
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 8, 1990                   TAG: 9003081728
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FREDERICKSBURG                                 LENGTH: Medium

CLUB SNUBS NUDES; ARTISTS TO PROTEST

The painting shows a woman lying on a striped sofa, and in front of her is a vase filled with bright zinnias.

It's one of Dee McCleskey's best works - or so she thought, until the Fredericksburg Woman's Club yanked it from this weekend's Fine Arts Show because the model is nude.

"It does bother me," said McCleskey. "I can't understand. To me, it was beautiful."

"I have nothing against nudes . . . but we had to think of some people who would object," said club member Natalie Maas. "This is a small-town show, not in Europe, not in Washington."

Maas said the show has featured nudes before, but the club has gotten a lot of complaints for it from members. This year, the club refused to accept two nude paintings for the display.

"We traded in one problem for a bigger one. . . .If we did a boo-boo, we're sorry. But we did what we think is best," said Maas.

"I'm surprised to hear people in Fredericksburg would be shocked by a nude. I can't believe Fredericksburg is so unsophisticated," said 72-year-old Rhoda MacCallum of Warsaw, whose work also was rejected. Her painting was of a daydreaming nude woman wearing a hat.

MacCallum, who three times has won the top award in state art shows, said the purpose of an exhibit is to "see what artists are creating. You may not understand it all, you may not like it all, but at least you've seen it. You don't go to an art show to find a painting that matches your drapes."

Paula Rose, an artist and owner of a local art supply shop, called the club's decision censorship.

"The painting of the nude figure is a fine tradition in art. . . . It's completely foreign to me that anyone would deem it offensive. I find it offensive that it would be rejected on that basis," she said.

A group of artists, including MacCallum and Rose, are planning to protest the decision with a demonstration Friday when the exhibit judge is expected to arrive.

Rose said the name of the art show should be changed to "The Woman's Club Pretty Picture Show."

The art exhibit features 320 works by 112 artists. It will open Sunday and run through March 18.

by CNB