by Curtis Hayes, Director of Communications


LOUISBURG--Louisburg College's Edith C. Lumpkin Community Gallery at the JPAC was honored to open on Thursday, October 18th its latest exhibit in the traveling series for 2018-19: Jane Bolmeier: A Student's Eye, A Painter's Soul will be on display until Friday, November 30th.

In an artful twist of irony, this exhibit is also the newest addition to the College's permanent collection. It was donated through the generosity of alumnus Buddy Reece '73 and his wife Susan Jane Reece, who is the niece of the late Jane Bolmeier. Susan said she wanted to ensure that her favorite aunt's collection of work is properly maintained and shared with future generations.

"Jane always regretted that schools were taking a lot of the arts and theatre and music out of schools," Susan said. "The little bit that we can give back is just wonderful. Art enriches everything."

Buddy said that they also felt that Louisburg College was the right venue.

"We wanted to support the College, and we'd like for the paintings to be preserved," Buddy said.

He also said that he hopes students will use the philosophy of art that Jane followed and, "Look deeper into what they're looking at and see past the facades."

Susan said Jane was extremely talented, but she was also a very genuine person.

"She was a wonderful person, very kind and very giving," Susan said. "She was always kind of magical to me because she lived in New York City. She would always come up with the most fantastic things."

Jane Bolmeier was born in Chicago in 1931, lived her youth in Mississippi and received her B.A. in Liberal Arts from Duke University and M.A. in Creative Art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also earned a Ph.D. in Art Criticism from New York University. She lived much of her adult life in New York City.

Bolmeier was also a long-time student of the famous Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofman. He was a contemporary of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Hofman was considered the best teacher of the style and one of the most influential abstract painters of the mid-20th century.

Louisburg College is blessed to own a piece of genuine abstract art history with the Bolmeier Collection. When the display of the Bolmeier Collection is moved from the Lumpkin Gallery, it will become part of the fabric and infrastructure of Louisburg College.

"I want to display it around the College," said Will Hinton, art instructor and curator of the Lumpkin Gallery.

In addition to the Bolmeier paintings, the Reece's have established a foundation that is funding a scholarship at Louisburg College for promising art students. This year's recipient is Jodi Summerlin, of Louisburg. She is a sophomore and plans to transfer to North Carolina Wesleyan College. She said the $500 scholarship has been extremely helpful and inspiring.

"I will definitely be involved with art for the rest of my life in some way," Summerlin said.