Essence to Auction Special SSR
23 September 2004 - 4:34PM
PR Newswire (US)
Essence to Auction Special SSR Auction to Benefit Organization
Working With Teenagers and the Creative Arts NEW YORK, Sept. 23
/PRNewswire/ -- A custom-painted Chevrolet SSR will go up for
auction on Monday, October 4 on ebay.com, with proceeds going to
the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts|Riverfront
(NOCCA|Riverfront). The vehicle, featuring original artwork by
artist Margaret Slade Kelley, was given to the Essence Music
Festival team in July in honor of the Festival's 10th anniversary.
The Essence Music Festival, known as "the party with a purpose," is
the nation's largest annual African-American event and gathering of
musical talent in the world. The Festival has become a destination
of choice for families and friends as they schedule their reunions.
The SSR's hood is the canvas for "Creole Lady," an image that
brings together the Essence Music Festival and the African American
experience. "Creole Lady" is a mosaic of oranges, reds, blues and
greens and is placed in the Historic French Quarter of New Orleans.
Chevy commissioned the work from Kelley who is known for combining
social, expressive and personal images in her work. In 1995, Kelley
created three pieces of artwork that served as the backdrop for the
Essence Awards. The SSR features a 5.3L all-aluminum V8 engine,
which provides 300 hp and 225 lbs-ft. of torque. The vehicle sports
a 4-speed automatic engine, and includes front & rear disc
brakes, and 4-wheel ABS. The Chevy SSR is the only retractable
hardtop pickup truck on the market and features 19-inch front and
20-inch rear tires & wheels, hydroformed frame rails, a
Zexel-Torsen limited- slip differential, electronic traction
control, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, power windows and
leather seats. The vehicle also includes an upgraded cargo
compartment with wood trim, heated seats and an in-dash, six-CD,
Bose premium sound system. "We wanted to do something really
special to commemorate the Festival's 10th anniversary," said Nate
Love, Chevrolet marketing manager. "The number 10 is very important
to both EMF and Chevy. As the festival celebrated its 10th
anniversary, Chevy is in the midst of bringing 10 new products to
the market in 20 months. We think the number '10' is a great thing
to have in common!" NOCCA|Riverfront is the State of Louisiana's
arts conservatory for public, private, and parochial high school
students. The Essence Music Festival selected NOCCA|Riverfront as
beneficiary for the SSR donation because the two have such similar
missions and share many core beliefs. "Essence shares Chevrolet's
commitment to community. We wanted this gracious gift to benefit an
organization working with our youth," said Edward Lewis, publisher
and chief executive officer of Essence Communication Partners. "We
believe that the phenomenal work NOCCA|Riverfront has accomplished
with young people over the years perfectly reflects the dedication
that is important to us and the future of America." "The woman in
the painting represents all that is Essence -- she has beauty,
strength and ability," said Margaret Slade Kelley. "She is
surrounded by men who are adorned with masks in honor of their
ancestors and heritage. The steps empower the rising up of a people
who are inspired to reach new heights. The background combines a
traditional New Orleans balcony while the pattern in the stage
drapery flows to the rhythm of music." "Chevrolet has sponsored the
Essence Music Festival for the past five years. Chevy's strong ties
to the festival reflect its dedication to community and
philanthropy," Love said. "Chevrolet is involved in a variety of
community, youth and scholarship programs, and has worked with
great partners like Essence as part of our commitment to give back
to our loyal and valued customers. We are very excited Essence has
selected NOCCA|Riverfront as the ultimate beneficiary of our gift,"
Love said. NOCCA|Riverfront was founded in 1973 and provides
intensive professional training in dance, media arts, music
(classical, jazz, vocal), theatre (drama, musical theatre, theatre
design), visual arts, and creative writing to students at the high
school level. Prominent alumni include Wynton and Branford
Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Harry Connick, Jr., Nicholas Payton,
Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet, Wendell Pierce and Anthony Mackie.
Chevrolet is one of America's most well-known and successful
automotive brands. With the largest dealer network in the United
States, Chevy is the leader in full-size trucks and the leader in
sales of vehicles priced $35,000 and above. In addition, Chevrolet
delivers more-than-expected value in every vehicle category,
offering cars and trucks priced from $9,995 to $52,000. Offering
dynamic yet timeless designs, Chevy owners demand great looks that
don't go out of style, high performance per dollar, and features
expected in more expensive vehicles. Chevrolet's global
headquarters is at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. For more
information, go to http://www.chevy.com/ . Essence Festivals, LLC,
produces the Essence Music Festival. Essence Festivals, LLC, is a
division of Essence Communications Partners (ECP). ECP is the
publisher of ESSENCE magazine, which after 34 years continues to be
the preeminent lifestyle magazine of African-American women.
Additional information available at http://www.essence.com/events .
DATASOURCE: General Motors Corporation CONTACT: Rhonda Evans of
Essence Communications Partners, +1-212-642-0676, Email: ; Carolyn
Normandin of Chevrolet Communications, +1-313-667-4079, E-mail: ;
Richard Read of The NOCCA Institute, +1-504-940-2808, Email: Web
site: http://media.gm.com/ http://www.gm.com/ http://www.chevy.com/
http://www.essence.com/events
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