St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of Piedmont Pioneers: Works of Wonder featuring artist Nellie Ashford Rawls in the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery. This exhibition opens Friday, October 3 through December 6, 2008. The public is invited to attend. A meet the artist reception at Jazzy Friday on December 5 from 6pm-9pm or join us for the Durham Art Walk Weekend, November 1-2, 2008.
Ms. Ashford Rawls is a self-taught folk artist that uses the stories in her childhood to create hundreds of art collages on board, paper and canvas. She uses acrylic paints of bright colors along with found objects of fabric, sand, wood filings, and other natural things to create her paintings. “I began to paint because of my third oldest grandson. I paint about people, places and things that don’t matter to anyone anymore. Yes, I am a folk artist and the advantage is that I tell people I am allowed to break the rules that the trained artist would not dare do.” is often quoted by Ashford.
Her works can be located in a variety of places in the US, Canada and Swaziland, Africa.
In North Carolina you can find her works of art in Charlotte galleries Picture Perfect Framing, Studio 7, and Coffey & Thompson Gallery, Unity Place in St. Stephens AME Zion Church, Gastonia, The Foster’s Art and Frame Gallery, Huntersville, Red Piano Gallery Too, St. Helena’s Island, and La Benson’s Art Gallery, Beauford, SC. Her works have been collected by Harvey Gant, Mel Watts, Huge McColl and many other Charlotte notables.
Works of her art have been commissioned by a number of organizations in Charlotte, NC. She also has been a guest of friends of the arts in News Orleans, Louisiana. Most recently, the Afro American Cultural Center in Charlotte, NC presented her with the Artist Achievement Award. She resides in a rural area in Charlotte where she paints in her home. To contact Ms. Rawls: E-Mail: nelliewashford@yahoo.com. Limited addition artist proofs and prints of her work are available for purchase.
Born: Charlotte, NC Education: Carver Junior College and North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, and Shaw University, Raleigh, NC Degree: B.S, Psychology and Social Science
This exhibition is curated by Lisa Roland, of Mariama’s Fine Art Consultants. She brings with her over 13 years of experience in working with both emerging and professional artists through her extensive professional career at Art 1 Gallery in Gastonia, NC, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the St. Joseph’s’ Historic Foundation of Durham, NC, the Afro-American Cultural Center of Charlotte, NC and Avaunt-Virtu Galleries also in Charlotte, NC . She served as executive director, director of operations, education associate, marketing assistant and gallery curator successively.
She received her masters degree in non- profit management from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA and obtained her undergraduate degree from North Carolina A&T State University where she majored in Communications and minored in Art. She is active in Gastonia, NC with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., her church family of Tabernacle Baptist Church. For the past 5 years she has served as the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Youth Art Judge for Festival in the Park. She has also served as juror and panelist with many review boards and visual arts competitions.
She works extensively with artists Jim Biggers, Winford Galmon, Rev. L.D. Flournoy and Marlon Hunt.
Mariama’s Fine Art Consulting is available for interior decorating, office outfits, private parties, fundraisers and more!
