Jackson awarded another grant

Mary Jackson, the celebrated sweetgrass basket weaver who in September won a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, has been given another grant for artistic excellence.

The United States Artists, a national artists advocacy organization based in Los Angeles, has awarded Jackson an unrestricted $50,000 fellowship.

Jackson and several other fellows were honored Monday night at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

"Artists drive our nation's cultural life and give voice to who we are and where we're headed," said Susan V. Berresford, board chairwoman of United States Artists. "Many of this country's 2 million artists struggle to make ends meet and … it is essential to invest in our nation's finest creative voices."

A panel of experts chose recipients because of the caliber and impact of their work in the fields of architecture and design, crafts and traditional arts, dance, literature, media arts, music, theater arts and visual arts.

The USA Fellows for 2008 are from 21 states and range in age from 31 to 82. They represent a spectrum of cultural, ethnic and geographic perspectives.

This year's honorees include free-jazz pioneer Muhal Richard Abrams; musician and Chinese pipa virtuoso Wu Man; playwright and hip-hop theater performer Will Power; William Faulkner Award-winning novelist and short-story writer Barry Hannah; and independent filmmaker William Greaves, considered the dean of African-American film.

This is the third year of the program, bringing the total funds awarded to working artists to $7.5 million.

Jackson, 63, grew up in Mount Pleasant and currently lives on Johns Island.

She learned basketry from her mother and grandmother, starting as a child.

Jackson's pieces have been exhibited at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, as well as in Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Detroit.

Even Prince Charles and the Empress of Japan own her baskets.

Some of Jackson's pieces have sold for more than $20,000.

Similar to the United States Artists grant, the $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship, or "genius grant," also is without restrictions, guidelines or strings. Recipients can do whatever they want with the money.