FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Chris Canty Foundation Introduces Commemorative Painting For

Historic West End Clean Up

J. Stacy Utley Partners with the Chris Canty Foundation to Show Support of Historic Charlotte Neighborhood

Charlotte, NC – The Chris Canty Foundation (www.ChrisCantyFoundation.com) is an organization dedicated to enhancing the total development of youth in urban communities along the east coast.  The goal of the organization is to utilize the platform of sports to inspire a positive change in the lives of youth through mentoring, educational programs and physical activities while promoting health and well-being.

Since its inception, the Chris Canty Foundation has found creative ways to show its support for the community that it serves.  The Canty Foundation commissioned artist J. Stacy Utley to create an art piece which captures the spirit of the historic west end of Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, N.C.  The piece “Crossing Four Points” is a collage that expresses the beauty, diversity and progress of the community thru an array of materials that consist of acrylic, fabric, photography and textured paper. Prints of this original commissioned piece are being sold for $175 through the Chris Canty Foundation website.

“The Chris Canty Foundation is an organization that truly believes in the improvement of the communities that we serve.  “Four Points” is a commemorative piece that we are especially proud of at the foundation.  The picture encompasses Rozzles Ferry Road, Beatties Ford Road, West Trade Street and 5th Street is the personification of a crossroads.  The proceeds of this piece will support the many programs that we offer to the broader community,” said Joseph Canty, Executive Director.  “To show our support of the community we donated the original to Johnson C. Smith University a historically black college based in the four points area.”

About The Chris Canty Foundation:

The Chris Canty Foundation works to enhance the total development of youth by working with families and neighborhood programs synergistically to provide avenues for children to develop their talents and gifts. We believe that creating an environment in which each child receives personal attention and support fosters a sense of value and self-confidence

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For information contact:

Joseph Canty, Executive Director

(704) 845-4601

TO PAINT THE FIRST COMMEMORATIVE PIECE

Finding Our Fairway is the first in the Gray Classic Commemorative Series

About the Piece:

Journaling the rise of African Americans in golf in the Charlotte community through a mixed media collage, artist J. Stacy Utley captured the essence of the Gray Classic with the first commemorative series piece “Finding Our Fairway”.  This piece is evidence of the struggles and triumphs that African Americans experienced on the golf course.

The mixed media collage captures over 50 years of golf from the African American perspective.  In the mix of fabric, acrylic and paper you will find images of PGA golfers and coaches such as: Dr. Charles Sifford, Former professional golfer who helped to desegregate the PGA of America, Walter Morgan, American professional golfer who has played on the Senior PGA Tour which is now the Champions Tour; James Black, Played the PGA Tour in the 1960’s and he was the first-round leader in the 1964 LA Open; Lee Elder, Learning his sport as a caddy carrying the clubs of white golfers, Lee Elder evolved from a high school dropout and golf “hustler” to become the most successful African American ever on the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour; Phil Neely, One of the most successful golfers of his time; Don Littlejohn, Mecklenburg County Amateur winner in 1989 and 1991; Andre Springs, Legendary golf professional and instructor, was named the new athletic director at Livingstone College; Dr. Ronald L. Carter, President at Johnson C. Smith University and Harvey Gantt, Democratic politician.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

While many artists have a typical medium that defines their signature style, Stacy doesn’t limit his experimentation, shaping his body of work in ink, watercolor, oil and chalk pastels, acrylics, and more recently, collages using an array of materials. His art depicts the human spirit and celebration of African-American culture through body movement and language.