Pearl Fryar making headlines in Massachusetts

Pearl Fryar, a topiary artist, who works with students on the Coker College campus and who also lives nearby in Bishopville, SC, was recently part of a Lift Every Voice festival in Pittsfield, MA. That festival and Mr. Fryar's demonstration of topiary artistry were covered by a reporter for the Berkshire Eagle.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Pearl is great friends with Jean Grosser, chair of the Coker College Art Department, and he has been working with Coker students for several years and his art can be seen on the Coker campus.

Coker Art Faculty Show Up in Art Building

 

caption -- Larry Merriman, More Than You Think, Bricks & bottle caps, 2011, approximately 48” in dia. x 48” high

One of the great things about working on and around a college campus is being able to experience the brilliance of the people with whom you work. Last week the college's Art faculty put some of their work on display in the Coker Art Gallery. The art work is fascinating and worth both a visit and a discussion with the creators.

SUGAR AND SPICE
Is the name that Serena Hill. Coker's voice professor, has given to a show that she and one of her colleagues will be performing at Coker this evening. This is another example of the wealth of culture that is so prevalent on the Coker College campus.

Book Discussion
And Dr. Rhonda Knight, chair of the Literature, Language and Communication Department, will be leading a book discussion on January 31 on the book FAIR AND TENDER LADIES by Lee Smith.

There is something happening all the time on a liberal arts college campus.

Coker Chamber Singers heading to NYC

There was quite a bit of unusual activity on the Coker campus this morning (2-25-10) as lots of students were heading toward the parking lot with good size suit cases and heavy coats and jackets. Today is the day before the beginning of a very abbreviated Spring Break at Coker but it is still unusual for students to be moving quite that quickly before 8 a.m.

The students were all members of the Coker Chamber Singers who are heading to an action-packed Spring Break in New York City where they will be performing at several churches and in a couple of more private Chamber events. The students are excited and their flight leaves Charlotte later today. As I wished Will Carswell, the Director of Choral Activities, a great break he mentioned that NYC is getting some more winter so he knows there is an adventure in store. Adam Johnson, a senior communication major, said he would be blogging about the trip so maybe we can share some of the adventure with the Coker Chamber Singers.

And, the Singers will not be the only Coker students in NYC for the next few days. Jean Grosser, chair of the Coker Art Department, is taking a group of students on what is almost an annual tour of art museums and other venues in the city where she grew up. And, last night at the Coker Basketball game Dr. Robert Wyatt, Coker's president, said he was going to be attending at least one of the performances in New York at the home of one of the college's great supporters.

Coker College Senior Art Exhibit for Abby McLaurin

...opened on Monday evening in the Art Gallery inside the Coker Art Building. Abby's show is called "slightly less than life size" though the name belies the work. This was a busy night for Senior projects and I happened to be carrying the video camera when I went to the opening. One of the annual events for seniors is their own show in the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery. It is one of their capstone experiences. The seniors spend a great deal of time thinking about the work, long before they start creating. So, I asked Abby if she would describe one of the pieces. Her short video will give you an idea of the thinking that she brought to this exhibit. While it does not have anything to do with the Show Opening, Abby is also into the second round of the Fulbright Scholarship judging for this year. If it works out, she will be doing her Fulbright in South Korea.