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May Issue 2005
Blue Ridge Community College
in Flat Rock, NC, Presents 13th Annual Arida Arts Symposium
The 13th Annual Arida Arts Symposium at Blue Ridge Community College
in Flat Rock, NC, will honor the Voorhees Family, a North Carolina
family of artists inspired for generations. The event will take
place on May 6, 2005.
The Celebration activities include:
Creativity Workshop - 10-11am, Thomas Auditorium. Come explore the creative process with members of the Voorhees Family in a free hands-on workshop. Participants will leave with a creation of their own.
Reception and Exhibition - 5:30-6:45pm, Thomas Auditorium Gallery. You will have an opportunity to meet Voorhees family members and see some of their work.
Evening Presentation - 7-8:30pm, Thomas Auditorium - "A Family Inspired for Generations". Reservation holders should arrive by 6:45pm to claim seats.
Reservations for the workshop and/or evening presentation are encouraged. Call 828/694-1708.
Edwin H. Voorhees (1919-1999) and his wife, Mildred, were the beginning of this family of artists; their enthusiasm for painting has encouraged the next three generations. Edwin retired early from a corporate career to pursue his passion for painting, becoming renowned throughout the Southeast for his distinctive watercolor seascapes. Edwin's painting career spanned decades in North Carolina, ending with his death in 1999. His paintings are owned by many individuals, as well as being in the permanent collections of various corporations including Wachovia and BB&T Banks, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
About the artists participating:
Mildred Voorhees (Watercolors
and Oils)
The matriarch of this artistic family, Mildred's colorful, patterned
watercolors and rich oils have been gaining recognition through
awards and publications. She currently lives in Morehead City,
North Carolina, where she hosts the Voorhees Family Art Show once
a year at her home studio. Her paintings hang in the permanent
collections of many corporations and private homes throughout
this country and Great Britain, including Duke University and
Wachovia Bank. She has been accepted in numerous juried shows
including the National Pastel Society, the Southern Watercolor
Society, and the North Carolina Watercolor Society.
Susan Voorhees (Pastels and Oils)
Daughter Susan, an occupational therapist from Baltimore, Maryland,
works in pastels and oils. She is attracted to the subtle play
of light on surfaces whether it be a landscape or still life.
Susan often travels to England, France, and the coast of Maine
with her mother and sister, Jane, to paint the scenic landscapes
in those areas.
Jane Voorhees (Watercolors)
Daughter Jane paints primarily in watercolors, but works in oils
as well. She skillfully captures peaceful moods and colors in
her landscape paintings and has created a popular line of note
cards using her images of the region. Jane is a member of the
North Carolina Watercolor Society and lives in Asheville, North
Carolina.
David Voorhees (Porcelain Pottery)
Son David was trained as a painter but soon discovered his calling
in clay the first time he touched it on a pottery wheel. Porcelain
provided a key element in the development of his current body
of work, which incorporates subtle and colorful brush decorations.
David and his wife, Molly, are both members of the Southern Highland
Craft Guild.
Molly Sharp Voorhees (Jewelry)
Molly is David's wife and Mildred's daughter-in-law. She is a
contemporary jeweler working in sterling silver and gold. All
of her work is hand fabricated using sheet and wire, often incorporating
natural beach pebbles she finds on her travels. Molly and David
own Hand in Hand Gallery in Flat Rock, North Carolina, which represents
the works of family members as well as regional artists.
Liz Voorhees (Photography)
Liz is Mildred's granddaughter, David's daughter, and Molly's
stepdaughter. She has a degree in studio art from the College
of Charleston and has recently completed her service as a Peace
Corps volunteer in Niger, Africa. She has a love of photography
and will be displaying some of her provocative West African images.
Trace Voorhees (Digital Photography)
Trace is Mildred's grandson. He has a background in the performing
arts, including performances with the National Opera Company;
however, like many of his family members, he was drawn to explore
his artistic talent and has become an avid digital photographer.
He and his wife currently reside in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
And there are more . . . son and woodworker Chad Voorhees, daughter-in-law and author Caren Goldman, granddaughter and college art major Susie Little, and 10-year old great-granddaughter Andie Lieberman, who is just starting to work in jewelry and other art forms, will also have their works on display during the Symposium.
All events are funded by the Gamil T. Arida Endowment Fund through the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation and are free to the public.
For more information, contact
Lee Anna Haney at 828/694-1885, Ann Green at 828/694-1709 or at
(www.blueridge.edu).
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