Wendy Whitson, artist
On October 25, International Artists Day, at 5 p.m. there will be a celebration of artist and art advocate Wendy Whitson at The Wedge at Foundation. The celebration committee is requesting donations by Thursday, September 15, to fund the event and the purchase and installation of Fa Sol, a sculpture by David Sheldon that honors Whitson. The sculpture will be temporarily located between the Foundation Woodworks Building and The Wedge at Foundation, with plans to move it to a sculpture garden in the future.
Sheldon has a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA from University of Maryland. He is known for his large-scale, mixed-media paintings and modernist sculptural works in metal. Fa Sol is made of welded, polished aluminum coated with white spray paint and stands eight feet tall. “The image represents so many facets of Wendy,” says artist Nadine Charlsen, an organizer for the event. “The rings represent her inclusiveness of all artists and her ability to connect artists to artists. The structure can be viewed as the strength she gave to her collectors and her paintings. The title Fa Sol is representative of the music she incorporated into her paintings both figuratively and literally collaging into her work.”
Whitson graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in art. After a career in graphic design with a large company in Atlanta, she moved to Asheville with her husband John, returned to her fine art and opened a studio in the River Arts District. Eventually, the Whitsons purchased a building in the district and named it NorthLight Studios. “She was determined to provide space for other artists at a reasonable cost even though the district was fast becoming a more expensive place for artists to work,” says Charlsen. “Many homes in Asheville and elsewhere exhibit her artwork which consists mainly of impressionistic landscapes that were inspired by this beautiful area. Wendy was a strong presence and force in the art world and in the community at large.”
To donate, visit RiverArtsDistrict.com/donate and select “Celebrate Wendy Whitson” under “Donation Purpose.” The Wedge at Foundation is located at 5 Foundy Street, Suite 10, Asheville.
