Attleboro Arts Museum and The MLK Committee of Greater Attleboro Launch New Scholarship Program
ATTLEBORO, Mass.– The Attleboro Arts Museum and The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Committee of Greater Attleboro are launching the Reynolds Family and Attleboro Art Museum Edmonia Lewis Art Education Scholarship to commemorate the life, work, and exceptional talent of artist Edmonia Lewis.
The scholarship is open to children, teens, adults, and adult/child pairs who identify as black or African American. The scholarship is administered by The MLK Memorial Committee of Greater Attleboro.
???We at the museum value diversity in the student body and this scholarship will help broaden the student base here and give opportunities to African American students who might not otherwise have access,??? said Mim Brooks Fawcett, the executive director and chief curator of the Attleboro Arts Museum.
The Edmonia Lewis Art Education Scholarship is designed to assist students in obtaining visual art instruction and exposure to the wonders and challenges of art and art-making in its many mediums. No previous experience in an art studio is required to apply.??
???Art education is just such a valuable experience to give to anyone of any age group,??? said Ethel Garvin, the chairwoman of the MLK Committee. ???Also, with this scholarship??? we have an opportunity to be an influence on primary and secondary student???s academics. Students do better on the SATs and in math and science. Art education really has the ability to help students improve their performance in school.???????
The Review Committee, members of the MLK Committee, typically selects one to three full tuition scholarships per year.?? Art classes will range in size from a one-day workshop to a multiple-week, hands-on art studio experience.?? Classes will be held at the Arts museum.
Scholarships will be granted based on applicant???s level of commitment and dedication to developing their artistic talents. The recipients of this award will have a piece of their artwork displayed at the Attleboro Arts Museum during the All Schools Show.
Now accepting scholarship applications for the Winter 2019 session.
Application deadline is October 15
Applications: online at attleboroartsmuseum.org or at mlkgreaterattleboro.org.
ABOUT EDMONIA LEWIS
Edmonia Lewis was the first sculptor of African American and Native American descent to achieve international recognition. Her father was African American, and her mother was Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indian. Orphaned at an early age, Lewis grew up in her mother???s tribe where she was known as Wildfire.
In 1859, she changed her name to Mary Edmonia Lewis and attended Oberlin College in Ohio, one of the first schools to accept female and black students. She developed an interest in the fine arts, but an accusation of poisoning, believed to be racially motivated, forced Lewis to leave the school before graduating. She traveled to Boston, shed the name Mary, and established herself as a professional artist, studying with a local sculptor and creating portraits and busts of famous antislavery heroes like Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Her work proved popular and monetarily successful both for its skill and because of the press she received from abolitionists who held her up as an example of the skill of the black race.
Moving to Rome in 1865, she became involved with a group of American women sculptors and began to work in marble, embracing the neo-classical style.
In addition to creating busts, Lewis sculpted biblical scenes and figurative works dealing with her Native American heritage and the oppression of African American people. Her most famous pieces include ???Old Arrow Maker,??? ???Hagar,??? and ???Born Free.??? ??
The Attleboro Arts Museum involves audiences of all ages and backgrounds in the visual arts through diverse educational programs and engaging arts experiences. We work to support the creative and artistic development of both promising and professional artists. The Museum is a privately supported, non-profit arts institution whose core commitment to Arts for Everyone guides the Museum’s programs and operations. www.attleboroartsmuseum.org
The mission of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Committee of Greater Attleboro is to plan and produce public ceremonies in observance of the King Holiday, which is celebrated annually on the Third Monday in January. We seek to preserve the legacy and memory of Dr. King through our public ceremonies, scholarship and other academic programs and contests for the youth in the community, donations to local charities, and by supporting educational and cultural activities that promote understanding and respect of racial differences and racial equality within the community. www.mlkgreaterattleboro.org