If art is created to engage, Garnett Elementary School kids now have a opportunity to reflect on the giant, steel-geared butterfly greeting them every school day.
The amazing steel sculpture by Ghanaian sculptor and entrepreneur Constance Elizabeth Swaniker is one of 24 sculptures from the Hanna and Peter Woicke collection donated to the Chestertown Public Art Committee and installed on April 14. More of the Woicke sculptures will be arriving this summer.
From Accra, Ghana, Constance Swaniker is an accomplished artist and entrepreneur who believes in the power of art to inspire and empower youth.
As an entrepreneur, Swaniker established Accents & Art Ltd, a premier purveyor of wrought iron furniture in Ghana and West Africa, employing a workforce of 50 professionals earning sustainable livelihoods. Moreover, under her leadership, Accents, and Art has offered formal industrial internships and contractual apprenticeships to hundreds of youth through diverse institutional partnerships.
In March 2016 she formally launched Design and Technical institute to bridge the gap that exists between industry and academia. To this end in consultation with consultants and industry experts, she developed the Precision Fabrication and Precision Quality curriculum making DTI the first privately accredited institution to offer welding and fabrication level 3.
The Spy caught up with Constance Swaniker during a reception for her held at Kent Cultural Alliance. Interviewed by multimedia producer Betsy Kulman, the artist spoke about her journey as an artist and businesswoman in Africa, its challenges and ultimate successes in a country quickly becoming an arts powerhouse.
This video is approximately eight minutes in length. The full, 30-minute video will be made available at Kent Cultural Alliance. For more about KCA, go here.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.