Award ceremony scheduled for Sept. 16

Winner of G. Scott Griffin Award named

The Community Foundation announces that local poet Carlos Colón is the winner of the third annual G. Scott Griffin Award. The award recognizes one local artist who has overcome adversity to make a contribution to the community in the execution of his art.

Colón will receive a cash award of $1,000 at a reception and ceremony on Thursday, September 16, at 5 p.m. at artspace, 710 Texas Street, Shreveport, LA 71101. The event is open to the public.

Colón, Region 2 branch coordinator for Shreve Memorial Library, notes that his artistic philosophy is "to write poems that are accessible to anyone reading or hearing the work,” and that he especially wants to succeed with the reluctant reader or reluctant listener. Humor is among the tools he uses.

The late artist, G. Scott Griffin, was a true multidisciplinary multimedia artist. Throughout his professional career, Griffin was recognized for his accomplishments in musical composition, multi-instrumental performance, photography, videography and cinematography. Because of these achievements, few people recognized that he had to overcome adversity in the performance of his art. From his childhood, Griffin coped with a visual handicap. Rather than giving up his artistic dreams, Griffin invited his audiences to join him on a journey of discovery and beauty that was possible through the lens of his camera and his varied canvases. His music enchanted listeners because he played by heart and not by sight.

Colón was born with four congenital heart defects and underwent surgery at Texas Children's Hospital in 1958 and 1963. Later medical problems included pulmonary disease and a warning stroke.