Feature Articles

March Issue 2001

SC Arts Commission in Columbia, SC, Announces Verner Awards Recipients for 2001

The board of the South Carolina Arts Commission is pleased to announce the recipients of the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Awards, official Governor's Awards for the Arts. The winners, in their categories, are:

Arts Organization - Marlboro Civic Center Foundation, Bennettsville
Business - Chernoff/Silver & Associates, Columbia
Government - McKissick Museum, Columbia
Individual - Shari Hutchinson, Columbia
Individual Artist - Gordon (Dick) Goodwin, Columbia
Arts in Education- Individual in Arts Education - Barry Goldsmith, Charleston
Arts in Education - SC Governor's School for the Arts, Greenville
Lifetime Achievement in the Arts - Philip Simmons, Charleston

On May 9, 2001, Governor James Hodges will present the awards, which annually honor outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina and are named for the late Charleston Artist Elizabeth O'Neill Verner. The event, which will be held in the House Chambers of the State House, beginning at 5:30pm, will be followed by a reception on the mall and Lace House grounds of the Governor's Mansion.

Also on May 9, the South Carolina Arts Foundation is hosting a fund-raising luncheon and art sale at the Adams Mark Hotel's Capital Room in Columbia. For an invitation to the Verner Awards or to purchase luncheon tickets, contact the SC Arts Commission, 803/734-8696.

Arts Organization

"The Center is now the cornerstone of our historic downtown and a great source of pride to the people of our rural community." Benji Rogers, Mayor, City of Bennettsville

Marlboro Civic Center Foundation was responsible for the 1.3 million dollar transformation of an abandoned movie palace in the historic district of Bennettsville into a state-of-the-art theatre now called the Marlboro Civic Center. This accomplishment is a result of a bi-racial effort, which proved the arts to be remarkably common ground. Along with foundation and corporate support, several hundred thousand dollars were raised from hundreds of people in this poor, rural area, from arts supporters as well as those who had never attended an arts event, but who gave to the "brick-in-time" and "buy-a-seat" campaigns. With assistance from the Main Street Program, the SC Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a "road map" was formed to guide the center through the 7-year fundraising and construction period. Along with the center's staff and board of directors, the Civic Center Foundation is guided by its Partner Alliance, which encompasses the county's arts organizations as well as various community groups such as the Marlboro County School District, local NAACP, The Children's Defense Fund, county parks and recreation department, city and county offices, and the public library. As a presenter, the center has sponsored such internationally acclaimed performers as the Universal Ballet of Korea, the Preservation Jazz Band, and the Moscow Boys Choir. The Civic Center has also become the catalyst to broaden the horizons of the county's young people, who represent the Center's largest user group, participating as performers and audience members. The Civic Center is regarded as the jewel in the county's crown and the cornerstone of a long-range plan for the renaissance of downtown Bennettsville that will include retail, dining and residential growth.

Government

"The mission of the McKissick Museum to record, archive, study, curate, and share South Carolina's artistic heritage has been consistently focused with scholastic depth, integrity, and honesty." Jonathan Green, artist

McKissick Museum, located on the historic University of South Carolina Horseshoe, is celebrating its 25th year of operation as the University celebrates its bicentennial. In the business of preserving and sharing South Carolina's cultural arts heritage, McKissick serves as a general museum by engaging in education, research and collections development, as well as campus and public service.

Focusing on interdisciplinary presentations, exhibits often integrate such topics as history, cooking, archeology, anthropology and crafts, with about 90% of the shows at McKissick originating at the museum. Many of the exhibitions tour, showcasing the people, talents and history of the state. Currently Middle Passages, featuring the work of Tom Feelings, is scheduled to travel the country for two years after being exhibited at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institution. On September 12, 2001, McKissick will open A Portion of the People: 300 Years of Jewish Life in the South, and is collaborating with the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism to publicize the exhibit, which is scheduled to travel to the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston and the Center for Jewish History in New York City.

In 1999 McKissick received the only museum grant awarded in the state from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The recipient of seven grants from the IMLS, the museum has used grant funds to support such exhibits as the Jewish Heritage Project, and I made this jar... "The Life and Work of the Enslaved African Potter, Dave. The museum's material culture collection consists of over 12,000 artifacts documenting the social, economic and political history of the southeast, along with strong collections drawn from indigenous traditions, including 400 pieces of Catawba pottery and 300 coiled seagrass baskets. The fine and decorative arts comprise nearly 2,000 objects, including contemporary works by USC faculty and graduates, historic portraits and landscapes. The Folklife and Material Culture Program conducts Field research, administers the Folklife Resource Center, and produces the annual SC Folk Heritage Awards for the SC State Legislature in cooperation with the SC Arts Commission. Community programs include lectures, film series, teacher workshops, a Cultural Awareness Club for children, Haunted Horseshoe and the Museum of Horrors, and the annual Fall Folklife Festival. McKissick has had an ongoing accreditation from the American Association of Museums. Of the 8,000 museums nationwide, only 750 are certified.

Arts in Education

"The School is making a difference across the state and beyond through its influence and willingness to take its teaching and learning offerings to the people." Richard W. Riley, former Secretary of Education and former Governor of SC

SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities

Conceived in the visionary mind of Dr. Virginia Uldrick nearly 25 years ago, the Governor's School Honors Program held its first session in 1981, consisting of a 5-week intensive training school in music, visual arts, creative writing, drama and dance. The size and reputation of the school grew with such additions as the Academy, Preparatory Dance and Outreach Programs. For the last two years, the school's nine-month residential program has been housed in a magnificently designed "Italian Village" for exploration of the arts, which is considered a national model in public/private partnerships. For this school year, 226 students, attending as juniors and seniors, represent 35 of South Carolina's 46 counties. The accomplishments for a new, innovative school are notable: the Governor's School was one of the top 3 schools in the state for highest mean SAT scores and in the top 10 schools with the highest number of National Merit Semi-finalists. The SCGSAH belongs to the Music Educators National Conference, SC Music Education Association, SC Theatre Association, SC Academy of Science, National Art Education Association, among many others. In addition to rigorous course work and artistic endeavors, residential students provide community service through participation in the First Steps Reading Program, volunteer work with United Ministries Life Skills and Project Host, a local soup kitchen, and partnerships with Communities in Schools. The faculty was selected for their ability and experience in arts education, collaborative learning and technological competency. High achievement and excellence are at the heart of this school which emphasizes the unity of the arts, sciences and humanities.

Individual in Arts Education

"Barry Goldsmith is a man whose passion for the arts is contagious and whose enthusiasm for the arts has caused major progressive change in arts education during his 42-year career." Susan P. Antonelli, teacher, Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary, Charleston

Barry Goldsmith has taught music in elementary, middle and high schools in New York, Georgia and South Carolina. He has led high school bands, choruses, and for two years directed the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band. In Charleston, he has directed church choirs, played with the Augusta and Charleston Symphony Orchestras, and was the co-founder of the Charleston Symphony Singer's Guild. He has also served as a member of the Charleston Renaissance Ensemble, the Charleston Opera and the Symphony Boards, the Baroque Singers, the Charleston Community Band and the Young Charleston Theater Company board. What makes Goldsmith remarkable is his ability to make change in a huge school system with the usual barriers to change. During his tenure as the Fine Arts Supervisor for Charleston County, Goldsmith has created a tremendous momentum for arts education - both discipline-based arts as well as arts integration - in hundreds of classrooms. He has established many performing groups for students, such as Theatre WINGS, a partnership between the school district and the Charleston Stage Company, and the Charleston County Dance Company, which is partnered with the Robert Ivey Ballet Company. Goldsmith also is credited with the creation of The School of the Arts, Charleston's first arts magnet school for grades 6 - 12.

Goldsmith has managed the county's highly successful summer arts program, SPACE (School for the Performing Arts and Creative Experiences), which serves 350 students in an annual 3-week camp. He is also noted for establishing district-wide arts partnerships with such groups as the Spoleto Festival, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the Gibbes Museum of Art. Another major accomplishment has been the TRACE program, which provides arts experiences for children while instructing classroom teachers in arts integration practices. (TRACE was a 2000 Verner Award recipient.) Barry Goldsmith holds many memberships in local and statewide professional arts organizations and was recently inducted into the SC Music Educators Hall of Fame.

Business

"Not only is Chernoff/Silver always first in line to support, promote and help assure the success of arts-related endeavors in the Midlands, the agency is very often responsible for the very creation of artistic contributions to the community." Robert D. Coble, Mayor of Columbia

At Chernoff/Silver & Associates, support for the arts is more than second nature; it's a priority. This regional marketing, advertising and public relations firm believes that art improves quality of life, and when it thrives, pays enormous dividends emotionally and economically in every aspect of life in South Carolina. Business pioneers in the revitalization of Columbia's historic Congaree Vista area, Marvin Chernoff, Chairman, and Rick Silver, Vice-Chairman, turned an old warehouse into a uniquely creative office space that has since evolved into a treasure trove of local art. In fact, the agency is known as an incubator for talented individuals, including a significant number of employees who excel in the worlds of words, images and music and share them with clients and the community at large. Recently, Chernoff/Silver partnered with the Cultural Council of Richland/Lexington Counties to create and promote the Palmetto Tree Project, the largest public art endeavor ever in the midlands. Besides planning, fundraising and executing the project, Chernoff/Silver donated the steel cutouts for the trees and recruited local businesses and individuals to sponsor the 89 trees which raised over $165,000 for the Cultural Council's Art in Public Places. Chernoff/Silver also served as the agency of record to the Council in 1999, contributing pro bono work that included campaign materials, promotion of workplace giving and video production. As Chairman of the Council's Sculpture Committee, Marvin Chernoff raised money and commissioned Camden artist Mariah Kirby Smith to sculpt a statue of former mayor Kirk Finlay in the park that bears the mayor's name. Chernoff/Silver has also been instrumental in the marketing and planning for Columbia's first 3 Rivers Music Festival, and for USC's Moveable Musical Feast. The firm is active with numerous theatre and performing arts groups and has provided print support, media placement, and public relations services to Town Theatre, Workshop Theatre, the Columbia City Ballet, Spoleto's Chamber Music Series, USC's Theatre and Speech Department, and Trustus Theatre, where Marvin Chernoff spearheaded fundraising and secured the site where the theatre resides. Other arts organizations that have benefited from Chernoff/Silver's community consciousness include The SC State Museum, Columbia Museum of Art, the River Alliance, and EdVenture, soon to be the south's largest children's museum.

Individual

''I am an unabashed fan of Shari Hutchinson's talent as a producer of world quality radio broadcasts, and as a director. Put simply, she is the best at what she does and should be recognized for her accomplishments, and for her contribution to South carolina's positive reputation around the world." Zane Knauss, writer/publicist

Shari Hutchinson, employed by SC Educational Radio, is one of the most successful producers and directors of broadcast material in the US. Her work is heard every week coast to coast and around the world since 1986. She is producer and director of the acclaimed Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio series, which has showcased McPartland along with 450 guest musicians. Piano Jazz, produced in South Carolina, is the longest running jazz performance show on radio in the world, and is heard on 245 radio stations in the United States and in 24 countries. Shari Hutchinson is also producer and director of the popular Spoleto Chamber Music Series from the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston. For an international audience, Hutchinson produced the provocative and entertaining music series The African American Music Tree, which features eight broadcast hours of compositions by black composers of the past 150 years. Hutchinson also produced and directed Just Plain Folks, storytelling in the African American tradition, combined with blues music, for a national public radio audience. She has also produced and directed A Festival of Lessons and Carols, performed by the combined choirs of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Columbia (aired by NPR to ninety stations, nationwide); produced Mary Lou Williams: A Keyboard Tribute; was executive producer for Marian McPartland at 80: A Piano Jazz Celebration; and Co-produced Mary Lou's Mass and Eileen Farrell's American Popular Singers series. As producer, director, fundraiser, technical advisor, Shari Hutchinson has been acclaimed for her dedication and professionalism, and has received awards from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and a Peabody award, among others.

Individual Artist

"Dr. Goodwin's energy, creativity, and boundless good nature are reflected in his accomplishments as an educator, composer, arranger, performer, conductor, mentor, businessman, and entrepreneur. He's more than a good friend of the arts in South Carolina he's one of our greatest resources." Douglas Graham, Professor of Music, USC

Gordon (Dick) Goodwin is considered perhaps the finest all-around musician ever met by his peers, students and a widely eclectic and appreciative audience. A composer, conductor, trumpet player, pianist, combo leader, scat singer, music arranger, and teacher, Dick Goodwin is a musician's musician whose virtuosity, generosity and goodwill have earned him a sterling reputation in both artistic and academic communities throughout the state as well as in national and international circles. Professor of Music at the University of South Carolina since 1973, Dr. Goodwin is now USC Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He is credited with creating the state's only doctoral degree in music composition. As a composer/arranger, his works have received numerous ASCAP awards, and he has fulfilled many commissions for state-wide arts organizations, including SC Educational Television, the SC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Palmetto Mastersingers, the Carolina Chamber Players, and many public schools and churches. He has also written original musicals, incidental music, and arranged musical revues for many of the state's theatre companies, including a dozen original shows for Town Theatre. Adept at conducting, composing, recording and arranging classical, band, and Broadway music, Dick Goodwin has a special affinity for jazz that has taken his quintet and big band to colleges, fundraisers and social events all over the state, and to fifteen tours in Central and South America, Haiti and Germany. He has written film scores, been featured with the USC Left Bank Band, recently composed A Stephen Foster Fantasy commissioned by Eastern Kentucky University, and has appeared in concert with Marian McPartland. Dr. Goodwin is also a clinician for numerous school programs, and serves on the boards of the Palmetto Mastersingers, USC Bicentennial committee, among others. He is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), International Association of Jazz Educators. Music Teachers National Association, and a number of academic music honor societies.

Lifetime Achievement in the Arts

"Philip Simmons' gates are more than mere ornaments that grace the entrances of fashionable houses and other locations about Charleston; they personify and edify the perseverance and resiliency of the African American spirit." Leo F. Twiggs, Distinguished Artist in Residence, Claflin University, Orangeburg

Blacksmith Philip Simmons is both a consummate artist and a master teacher of his craft of iron-working. Born on Daniel Island, near Charleston, in 1912, Simmons has fashioned more than five hundred decorative pieces of ornamental wrought iron - gates, fences, balconies, and window grills - decorating the City of Charleston from end to end. In 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded him its National heritage Fellowship, the highest honor that the US. bestows on a traditional artist. This recognition has been followed by a similar award for "Lifetime Achievement" presented by the SC State Legislature, and Simmons was inducted into the SC Hall of Fame in 1994. The SC State Museum and the City of Charleston have commissioned him for public sculptures. Pieces of his work have been acquired as well by the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Richland County Public Library (Columbia), and the Atlanta History Center. His work was also the subject of a noted photography exhibit, Keeper of the Gate. In 1989, the vestry and congregation of his church (St. John's Reformed Episcopal Church, in downtown Charleston,) dedicated the grounds of the church to develop a commemorative landscaped garden as a tribute to his exceptional mastery of wrought iron and in recognition of his inspirational character. The garden, later landscaped by topiary artist Pearl Fryar with gates and grills by Philip Simmons, was also included in the notable Spoleto Festival visual arts exhibition, Human/Nature.

Far more information on the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Awards, contact program director Marion Draine at the SC Arts Commission at 803/734-8764.

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