Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School recently dedicated the new Bivins and Jones Art Gallery on campus with the opening of a show featuring Appalachian textile artists.
Dozens of artists and community members gathered to commemorate the opening of the updated gallery space on Sunday, October 17. The new gallery, located on the second floor of Rabun Gap’s Arts & Technology Building, was made possible by a generous gift from the Maude Bivins Estate and is named for the late Maude Bivins and Virginia “Jinny” Jones. They valued loyal friendships, family, nature, and the preservation of history, calling Franklin and Snow Camp, North Carolina, and Deerfield, Rhode Island home.
“We pause to remember the full and generous lives of Maude Bivins and Jinny Jones, and we celebrate the arts of our region with this special exhibit,” said Head of School Jeff Miles. “We are grateful to have such a wonderful gallery space on campus to showcase the artwork of our region and beyond.”
The opening show, titled “Pulling the thread: a brief survey of Appalachian textiles,” features historical and contemporary weavings, quilts, sewing, felting, and handmade dolls and baskets. Among featured living artists are Peggy McBride of The Globe Gallery, Tommye Scanlin of North Georgia University, Sharon Grist & Kelly Coldren of Foxfire, Melanie Wilder of Warren Wilson College, Allie Dudley of the John C Campbell Folk School, Marty Greeble, Carol Dearborn, Susan Leveille, and Peggie Wilcox. Historical items are on loan from a number of organizations including The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences, The John C. Campbell Folk School, the Appalachian Women’s Museum, and the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School Archives.
Included in this special collection is a quilt created by one of Rabun Gap’s earliest graduates in 1917, Miriam (Mimi) Dickerson. The exhibit is curated by Rabun Gap faculty member, Beth Loveland. In reflecting on the exhibit, Loveland said “I want to show you with this exhibit the threads connecting the artists in this show to one another and to this place. Each piece is a meticulous record of hours, joining them across the warp and weft of time, to tell a story of this region.”
