School Waves, a public sculpture created through a partnership of the Walter Anderson Museum’s Public Art Enterprise, the Mississippi Arts Commission, Studio Waveland’s Erica and Mitchell Gaudet and Coast Episcopal School, was unveiled Friday, May 19, 2025 on the Long Beach independent school’s campus.
The unveiling, which graces the exterior entrance of the Gail Keenan Art Center, coincided with the closing of Paper Fools in Wonderland, an art show that has featured the art of 13 local artists for the last 13 weeks.
Speakers at the unveiling included: Casey Maugh Funderburk, Chairman, CES Board of Directors; Evelina Burnett, CES Capital Campaign Manager; Julian Rankin, Executive Director of the Walter Anderson Museum; Scott Naugle, Commissioner, Mississippi Arts Commission; Erica Larking Gaudet and Mitchell Gaudet, Artists, Studio Waveland; and Wynn Seemann, who, along with Artist Kat Fitzpatrick, was instrumental in establishing the school’s art center, named for their friend, Gail Keenan.
One portion of the exhibit still remains; the painting of the white wall in which the sculpture is installed in multiple places. The painting, in seafoam shades of blue, will follow the lines of the sculptured steel waves adorned by colorful glass fish created from forms created by CES students.
Following the unveiling, attendees entered the GKAC for refreshments and to enjoy the final day of the third iteration of Paper Fools, curated by Bay St. Louis Artist and Photographer Ann Madden. Also featured were several pieces by Gail Keenan, for whom the center is named.
Gail Keenan Art Center was dedicated in February 2011 to the memory of the recognized ceramic artist and printmaker who was born in 1940 in New Orleans and passed away in February 2005. Ms. Keenan’s ties to the MS Gulf Coast were strong throughout her lifetime, during which she had works exhibited in Santa Cruz, CA; New Orleans, LA; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, KA; Ocean Springs, MS; Camden, ME; and Boston, MA, Ms. Keenan’s love for the arts continues to be honored in the works created and exhibited in the Coast Episcopal School signature art center.
Sponsorship opportunities to support the sculpture are still available:
- $150 Creative Cast Net: Glass replica of the CES’ fish that are part of the School Waves Sculpture.
- $250 Building a Base: Glass replica of the CES’ fish on a glass base and your name on the sponsor plaque.
- $600 – Fish Trinity: Replica of the School Waves Sculpture with THREE CES’ Fish on steel waves.
- $5000 Artistic Activator (Limited to two sponsors): Family or business name prominently displayed on one of the two outdoor sponsor plaques PLUS one glass fish replica AND a Fish Trinity, School Waves Sculpture replica.
Wynn Seemann and Kat Fitzpatrick honored their dear friend, Gail Keenan, by providing her photo and several of her pieces for the show closing. Many of Ms. Keenan’s pieces were lost when Katrina hit homes along the MS Coast, so exhibiting Keenan’s artifacts was very special. Kat Fitzpatrick’s works were included in the Paper Fools in Wonderland Show, and she served for many years as the CES Art Teacher. In addition to their support of the GKAC, Wynn and Bill Seemann had the vision and generosity that made possible the campus’ Seemann Makerspace, the multi-technology asset that provides CES students with hands-on learning opportunities and is adjacent to the GKAC.
Scott Naugle, Mississippi Arts Commissioner and owner of Cat Island Coffeehouse & Bookstore, addressed the attendees to explain the importance of partnerships that strengthen the strong tradition of art and culture for which Mississippi is recognized.
