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.
