‘Black in Black on Black’ will be available all month
Andrews – A reception sponsored by Friends of the Andrews Public Library was held on Oct. 6 for local artist Ann Miller Woodford’s new exhibit, “Black in Black on Black: Making The Invisible Visible.”
The exhibit includes a retrospective of older works alongside her newest series “Black in Black on Black.” Woodford said her God-given talent and ability to express herself through art started at age 6 while attending the segregated elementary school in Happy Top.
“I had the most wonderful and inspiring teacher, who sent my work to county fairs at her own expense, on her small teacher’s salary, and I began to win Scholastic Art Awards, blue ribbons and first-place prizes,” Woodford said. “So she really saw something in my art and encouraged me to pursue it.”
With those beginnings, Woodford forged her place in the local arts scene. The accomplished author and co-founder of One Dozen Who Care Inc. envisions a future where art transcends race and culture to connect communities through common experiences.
In a fitting sort of homecoming, Woodford’s work being shown at the Andrews Pubic Library brings her full circle to be housed where it all began for her.
“It’s exciting to have an exhibit here again because my first exhibit of work in my life was at, not this building, but at the library when Miss Polly Hicks was librarian in 1968,” Woodford said.
“And when I was researching and writing my first book, the ladies Jacqueline and Kelly here were such a tremendous help and encouragement, finding materials and obscure things I needed for the book. They were so supportive and would call and say, ‘Hey, we found another book for you.’ Just things like that make this a special place.”
Woodford also is busy with new and future series called “Brown,” which will focus on indigenous and Native American culture, along with being commissioned by several individuals for portraits.
“I’ve got two commissions in the works for a couple who wants their portrait stylized as American Gothic, along with one portraying the Cowee Tunnel Disaster,” she said. “It’s exciting to relate the history of the event through art.”
Woodford’s plans and artistic endeavors carry into early 2024, with another exhibit planned in February at the Murphy Art Center downtown and in April during the Multicultural Women’s Development Conference at The Hinton Rural Life Center in neighboring Clay County.
Woodford’s passion for art, history and the impact of African-American
heritage in western North Carolina are evident as well in her writing. She’s beginning a sequel of sorts to her well-researched written historical celebration of that life in When All God’s Children Get Together.
“I want to include stories and people I missed in the first book, to discuss our heritage here and what it means to us, because in this area we get along very well racially, not like some other places,” Woodford said. “And so my goal is to wake people to the fact that we’re here, we’re qualified and we’re committed to building the community.”
The exhibit “Black in Black on Black: Making The Invisible Visible” runs through Oct. 31 during regular library hours.
Details: annstree.com, 828-321-5956.