THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604130342
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MARY ELLEN RIDDLE, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: EDENTON LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
The Chowan Arts Council is turning 20, and some special guests will be arriving by train to help celebrate the birthday.
On Wednesday, ``Artrain, America's Museum in Motion,'' pulls into town carrying its new touring exhibition, ``Art in Celebration!''
The former cotton mill community will have the chance to view works by Alexander Calder, Dale Chihuly, Georgia O'Keefe, Larry Rivers, Carlo Mejia and Willem de Kooning, to name a few.
The renovated Pullman cars will pull up on the tracks behind the Edenton Cotton Mill, a few blocks from the arts council, and be on hand from Thursday through April 21.
Artrain represents the only traveling art museum of its kind. The Smithsonian Associates began commissioning works in 1972 to commemorate national and international events. Included in the collection are Luis Cruz Azaceta's ``Fragile Crossing,'' marking the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage to America; Lowell Nesbitt's ``History of Flight,'' celebrating the opening of the National Air and Space Museum, and work commemorating the end of the Persian Gulf War. Since its inception in 1972, hundreds of thousands of people across the nation have benefited by the mobile art museum.
Edenton is its third stop. Audiences in Pennsylvania and Norfolk have already toured the Artrain, which carries 34 works of art, plus photographs of the artists, the events celebrated and interactive displays and demonstrations. It is part of a national tour sponsored by Chrysler Corp.
But Ann Perry, Chowan Arts Council gallery executive director, says every local group and organization from the garden club to the hospital is involved in the 20th birthday project that kicks off a major renovation of the town's 114,000-square-foot Cotton Mill, built in 1898.
After Perry had applied for Artrain, the mill was donated to Preservation North Carolina by Unifi Inc. of Greensboro. Preservation North Carolina, the state's only private nonprofit statewide historic preservation organization, is looking for groups to buy and restore houses in the mill village.
Sealed bids will be accepted on 10 of the properties until June 6. Preservation North Carolina plans to renovate the massive mill structure, but what will eventually be done to it has not yet been decided.
Planning for the 20th birthday celebration has been in the works for a year.
``The train is exciting and a wonderful part about it is the enthusiasm and camaraderie that will carry over to the community and their effort to preserve the mill,'' Perry said.
Smithsonian Magazine is sending reporters and will feature the celebration in a four-page spread in the August issue.
The train will be parked two blocks from the gallery behind the Edenton Cotton Mill. An Artrain artist and five local artists will be on board demonstrating their work.
Proceeds from the auction and Artrain will be used to support gallery, school, and public programming for the region. ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO COURTESY CHOWAN ARTS COUNCIL
``Children With Flowers'' by Elizabeth Catlett is one of the art
works that Artrain will bring to Edenton from Thursday through April
21.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHOWAN ARTS COUNCIL
``Fragile Crossing'' by Luis Cruz Azaceta marks the 500th
anniversary of Columbus' voyage to America. The painting is among 34
works in the Artrain, which is scheduled to be in Edenton from
Thursday through April 21.
SIDE BAR
ARTRAIN'S COMING
When: Thursday through April 21.
Admission: $1 for students and $3 for adults.
Events: Mill tours, entertainment, parties, a juried art show, a
diverse auction featuring a portrait sitting by local artist, John
Becker, and a VIP trip to Washington, D.C.
Group tours: Thursday and Friday
Hours: Open to the public on Saturday and Sunday.
by CNB