Local artists participated in an Arts Escape held Thursday Dec. 3 at the Colleton Museum and Farmers Market on East Washington Street in Downtown Walterboro.
The socially-distanced event was a fundraiser for the South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities and featured artist Glory Day Loflin as the instructor. Loflin guided participants through a creative process resulting in unique art pieces. The state-wide fundraiser raised $28,051 toward a $30,000 goal to benefit the Governor’s School Foundation which increases access to the school for low-income students, supports the school’s efforts to provide arts education in under-resourced counties, and bridges the gap between state funding and the public arts school.
Locally, five students from Colleton County High School, three Colleton Prep students and three local artists participated in the Zoom class which included a kit filled with art supplies, an instruction booklet, gourmet snacks, recipes and surprises.
Local resident and arts supporter Kim Bridge helped coordinate the local event and raised money for local artists to participate. “My dear friend and board chair for the South Carolina Governor’s School Foundation Terry Grayson-Caprio reached out about the upcoming event,” said Bridge. “Immediately, I felt like our local high school art students and artists would enjoy this opportunity to work with Loflin and participate in the Arts Escape. Thanks to the generosity of the Colleton Museum and Farmers Market, along with local businesses and arts supporters, we were able to make it happen.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of my hometown and its contributions to the S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Foundation during this event,” said Governor’s School Foundation Board Chair Terry Grayson-Caprio. “We have found during this pandemic that having events virtually allows for greater opportunities to reach out and touch talented and generous individuals who live in the more rural communities of our state. Part of our mission for the school and therefore the foundation includes outreach and providing arts education to the most talented individuals in our state …. we certainly saw talent exhibited by the visual arts students in Walterboro who participated in the Arts Escape. And I must take the opportunity to thank those who contributed financially and organizationally to make this happen.”
Local art students and artists were sponsored by Enterprise Bank, The Golden Daffodil, South Carolina Artisan Center, Palmetto Foot Clinic, Julia Waddell, Michele Menig Tyler, Gale Doggette, Amy Coleman, Gary Hagood Brightwell, Niki Hunter, JJ Lamb, Mona G. Horton, Mary Ann Nichols-Ferguson and Allison Carr.
