A Celebration of Patty Willis

Opening weekend highlight event, featuring world-premiere by composer Dr. Karen Walwyn

10am-2pm- Exhibit of Willis' Artwork (open to public, no ticket required)

5pm- Exhibit and discussion, poetry reading: Dr. Jordan Burke, Walter Washington and Dr. Karen Walwyn in conversation with Artistic Director, Katie Tertell

6pm- Concert

7pm- Reception

"Although she found some of her best subjects in Northeastern fishing villages, it was the scenery and activities of her native smiling countryside that delighted her most.” -Walter Washington, nephew of Patty Willis

The highlight event of our opening weekend will celebrate all aspects of ACMF’s tagline: history, nature and culture in a special evening that remembers the extraordinary life of artist and poet, Patty Willis (1879-1953), who grew up and lived in Jefferson Co. WV. The concert will culminate in a world-premiere String Quartet by Karen Walwyn, commissioned specifically for this event and taking direct inspiration from Patty Willis’s life in Charles Town.

Willis was an accomplished artist and poet who drew much inspiration from her locale of Charles Town and from her family life. This is a special opportunity to discover Willis’ art and poetry, hear music that might have inspired Willis during her lifetime as well as works we feel remind us of her, and experience an enlightening conversation about the intersection of Willis’ work with Jefferson County, music, poetry and art with leading historians and specialists.

This is a once in a generation opportunity for the public to see her artwork in person, all of which is currently held in private collection and is being generously loaned for the event.

A collection of works by Willis will be on display on Aug. 9 at Charles Washington Hall. The afternoon and evening event will begin with a discussion lecture with preeminent scholars on WV Art. Additionally, Dr. Jordan Burke will lead a discussion on Willis’s poetry and art, and composer Karen Walwyn will discuss her newly commissioned musical work and its relation to Willis’ life. After the discussion there will be a short break before a one-hour concert program where musicians will contextualize the relationship of musical works to Willis’ life, including the world premiere by Karen Walwyn. After the event, there will be a reception and “Meet & Greet” with ACMF artists where attendees at the event can mingle and relax with performers.

Willis was widely recognized in her lifetime through several awards and honors, a few of which are highlighted below: 

• Association with the artist colony at Provincetown, Massachusetts.
• Paintings accepted in many prestigious exhibitions including New York World's Fair, Richmond, Norfolk Society of Arts, Biennial Exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Carnegie Institute, Art Institute of Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
• Prizes including: first prize at the Hagerstown Exhibition in 1935 for her lithograph "Weather Cock." She again won first prize in 1939 for her oil painting "Under Breezy Nets."
• Prestigious reviews: Art News noted "Fishermen's Homes" for its novelty of handling as well as color, making it "one of the outstanding pictures at the Corcoran show.

We also want to recognize Willis’ commitment and contribution to her local community. For example, Willis completed several works for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s, including two murals in the entrance hall of the Charles Town High School.

A full biography on Patty Willis can be found at https://www.pattywillisartist.com/. 

Performers

Violin | Audrey Gray, Martin Gwilym-Jones, Chris Jusell, Rachelle Hunt
Viola |  Sam Kelder, Danielle Wiebe-Burke
Cello | Katie Tertell, Schuyler Slack
Double Bass | Sam Suggs
Baritone | Thomas Coltman

Program

Trad. arr Coltman - Shenandoah

Debussy arr. Suggs - “Beau Soir”

Karen Walwyn - New Work (tba) - world premiere

Puccini - I Crisantemi

Caroline Shaw - Entr’acte

Mozart - “Mentre ti lascio, oh figlia” (As I leave you, oh Daughter)

Kenji Bunch - String Circle (one mvt)

Please note: Anticipated program and musicians are subject to changes.