THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510200078
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: TERESA ANNAS
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
OCTOBER HAS BEEN declared National Folk Art Month in more than a dozen states, including Virginia.
Richmond has a wealth of shows commemorating the month, including an exhibit through Nov. 4 of work by the Rev. Anderson Johnson of Newport News at Elegba Folklore Society Cultural Center on East Franklin Street, (804) 644-3900.
In Hampton Roads, Geneva Beavers is among the best-known folk artists. A show of her art went on view last week at the d'Art Center.
``Animal Farm'' contains vintage Beavers material - carved and painted zebras, ducks and monkeys, and colorful paintings of critters in natural settings.
Beavers, 82, does the decorative, pattern-oriented painting. Her husband of 57 years, Earl, carves the wooden creatures and makes the frames.
``We've always been a team - now we're a team in art,'' said Beavers from her Chesapeake home.
Since suffering a stroke in 1990, Beavers has struggled to regain the steady hand that served her well in art. She hasn't made any art in about 18 months, she said.
The work at the d'Art Center is nearly all the work she has left.
At this time, she said, ``I have no desire to make art. I just want to get well and strong again. Since I lost my balance, I just hole around in the house.''
Beavers' show continues through Nov. 8 at the d'Art Center, 125 College Place, Norfolk. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Free. Call 625-4211. RIPENING VISIONS
Richmond photographer Carlie Collier has pulled together a truly worthwhile project that honors creative older women.
The exhibit is titled ``Muses: A Tribute to Mature Women Who Live Creative Lives,'' and is on view at Crestar Bank Gallery through Friday.
The show includes interviews and photographic portraits by the well-known Virginia artist, and is augmented with artwork by local women of a certain age.
One such artist is Norfolkian Sophie Sellars, whose own output includes welding folk sculptures and playing banjo with the Hotel Paradise Roof Garden Orchestra.
``Muses'' is an inspiring show about a great but undervalued asset in our society: our wise women.
The gallery is at 500 Main St. in downtown Norfolk, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Free. 624-5541. PENCILLED IN
In the early 1980s, Richard Mayberry used to exhibit often in this area, and was well known for his exquisitely detailed landscape drawings. He had an eye-catching way of presenting a dense field of visual information.
Later, he began to etch, and brought the same qualities to his prints.
But Mayberry moved to Charlotte, N.C. Since 1984, he has been in charge of the printmaking workshop at the Spirit Square Center for the Arts in that city.
The first Hampton Roads show of his work in many years is on view through next Sunday at the Hermitage Foundation Museum in Norfolk. He shows recent drawings and etchings, mostly of landscape and in a style that has remained much the same, said Phil Morrison, director of the Hermitage.
One such drawing is about six feet long and represents a year's labor, he said.
Mayberry is a past best-in-show winner of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show.
At the Hermitage he is exhibiting with award-winning Virginia Beach fiber artist Lynne Sward, who shows recent hand-sewn fetish figures and wall hangings.
Their art is on view at 7637 North Shore Road. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Call 423-2052. AND THE WINNER IS. . .
Ann L. Grandy of Virginia Beach won the $1,000 best-in-show prize at the 1995 Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival on Oct. 14 and 15. Grandy earned the award for her drawings.
The $500 second prize went to photographer Catriona Fraser of Dumfries. The $250 third prize was awarded to Chesapeake potters Robert and Beverly Pillers.
Norfolk painter Clayton Singleton, who won the top prize for two consecutive Stockley shows a year ago, earned the $300 Norfolk Artist Award, a new prize made possible through a grant from the Norfolk Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Winners of $125 awards of merit: Tom Barnes, Virginia Beach; Bo Jia and Stephanie Nova, both of Washington, D.C.; Fiona Clark & Vincent Delisle, Bakersville, N.C.; and Smadar Livine, Rochester, N.Y.
Futures awards for student artists: First prize ($100), Liz Jones, Old Dominion University; second prize ($75), Mikey Guyer, Tidewater Community College; third prize ($50), Gail Hayes, TCC. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Carlie Collier took this photo of finger painter Mary Ann Brandt.
by CNB