Pictured from left are this year’s winners William Thomas Murphy of Bayside Academy and Braswell McMeans of Gulf Shores High School.
The Original Oyster House awarded its 14th Annual Chelsea Garvin Spirit Scholarships to William Thomas Murphy of Bayside Academy and Braswell McMeans of Gulf Shores High School. Murphy will attend Auburn University and McMeans will attend the University of Alabama in the fall and both intend to pursue art as an area of interest. The students also share the spirit of Chelsea Garvin through their community art programs which included spreading awareness to prevent bullying and environmental projects.
In 2006, the scholarship was created in loving memory of Chelsea Garvin, who was an exceptional employee, a volunteer Fish River Fire Department Rescue Diver and a talented artist. Tragically Chelsea lost her life in a boating accident while volunteering.
When describing how their submissions reflect the Original Oyster House, Murphy stated, “The background of my piece is a collage of various pictures representing the Original Oyster House’s rich and emotional history. This includes employees, customers, special-event flyers, visiting celebrities and even devastating pictures of the restaurant after hurricanes. On top of the collage is a detailed oyster shell with the Oyster House logo represented as the ‘Pearl’ of the causeway and the background of the oyster shell is a breathtaking sunset view of Mobile, seen while dining at the restaurant. The piece is covered in a wax coating and etched with an ink finish to give a more rustic feel and three dimensional appearance.”
McMeans stated, “My submission is a mixed media piece that features oyster shells stained red, along with real pearls, assembled to resemble the American flag. I chose to use oyster shells because the Original Oyster House participates in the oyster shell recycling program.”
The winning artworks will be displayed in both Original Oyster House restaurants for local patrons and visitors from all over the country to enjoy. The winners were given $1,000 each as well as restaurant gift certificates to see first-hand their artwork displayed with family and friends.
The Original Oyster House has become the “must-go-to” place for great fresh Gulf seafood, service and Southern hospitality and for its panoramic locations. A top-spot for hand-shucked and fire-grilled oysters, the Original Oyster House has also become legendary for its homemade gumbo, cheesy grits with blackened shrimp as well as handcrafted cocktails and desserts including its famous peanut butter chocolate chip pie.
The Original Oyster House has two locations, Mobile: 3733 Battleship Parkway, on the Causeway and Gulf Shores: 701 Gulf Shores Parkway on the Original Oyster House Boardwalk. Both locations offer spectacular waterfront views, private party rooms and have been celebrated as the area’s finest family restaurants for the past 37 years. For more information about Original Oyster House, visit www.originaloysterhouse.com or call 251-928-2620.