MEDIA RELEASE

The Holualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture announces the receipt of an award from the Laila Twigg-Smith Art Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation.

The proposal, “Making Waves: Art as Social Change,” will bring four exceptional artists to Hawaii. The award is given to non-profit organizations that aim to nurture and promote Hawaii as a global center for the exchange of contemporary art and artists.

The fund supports projects and initiatives that afford artists opportunities to immerse themselves in new environments and to absorb different influences.

The artistic intention of “Making Waves: Art as Social Change” is to provide a forum for artists, students and community members to gain a deeper understanding of how non-verbal expression impacts society.

This artist-in-residence program will explore the idea that art has the power to challenge assumptions and encourage transformation. The invited artists each use social justice as the impetus for their work.

They are: Virginia King, environmental sculptor from New Zealand, Judith Leeman, curator and installation artist from Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Elizabeth Ferrill, Pochoir printmaker from Anderson Ranch, Colorado and Ellen Shankin, studio potter from Virginia.

“Making Waves: Art As Social Change” will provide a variety of opportunities for persons of all ages and abilities to work with premier artists and expand their own innovative approach to making art.

Laila Twigg-Smith (1944-1998) was a well-known art collector, patron of the artists and museums, artist and visionary. As a founder of the Contemporary Museum, her ambition was always to inspire creativity, to be a catalyst, to galvanize action, to effect change and make a difference.

The mission of the Holualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is to enrich the lives of persons of all ages and abilities through art education.

The foundation operates the Donkey Mill Art Center, a gathering place for all to explore, expand and develop their artistic selves in a supportive community.

For more information, call 322-3362 or visit www.DonkeyMillArtCenter.org