is a collaborative exhibition between Rachel de Cuba and matthew anthony batty. The works in this show tackles large cultural concerns through tender moments and soft, powerful movements. Combining digital media and traditional craft the artists have worked to create a spectrum of pieces that will invite viewers to consider acts of empathy and tenderness. In Production Landscape, Dr. Meghan Kirkwood explores the path of the Dakota Access Pipeline in the four states it crosses: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. Meghan uses landscape photography to question the nature and extent of social and environmental costs of this activity.
Rachel de Cuba
Rachel de Cuba is an interdisciplinary artist raised in Sebastian, FL. She received her BFA in Studio Art at Flagler College in 2013 and her MFA in Digital Art at Indiana University in 2019. She received recognition for her thesis work with Grant awards from Indiana University. In 2019 she was invited to create new media artworks for the New Orleans Film Festival with support from the Andy Warhol Foundation. de Cuba’s work has been shown nationwide and was recently selected to exhibit in 701 Center for Contemporary Art’s 2021 South Carolina Biennial in Columbia, South Carolina. Her mixed media work has also been selected for publication in New American Paintings Southern 2022 Edition. Rachel de Cuba is currently a Co-Director of Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville and the Provost Pathways Fellow in Art at Clemson University.
matthew anthony batty
matthew anthony batty received a BFA in Studio Art at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL and their MFA in Studio Art at Indiana University. batty has received recognition for their practice through Grants–In–Aid while at Indiana University, and has been selected as an artist-in-residence at The Birdsell Projects in South Bend, IN. matthew was invited as an artist-in-residence with The Weight of Mountains, a nomadic video art program, which spent the winter in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada making work for a solo show at Black Vulture Project, in Paoli, Indiana. matthew, most recently was commissioned by the New Orleans Film Festival to create an installation for the festival, which was funded in part by the Andy Warhol Foundation. batty also explores curatorial work as an extension of their art practice. They have curated exhibitions such as Extended Family at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. They have also curated experimental venues such as The Breezeway Gallery, The Fuller Projects, and in 2018 he was an artist/curator-in-residence with Black Vulture Project, focusing on quarterly experimental poetry/video/performance events. matthew anthony batty recently was working with the Center for Rural Engagement at Indiana University as an artist advocate facilitating discussions with rural communities to build relationships in order to support the community with art programming.
Meghan Kirkwood
Meghan Kirkwood is an Assistant Professor of Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis where she serves as area head of Photography. She earned a B.F.A. from Rhode Island School of Design in Photography before completing her M.F.A. in Studio Art at Tulane University and PhD at the University of Florida. Kirkwood’s photography has been exhibited throughout the United States, Europe, Thailand, Mexico and South Africa. Her photographic research looks at the ways in which landscape imagery can inform and advance public conversations around land use, infrastructure, and planning.
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).
by Greg | Dec 1, 2021 | News
December 1, 2021: Greenville, SC – Greenville Center for Creative Arts (GCCA) is excited to announce the opening of a new Community Gallery exhibition, Get Home Safely. The exhibition features the work of emerging artist Malik Greene. The exhibition opens from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm on Friday, January 7th, and is on display until February 23rd, 2022. The exhibition will also be open during the First Friday on February 4th, 2022 from 6- 9 pm.
For Malik Greene, “home” does not exclusively relate to a physical destination. Rather, there is an emphasis he places on empowering feelings of security that “home” can convey. Get Home Safely is an autobiographical exhibition that traces the exploration into his origin story. Through his emotive paintings one can find evidence of his self-exploration. Malik states, “Get Home Safely is in reference to the story of the Prodigal Son and demonstrates that no matter how far one may go they will always have a place to return home…These pieces seek to uncover a world within my mind, a place fortified by my eyes and ambitions, not swayed or collided with a world I am not the creator of. My desire is to convey my truth as well as uncover the truth and beauty placed within those that I hold close to my heart.”
Malik Greene
Malik Greene is a South Carolina-based artist who began creating professionally in 2019 after graduating from Coastal Carolina University with a Bachelors in Psychology. The art practice of Malik Greene is primarily self-taught and art forms such as manga illustration and fashion design helped the artist develop a strong passion for uncovering his truth through his creativity. His works tell the story of his life, his desires and the subtle nuances that may affect the way in which he receives the world. The work of Malik Greene captures his mental state and allows him to stand in the center of his world, his mission is to create what is around him. He captures his personal history through intimate oil and acrylic portraits of family, moments and memories that convey his experience as a Black Man and Black artist alike. The normality of Black subjects within his art conveys a certain power; one that does not rely on pain, trauma and past oppression to propel his artistic vision. He finds strength in his identity, and his art has become his voice to understand himself. Malik uses bold colors, textural brushwork and unique figuration to evoke emotion and emphasis within his work.
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).
by Greg | Nov 22, 2021 | What Will You Create Today?
As one of GCCA’s most dedicated cheerleaders and ambassadors, Laird Green, a Certified Financial Planner at Abacus Planning Group, can often be found at our First Friday events and bringing her friends and colleagues to view our exhibitions. But her strongest pull is toward GCCA’s educational ARTalk series, which her firm has generously sponsored since 2019.
Abacus Planning Group is a fee-only financial advisory firm whose mission is to be a partner for entrepreneurial families with shared assets. Managing over $1.7 billion on behalf of its 250+ families, Abacus consists of a team of multi-disciplinary experts who work collaboratively to serve clients.
As we approach Thanksgiving, Laird explains that thankfulness is top-of-mind year-round for Abacus. “At Abacus, one of our cultural norms is to practice gratitude and we like to openly express our thankfulness in lots of different ways. We think that sharing gratitude is a joy, so we love times like this when we can give a personal shout-out to GCCA and the staff who make the mission a reality. We believe the ARTalks offer our audience the opportunity to interact with GCCA’s exhibiting artists from across the country and learn more about the creative process. “
Abacus Planning Group has three philanthropic pillars: social justice, education, and the arts. Their advisors practice their motto “create abundance” by helping their clients to set and pursue their financial goals as well as by giving back to the community. “We feel like by giving to organizations like GCCA across South Carolina, we can help everyone in our state live a more abundant life,” Laird explains. “We know that we thrive as an organization and individually when our communities thrive.”
When asked about why Abacus supports GCCA and what is meaningful about this partnership, Laird emphasizes how the ARTalks make arts education more accessible to the community and offer a chance for people from all walks of life to connect with the artists. “We think that the ARTalks beautifully connect the artists, and their stories and techniques, to fellows artists and others who are coming to listen and to learn more. Allowing the artists to share their stories is so powerful and the interactive format really engages the audience members who can ask questions and explore more.”
Laird and her colleagues at Abacus Planning Group are passionate about helping explore philanthropic giving with their clients. “We have a conversation with every client around goals for lifetime and legacy gifts,” she says, “and we help clients dovetail those philanthropic goals with tax-savvy strategies. For example, gifting appreciated securities, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and using retirement account beneficiary designations to leave funds to a charity.”
To learn about the many ways you can give to GCCA to support our mission, please contact Chelsea Rudisill, Development Director, at Chelsea@artcentergreenville.org. Thank you for considering GCCA when planning your year-end philanthropic giving. Thanks to a generous donor, your gift of any amount will be matched dollar for dollar until December 31, 2021.
by Greg | Nov 19, 2021 | Uncategorized
November 19, 2021: Greenville, SC – The Greenville Center for Creative Arts (GCCA) has announced the retirement of Kim Fabian, who has served as Executive Director since February 2020. Its board of directors has formed a search committee and contracted with Capital Development to conduct a national candidate discovery and screening search.
“Over the past two years, Kim has done amazing work that was a perfect match for her skill set and GCCA’s needs,” says Patricia Kilburg, artist and GCCA Board Chair. “During her time as Executive Director, she stabilized GCCA operationally and financially, elevated its visibility, expanded outreach efforts, and led a strategic planning process that charted an impactful vision for our future–all in the midst of a pandemic with no interruption to service. Because of these accomplishments—and more—Kim is leaving GCCA in an exciting position of strength to recruit our next great leader.”
Fabian will stay on with GCCA through February 10 to complete several key projects, including a building renovation and program expansion, as well as lead the transition and onboarding of a new Executive Director. Kim will remain full-time through Feb. 10 and thereafter as needed.
“It has been a privilege to lead GCCA through such a pivotal time–working with a dedicated team and engaging with so many talented artists and generous community members who see the value in our work,” Fabian explains. “This transition presents an outstanding opportunity to take the organization to the third phase of its evolution–philanthropic growth and financial sustainability–so it can continue to harness the power of the visual arts in Greenville for years to come.”
Candidates may apply for the ED role at https://www.artcentergreenville.org/employment.
About GCCA
Greenville Center for Creative Arts is a non-profit organization that enriches the cultural fabric of the community through visual arts promotion, education, and inspiration. GCCA provides quality art classes to hundreds of people each year at all ages and skill levels. It is also home to 15 artist studios and offers an emerging artists’ fellowship, community outreach programs, and free exhibitions and events. For details, visit www.artcentergreenville.org, call 864-735-3948, or check out GCCA on Facebook (Greenville Center for Creative Arts) & Instagram (@artcentergvl).
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