Bellefonte Art Museum takes visitors on virtual tours during COVID-19 shutdown

The Bellefonte Art Museum is closed during the COVID-19 shutdown ordered by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, but its current exhibition and other artwork is available virtually for viewers.

In “Celebrating Our Women of Achievement,” female artists from the museum’s artist registry honored 24 local women who improve the quality of the community. Artists volunteered to participate in the exhibit and were matched with an honoree by Patricia House, executive director of the museum.

The exhibit had been on display in March, but for those who missed it or want to check it out again, they can visit BAM’s Facebook page or Instagram. Everyday, one honoree’s portrait, along with their paired artist, will be celebrated online.

The 24 portraits, or representations, were created in mediums original to each artist, including photography, paint, fabric art and sculpture. Each portrait includes a description of the woman’s professional backstory and their experience in their own words.

“The goal was to honor the women who improve life in our community while giving recognition to women artists,” House said.

The honored women include executive directors, community activists, a Penn State head coach, a superintendent, teachers, an attorney, philanthropists, presidents and vice presidents of organizations and more.

“After reading the descriptions of the women, it seems like the more they do, the more they want to do,” said House.

To select the honorees, House consulted with women in the community that had varying careers and experiences. When pairing the artists and honorees, House considered any matching interests, but the pairing was mostly random.

Jennifer Tucker, an herbal photographer, photographed Catherine Dauler, teacher and former State College Borough Council member, and Georgia Abbey, executive director of Leadership Centre County. Tucker said she wanted to challenge herself as a photographer in collaboration with each woman to create an image that showed their service and work in the community along with a part of themselves personally.

“There is always more to us,” said Tucker.

Tucker photographed Abbey in her garden to represent how she helps people to grow and blossom. Tucker added a quote under each photograph of Abbey so that viewers could get to know her in her own words.

One of Abbey’s quotes read: “It’s about the work. The work that drives, motivates and inspires you and the work that simply needs to get done.”

“The description of the artwork and the personal words of each honoree deepens and enriches your experience as a viewer. It personalizes the art,” Tucker said, adding that she felt a sense of unity in the gallery. “When I read the words of these women and think of what I have done with my life, I feel a sense of connection and camaraderie with them.”

Dauler said she was “surprised, thrilled and honored” to be one of the women recognized. She knows a lot of the women personally, or knows of them, and the work they do.

“Their talent and commitment to helping other people is impressive and I am pleased when I have the chance to work with one of them,” she said.

Dauler worked with fellow honoree Elizabeth Goreham, former mayor of State College, on the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza Committee. In one of the photographs of Dauler, she is sitting on the stone bench of the plaza.

While the museum was open, visitors were encouraged to bring their own pictures of women of achievement. Now, viewers are encouraged to electronically send in the photographs of the women they want to celebrate. The images will be shared on the museum’s social media accounts.

The artwork of each honoree will be professionally framed and gifted to them at the end of the exhibition.

“The exhibition shows a diverse group of women that are bringing their sensitives and talents to our community. We have a wonderful community of women and these are 24 reasons why,” said House.

The Bellefonte Art Museum will continue to share virtual museum tours, images of current exhibits, and snapshots of current work of the Registry Artists on the museum’s Instagram and Facebook pages through April 30. Visit bellefontemuseum.org for more information.