Recently I agreed, after contemplating the challenge for some time, to serve as co-chair of the Advancement Committee of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, headquartered in Richmond. I am the chair representing the Board of Trustees, with a representative of the museum's foundation as the co-chair.
In typical fashion, I assumed initially that I could do one more thing! However, after a brief time of engagement with this new responsibility, I realize the undertaking is daunting, especially in light of the huge museum expansion scheduled to open in about 18 months.
So, it is with a conflicted heart that I have resigned as a member of the A! Magazine committee and as volunteer contributor of "Arts All Around," a monthly column I have written for more than 15 years. I shall continue to be an avid A! supporter and contributor in any way feasible.
Being part of the A! family since the initial meeting has been nothing short of a personal blessing. Contributing a monthly column with the mission of defying stereotypes that Appalachians are insulated and disinterested outside our immediate arena has been particularly gratifying. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the marvelous individuals that have comprised the A! Committee through the years. I look forward with great anticipation for the "monthly miracle" called A! Magazine for the Arts.
I will continue to be bi-regional, traveling from my primary residence in Richmond to the Highlands to see family and friends and to enjoy our home in Damascus, Va.
I look forward to seeing friends and chatting with A! readers at arts events all around. For example, mark your calendars for November 9, 2008, when you will want to be part of the opening of the Taubman Museum of Art, formerly known as the Art Museum of Western Virginia in downtown Roanoke - especially in light of the architect's having roots in East Tennessee. The latest issue of AmericanSTYLE magazine includes this reference: "Museums are expanding (some even sport new names) in cities from San Antonio, Tex., to Roanoke, Va., and in New York City...".
Thank you readers for all you do as advocates, producers, consumers, and critics to advance the arts! You are essential to delivering the message that our region is second to none in understanding that the arts are FUN and FUNDamental to individual lives well-lived and communities that are healthy and prosperous!
--TO READ previous columns by Barbara-lyn Morris, search the website for "Arts All Around."
