Monday, August 5, 2013

Bringing color and collaboration to Burnette Hall

 

 Bringing color and collaboration to Burnette Hall, artists-in-residence from Westminster Canterbury Richmond and Cedarfield retirement communities have transformed formerly bare walls on the Second Floor of the Arts & Humanities into a welcome gallery space. 

In an effort to bring more artwork and visual interest to the college, Dr. Rhodes has reached out to local artists, such as photographer Wayne Dementi, whose images are featured at the Goochland Campus; Beth and Wolfgang Jasper, displayed in the Workforce Development and Conference Center; and, the collection gifted by W. Baxter Perkinson at the Downtown Campus.  Westminster Canterbury and Cedarfield, both with active art programs, each adopted a wall in the Arts & Humanities wing, giving the residents ample room to showcase their talents.

Westminster Canterbury’s “The Four Seasons of Richmond, Virginia” murals feature well-known monuments and landmarks.  “Virginia Trees in Their Native Habitat” by the Cedarfield artists takes a more bucolic turn.  “Viewing the pieces is like taking a drive through the city and then through the country,” said Brenda Bickerstaff-Stanley, an artist and project coordinator at Cedarfield. 

Among the contributing artists from Westminster Canterbury is Dr. M.L. Foy, retired Physics professor at Reynolds.  She and the other artists from both programs met each other for the first time recently to swap stories, photos, and admire each other’s work.  Pausing to look at each panel, Dr. Foy remarked, “Very nicely done.  Everyone did a great job.” 
In a testament to Dr. Foy’s remarks, it’s not unusual to see students poised in a moment of quiet reflection in front of the pieces, or hear a comment of appreciation from a passerby to another.  It seems the project – as art has the power to do – is continuing to bring people together in a meaningful way.