Art of the Lowcountry Gala
March 4th, 2023, 6 - 10 pm
A.W. Jones Heritage Center, St. Simons Lighthouse
St. Simons Island, GA, February 9, 2023 -- Glynn Visual Arts, a community art center nestled in the magnificent Lowcountry setting of St. Simons Island, has been inspiring and enriching the local community to pursue the passion for visual arts since its beginning in 1953.
To commemorate the 70th Anniversary, GVA would like to celebrate the wonderful artists, contributors, and supporters via a yearlong line up of activities and exhibitions designed to inspire artists of all ages throughout our community.
The Art of the Lowcountry fundraiser gala will be the highlight of the year’s celebrations. It will be held on March 4, 2023 at the A.W. Jones Heritage Center. GVA expects about 150 guests to join in the evening festivities that will include a live jazz performance by the Phil Morrison Trio, live portraiture by a multi-media artist, sculptor and GVA Board Member Kevin Pullen, and a performance abstract painting created during the event by prolific painter and muralist, Megan Torello.
We are honored to welcome Honorary Chair, Betty Oliver, PhD, local artist and longtime champion of Glynn Visual Arts, as well as Griffin Lotson, Gullah Geechee historian, storyteller and folklorist, as special guests at the gala. Mr. Lotson will present remarks on the impact and importance of visual arts in culture and history in our Georgia Lowcountry.
Master basket weaver, Yvonne Grovner of Sapelo Island, a 2020 recipient of the Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities, has graciously loaned her Moses Sweetgrass Basket for display at the gala. This basket was featured in President Barack Obama’s second inaugural parade as a tribute to Gullah Geechee Lowcountry culture. Her granddaughter, who is now 13, used this Moses basket as her first bed. Alongside this masterpiece is a specially commissioned sweetgrass basket up for auction at the event to support GVA. Furthermore, guests will be able to participate in both live and silent auctions of fine art from renowned artists, Lowcountry excursions, golf packages, photo portraits, fine art, and more.
The gala will be catered by Three Little Birds and, besides the wine and beer service available, GVA is excited to offer a VIP Premium Bar that comes with a keepsake glass. Contribute $70 to GVA and have access to the VIP Premium Bar all evening.
For more information about GVA and to purchase tickets to the Art of the Lowcountry Gala, please visit https://glynnvisualarts.org/gala.
About Glynn Visual Arts, Inc (GVA)
Glynn Visual Arts, Inc (GVA) is a dynamic 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located on St. Simons Island, GA. GVA was founded in 1953 and serves the Glynn County community with a mission to “enrich our community by stimulating interest and participation in the visual arts.” The GVA vision and purpose is “to foster creativity to liberate, inspire, entertain, educate and nurture our community through the arts.” As a cultural cornerstone of Glynn County, we serve our purpose and community with programming that provides fine art exhibitions, adult and youth classes, camps, festivals, an on-site ArtMarket artist co-op, a monthly open air market, and a pottery studio. GVA is a membership-based organization that also serves the general public. glynnvisualarts.org
Art of the Lowcountry Yearlong Celebration to commemorate 70th Anniversary of GVA
Upcoming Events:
February 13 - Opening of Georgia Coastal Artists Exhibition at GVA Portman Gallery
February 16 - Opening Reception for Georgia Coastal Artist Exhibition (5:30 - 7 pm) at GVA
February 18 - African American History Festival, Fort Frederica National Monument - GVA Art Tent creating paper quilts to share history about Gullah Geechee storytelling through quilt making and Ring Shouts.
March 1 - Opening of Life in the Lowcountry Exhibition at the Golden Isles Welcome Center
March 4 - Art of the Lowcountry Gala at A.W. Jones Heritage Center
March 24 - Sweetgrass Basket Weaving with Yvonne Grovner at GVA
March 29 – 31 - Capturing the Landscape in Watercolors Plein Air Workshop with Kathy Rennell Forbes. The Georgia Lowcountry landscape and light draw artists from the world over to capture relative moments in time on the canvas.
April 1 & 2 - Art in the Park - Art Festival at Postal Park focusing on handmade artwork
April 4 - Opening of Greens Grow in My Garden Exhibition by Gullah Geechee artist and storyteller Natalie Daise in the Portman Gallery
April 5 - Opening Reception of Greens Grow in My Garden Exhibition (5:30 - 7 pm) at GVA
April 19 - 70th Birthday Party at GVA - Annual Membership Meeting and Birthday Bash. New members and guests are welcome.
