Ohio Arts Council Announces 2011 Ohio Heritage Fellowship Winners
by Katie Hoppenjans, Public Information Office intern
Every year, the Ohio Arts Council awards Ohio Heritage Fellowships to acknowledge the valuable impact folk and traditional artists have on the arts in Ohio. Edwin George and Kanniks Kannikeswaran, the 2011 Ohio Heritage Fellowship recipients, exemplify this impact. George and Kannikeswaran are dedicated to enriching their communities through the arts. In recognition of their accomplishments and contributions to the Ohio arts community, they will each receive a 2011 Ohio Heritage Fellowship award ($3,500 each) at the Ohio State Fair on Thursday, July 28 at 4 p.m. in the Natural Resources Park Amphitheater.
Edwin George, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokees, was born in Cherokee, North Carolina in 1934 and has lived in Kent, Ohio since the 1980s. Through his art, he has found a way to pass on Cherokee stories, culture and history in a way that transcends the language barrier. A self-taught artist, George began painting in 1991 in order to preserve the stories he heard in his youth. In addition to being visually spectacular, his work encompasses the intricacies and beauty of Cherokee myths and culture by incorporating Cherokee iconography and written language.
Through storytelling and art-sharing workshops, George has been sharing his love of Cherokee tradition with Ohioans for decades. He designed a beautiful mural for his hometown of Kent, and he regularly shares his storytelling and paintings at schools and community events. George will receive the 2011 Ohio Heritage Fellowship in Material Culture.
Kanniks Kannikeswaran is an acclaimed musician, composer and educator who has been sharing his love of the classical music traditions of India for more than 30 years. Kannikeswaran was born in Chennai, India in 1962 and began studying Indian classical music at the age of 9. In addition to being the founder and director of the American School of Indian Art in Cincinnati, Kannikeswaran has taught the theory and history of Indian classical music at the College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati since 1994. He also has created several large-scale theatrical, recording and choral productions.
Kannikeswaran's pioneering work reflects his commitment to spreading awareness of Indian music and its philosophy. His dedication as an artist and educator continues to increase the knowledge of Indian classical music in his community. Kannikeswaran will receive the 2011 Ohio Heritage Fellowship in Performing Arts.
The award ceremony will take place July 28, during Ohio Heritage Day at the Ohio State Fair, presented for the third year by the Ohio Arts Council and Cityfolk, Ohio's only full-time, professional presenter of traditional and ethnic performing arts. The awards will be presented at the Ohio Heritage Showcase prior to a performance by Tony Ellis, a world-famous banjo player who received the first Ohio Heritage Fellowship in 2003.
The Ohio Arts Council's Ohio Heritage Fellowships are awarded to individuals and organizations whose work in the folk and traditional arts has had a significant impact on the people and communities of Ohio. Folk and traditional arts grow out of particular cultures and are recognized as the artistic expressions of ethnic, linguistic, occupational or regional groups.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino at kathy.signorino@oac.state.oh.us or 614/728-6140.
About the Ohio Arts Council:
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
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