March 2011

Coastal Community Foundation Center in Charleston, SC, Offers Works by Elizabeth McKeever

The Coastal Community Foundation Center in Charleston, SC, is presenting the exhibit, Perspectives, featuring works by Elizabeth McKeever, the Griffith/Reyburn Lowcountry Artist of the Year. The exhibit is on view through Mar, 31, 2011, at the new Coastal Community Foundation Center at 635 Rutledge Avenue, Suite 201 in downtown Charleston.

McKeever was chosen from 24 artists as the Lowcountry Artist of the Year and was awarded $5,000 to support her artistic pursuits and the creation of an oil painting depicting Lowcountry life and culture. She is the seventh winner of the Griffith/Reyburn Lowcountry Artist Award, a Foundation-managed fund that was established in 2003 by Charleston residents Mike Griffith and Donna Reyburn as a way to highlight a Lowcountry artist that creates artwork that captures the spirit and beauty of Lowcountry life.

McKeever’s application proposed that she would create three pieces that would include a downtown Charleston church and its environs representing preservation next to a central abstract panel and a third panel showing a large container ship with the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge in the background indicating progress. The award piece is titled Different Perspectives, has been completed, and will be on display with McKeever’s full body of work.

Located at the corner of Rutledge Avenue and Huger Streets the Center is a milestone for both the 37-year old Community Foundation and for property owner Frank Haggood and contracted builder Cox-Schepp Construction, Inc. At the former site of Jaber’s Grocery Store, which had been in operation for close to thirty years, the renovation and new construction of the Center will be submitted for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Certification upon completion because of the many sustainability points that were included such as the roofing and glass and window systems, use of recycled material, and low energy lighting. The Center is currently occupied by other tenants including History Press, Equiscript, and the nonprofit Dance Fx.

Established in 1974, Coastal Community Foundation is a public grant making foundation fostering philanthropy for the lasting good of the community in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, and Jasper Counties.

Thousands of families, businesses, individuals and organizations have built more than 560 individual funds and endowments at the Foundation to benefit specific charities and/or broad areas of community life – education, basic human needs, conservation and preservation, arts, health and neighborhood/community development. In its 37-year history, Coastal Community Foundation has awarded more than $100 million in grants and currently manages assets in excess of $130 million.

Last year, Foundation funds generated over $11 million for charitable programming, community projects, educational initiatives and scholarships.

For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Center at 843-723-5736 or visit (www.coastalcommunityfoundation.org).

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