The Reserve and Its Community Foundation to Feature Two Artists in Residence

Guitarist Jhon Akers and Pianist Martha Beaudrot Named 2011 Artists in Residence

Applications for 2012 Artists in Residence Being Accepted

SUNSET, S.C., July 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Reserve at Lake Keowee community, together with its Community Foundation, today named the two artists selected for its 2011 Artists in Residence program: guitarist Jhon Akers and pianist Martha Beaudrot.

"We at the Reserve Foundation are thrilled to do something unique this year in naming two Artists in Residence. Jhon Akers and Martha Beaudrot embody the spirit of our community with their South Carolina-grown talents and their appreciation for the beauty of our area. As well-traveled as they are, this year's artists take such inspiration from South Carolina; we are delighted to welcome them to the Reserve and share their talents with the Upstate at large," added Kathryn Coleman-Gravely, Executive Director of The Reserve at Lake Keowee Community Foundation.

Jhon Akers will be in residence at The Reserve August 21st-24th. Martha Beaudrot will be in residence October 28th-31st. For more information, call (864) 481-4010 or email Kathryn Coleman-Gravely at kgravely@reservekeowee.com.

Now in its fourth year, the Artist in Residence program allows The Reserve to share the natural beauty of its community with artists so that they may experience a peaceful retreat, giving them a picturesque locale for reflection and inspiration, as well as an ideal way to reach out to the community. The program is funded by The Reserve's Community Foundation and includes a visit to The Reserve, classes and field trips open to owners and the public, and other community outreach initiatives in and around the property. The Arts are one of four focus areas around which the Community Foundation was founded in 2008.

"I am honored to be an Artist in Residence at the Reserve this year," says Akers. "My heart has always been in the beauty of South Carolina's outdoors, and capturing it in my music will be my aim while in residence at the Reserve."

Jhon Akers, a professor at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., is passionate about classical guitar. Upon returning to South Carolina after earning his Ph.D. in Hispanic Language and Literature in California, Akers discovered that a beloved poet, Carl Sandburg, also delighted in classical guitar. Like Sandburg, who lived in the Appalachian mountains, Akers takes pleasure in finding the links between poetry and music. In addition to playing and teaching Spanish to his college students, Akers has created a Troubadour program, bringing numerous classical guitarists to his Upstate college's campus.

"The Artist in Residence program will enable me to do what I love, which is share my love of the guitar, perform, recite, narrate and give people a little bit of an historic and musical perspective on the classical guitar in our corner of the world," he says.

Similarly, Martha Beaudrot finds her inspiration and love for music tied deeply to the landscape of the mountains. Trained as a high school student in the Blue Ridge mountains in Brevard, Beaudrot went on to pursue her passion for piano at the University of North Carolina, earning her Master of Music in Piano Performance, and furthering her studies in New York at the Eastman School of Music.

After returning to South Carolina, Beaudrot tapped into her love for the natural beauty of the region and has become a prolific accompanist, performer and independent instructor to a variety of talented pianists in the area.

"My love for music, and my understanding early on that it would be my life's journey, inspires me to share my talents and enthusiasm with others. I am thrilled to be part of the Artists in Residence program at the Reserve at Lake Keowee," comments Beaudrot. "I cannot think of a better way to give back to the part of our state that has encouraged me so richly.

Performing artists interested in participating in the Reserve's 2012 Artists in Residence program are invited to apply. For further details, visit http://www.reserveatlakekeowee.com/Keowee/info/featured-artists-speakers.aspx.

About The Reserve at Lake Keowee's Community Foundation

The Reserve at Lake Keowee Community Foundation is a non-profit organization created to enhance the quality of life at The Reserve and in the local area while fulfilling a sense of community and philanthropy here for The Reserve's members. The Foundation sponsors regular cultural events including concerts, plays, lectures, and an annual art festival. The Foundation is funded and supported by a transfer fee of 1/4 of 1% of every sale, provided in perpetuity, within The Reserve.

The Foundation has four major functions:
1. Environment: to promote environmental stewardship and provide a greater understanding and appreciation of the area's natural resources.
2. Education: to provide educational and enrichment programs for Reserve property owners and the surrounding community.
3. Arts: to promote cultural initiatives for property owners and the surrounding community, with both visual and performing arts.
4. Outreach: to assist charitable organizations and facilitate property owner volunteerism in Pickens County and surrounding communities.

For more information about The Reserve's Community Foundation, see www.reserveatlakekeowee.com or call (864) 481-4010.

Media Contact

Anne Smith
Avery Smith Communications
864.360.3176 mobile
averysmithcomm@gmail.com

About The Reserve at Lake Keowee

The Reserve spans 30 miles of shoreline on Lake Keowee with convenient access to Greenville, Asheville, and Clemson University, and more than $100 million in completed family amenities including a 200-slip Marina and Village Center, Guest House, Pool Complex and Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.   The community has approximately 650 members from 30 different states.  Members and their extended families—including parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren – enjoy club privileges under the new, multi-generational Legacy Membership program.  The Reserve was created in 2000 by Greenwood Communities and Resorts, and features 3,900 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains including 1,400 acres of parks, preserves, trails and green space. Homesites begin in the $100,000s.  To learn more, call 877-922-LAKE (5253), visit www.ReserveAtLakeKeowee.com, or read the official community blog at www.LifeOnKeowee.com.

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