By Yujia Song
W&L alumnae artists are coming back to their beloved duPont Gallery, where an exhibit of their works is on display from March 6 to March 30.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of accepting women to W&L, the exhibit showcases works by eight woman graduates. All of them have gone on to “graduate schools or work seriously as artists,” said Pamela Simpson, professor of art history.
She said the exhibit aims to show “a range of women” during the 20 years of coeducation. Lucy Anderson, a 1989 graduate, was one of the earliest women students at W&L. Katie Abplanalp and Katie Wall, on the other hand, graduated just last year.
All of the women majored in art during their four years here. Some advanced their studies in graduate art programs. Caroline Cobb Wright of class 2000, for example, obtained a Master’s degree in Art History from the University of Virginia. Others have established careers in art-related fields. Schuyler Rideout, ’91, worked at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the National Gallery in Washington D.C., said Simpson.
One exception is Lucy Anderson. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in French and Art from W&L, she attended W&L law school and received her J.D. in 1995. Since then, she has been practicing law with McGlinchey Stafford, one of the largest law firms in the Southeast. However, she studied at New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture in the early 90s and continues to paint. Her works exhibited dated as recent as last year.
Artists say the W&L experience was invaluable for their later pursuits in art after graduation.
Wright, who majored in art history, studio art and journalism at W&L, said it was the professors at W&L who inspired her to teach studio art and AP Art History in Raleigh, N.C.
“I wanted to teach art history because I love the art history courses I took [at W&L],” she said.
Wright is grateful to her teachers. “They are wonderful professors,” she said. “Professor Olson was always pushing me to do art… Professor Simpson encouraged me to go to the graduate school.”
Betsy Ely, ’03, said the study abroad trip to Italy in her sophomore year “got [her] really excited about art.” The trip gave her the opportunity to see original works of Renaissance art. At the same time, she “did a lot of painting with Professor Kathleen,” said Ely.
Katie Wall said she too enjoyed the Italy trip, which she went on in her last spring term.
“‘Painting Italy’ (the study abroad program) became the most exciting five weeks of my college career,” she said in an e-mail to Olson.
As art majors, the women have fond memories of duPont Gallery as well.
“I lived in duPont for I double majored in art,” said Wright. “I was there all the time.”
She even had the whole gallery to herself for displaying her senior thesis work, said Wright. “I was the only senior student with an art major that year,” she said, and so the entire duPont was dedicated to her paintings of interiors and women.
While the artists have held exhibitions in different parts of the country, this is perhaps the first time after leaving W&L to exhibit their works in duPont once again.
“I’m excited,” said Ely, who is presenting a group of photographs she will use for her graduate thesis show.
Artists will attend a reception this Friday, March 10, at 5 p.m. in the gallery.
Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.
Lead supervisor: Prof. Claudette Artwick
Reporting supervisor: Prof. Doug Cumming
Editing supervisor: Prof. Pamela Luecke
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd