THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 21, 1994 TAG: 9407200168
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WAKEFIELD LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
WHEN KATHRYN C. ``Kitty'' Nettles was in the sixth grade, her art teacher told her she had no talent for drawing. And for years, Nettles respected her teacher's opinion.
When she was 38, however, Nettles decided to take a watercolor class at the Walter Cecil Rawls Museum in Courtland and discovered not only a hobby, but a career.
``I was bitten by the bug,'' Nettles said, smiling. ``I knew I could do it, because it rang good bells.''
A year later, Nettles, who lives in Wakefield, began to display her works throughout the state.
Although watercolors were her first love, Nettles' creations now include mixed media collage, handmade paper, and works made from cut paper woven together on a background.
She first exhibited at the Petersburg Area Art League's outdoor show in 1979 and was presented an award.
``That gave me affirmation to go on,'' Nettles said. ``At first I did lots of architectural images, but my favorite subjects are close-ups of foliate patterns.''
Today, the 55-year-old Nettles' love for art has extended far beyond her studio.
She has served on the Virginia Commission for the Arts since then-Gov. Gerald R. Baliles first appointed her in 1988.
Nettles has chaired the commission's arts in education committee for several years and helped in the development of partnerships with the Virginia Community College System, the Virginia Alliance for Arts Education, and the Virginia Department of Education for improving education in the arts.
For her contribution to the arts, Nettles was awarded the Virginia Alliance for Arts Education Distinguished Service Award on June 11 at the Wakefield Foundation Art and Flower Show.
A native of Clarksville, Nettles grew up in Richmond and during her early years was interested in music.
Her father was a musician and Nettles began to follow in his footsteps - playing the piano, singing in a barbershop quartet and acting in plays at Thomas Jefferson High School.
After graduation, she enrolled at the College of William and Mary and planned to major in math. At the end of her freshman year, though, she left school to marry Edwin C. Nettles Jr., now Sussex County commonwealth's attorney.
They have been married 36 years and have three grown children and a 6-year-old granddaughter.
At 32, she began commuting from Wakefield to Petersburg to attend Richard Bland College.
She later attended Virginia State University and William and Mary.
At 45, Nettles received her bachelor's degree in arts with a concentration in studio art from William and Mary.
Nettles taught art at Tidewater Academy for a year, describing it as a ``learning experience.''
She has taught adult art classes at Rawls Museum and the Wakefield Foundation and now exhibits in about four shows a year.
Nettles is active in Christ Episcopal Church in Waverly and is a member of the Petersburg Area Art League, the Woman's Club of Wakefield and the board of the Walter Cecil Rawls Library Board for Sussex County.
For her art work, Nettles draws inspiration from her flower and herbal gardens in Wakefield.
``In my paintings, I work with lots of white and dark areas and with multiple layers,'' she said. ``Then I have to let them dry. I'm impatient, so I usually work on two projects at once.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Artist Kitty Nettles has received the Virginia Alliance for Arts
Education Distinguished Service Award.
by CNB