| Diane Britton Dunham |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2006
Heritage Days: The Honored Artist
Each year at the renowned Penn Center on St. Helena Island, SC, a featured artist
presents her pieces to the thousands of cultural travelers who venture from across the
world for the Heritage Days celebration. This year, the showcased artist not only
offers a bountiful collection, but she also tells an absorbing story through artistic
expression.
Touched by the recent eulogy given for her mother, Dunham carefully remembered the
words “she sang the songs of Zion”, offered by her cousin, who presided over the
services. The allusion refers to the ways in which Dunham’s’ mother preserved her
family’s culture and passed it on to her children. This theme lends itself to the
exhibition, as the pieces within it are evidence of the safely guarded stories, legends,
rituals, and traditions that were once shared by America’s first Africans. In the same
way that Dunham’s African ancestors and enslaved forefathers sought to preserve
significant elements of a culture, Dunham, intends to protect these same stories through
her intriguing collection.
Subjects including the Quilts of the Underground Railroad, the North Star, and religious
celebrations are just a few of the symbolic themes captured by Dunham’s collection.
Her exhibition, “Songs of Zion,” will be introduced on Thursday, November 9, 2006 at
the Heritage Day’s Exhibition Opening and Gallery Walk (5:30 PM – 7:30 PM) at the
York W. Bailey Museum on the Penn Center campus. The opening is free to the
public, and a number of Dunham’s pieces will be available for sale.
Dunham’s work has been recognized internationally as a genuine depiction of the
history, culture, and traditions of the Gullah culture. Pieces created by Dunham
represent the landscape, customs, and heritage of the state’s coastal region. Frequently
incorporating distinguishable elements that characterize her pieces, Dunham is well
known for her brilliant coloring, intricate human and landscape forms, and themes that
represent life in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region.
A self-taught mixed media artist and instructor, Dunham has received honors and
awards from organizations like the Artisan Center, the Gullah Festival, and the Beaufort
Art Association. Her works have also been featured in national publications including
Southern Living Magazine and Black Enterprise Magazine.
The Heritage Days celebration lasts for four days, and the Penn Center will showcase
the Songs of Zion exhibition until February 2007. The Penn Center staff has scheduled
free outreach programs including lectures, gallery walks, storytelling, and workshops
throughout the exhibition.
For more information on the Heritage Days Celebration and other educational and
outreach activities, please call the Penn Center at 843.838.2432 or visit www.
penncenter.com.
September 25, 2006
Heritage Days: The Honored Artist
Each year at the renowned Penn Center on St. Helena Island, SC, a featured artist
presents her pieces to the thousands of cultural travelers who venture from across the
world for the Heritage Days celebration. This year, the showcased artist not only
offers a bountiful collection, but she also tells an absorbing story through artistic
expression.
Touched by the recent eulogy given for her mother, Dunham carefully remembered the
words “she sang the songs of Zion”, offered by her cousin, who presided over the
services. The allusion refers to the ways in which Dunham’s’ mother preserved her
family’s culture and passed it on to her children. This theme lends itself to the
exhibition, as the pieces within it are evidence of the safely guarded stories, legends,
rituals, and traditions that were once shared by America’s first Africans. In the same
way that Dunham’s African ancestors and enslaved forefathers sought to preserve
significant elements of a culture, Dunham, intends to protect these same stories through
her intriguing collection.
Subjects including the Quilts of the Underground Railroad, the North Star, and religious
celebrations are just a few of the symbolic themes captured by Dunham’s collection.
Her exhibition, “Songs of Zion,” will be introduced on Thursday, November 9, 2006 at
the Heritage Day’s Exhibition Opening and Gallery Walk (5:30 PM – 7:30 PM) at the
York W. Bailey Museum on the Penn Center campus. The opening is free to the
public, and a number of Dunham’s pieces will be available for sale.
Dunham’s work has been recognized internationally as a genuine depiction of the
history, culture, and traditions of the Gullah culture. Pieces created by Dunham
represent the landscape, customs, and heritage of the state’s coastal region. Frequently
incorporating distinguishable elements that characterize her pieces, Dunham is well
known for her brilliant coloring, intricate human and landscape forms, and themes that
represent life in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region.
A self-taught mixed media artist and instructor, Dunham has received honors and
awards from organizations like the Artisan Center, the Gullah Festival, and the Beaufort
Art Association. Her works have also been featured in national publications including
Southern Living Magazine and Black Enterprise Magazine.
The Heritage Days celebration lasts for four days, and the Penn Center will showcase
the Songs of Zion exhibition until February 2007. The Penn Center staff has scheduled
free outreach programs including lectures, gallery walks, storytelling, and workshops
throughout the exhibition.
For more information on the Heritage Days Celebration and other educational and
outreach activities, please call the Penn Center at 843.838.2432 or visit www.
penncenter.com.
© Copyright 2003-04 Diane Britton Dunham. All rights reserved. Text and images may not be reproduced without permission. |
press & media materials
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