By Staff
FOUNDING ARTISTS Former museum director Bill Watkins speaks, while several of the founding artists for the Meridian Museum of Art were recognized last Saturday during the Membership Gala. Pictured are, from left, Les Green, Norma Bourdeaux, Juanita Landreth, Millie Howell and Cornelia Mitchell. Photo by Submitted photo
Special to The Star
Dec. 16, 2001
A festive crowd gathered at the Meridian Museum of Art last Saturday for the annual Membership Gala.
It was a busy night that included a reception for the Members Show and a program celebrating and thanking MMA's supporters.
The more than 120 guests on hand enjoyed viewing the 105 works of art exhibit on display.
The program began with the introduction of several of the museum's youngest members: Kyle Doherty, Anne Coursey Little, and Trent Workman. That was followed by Margaret Womble's unveiling of the Museum's 2002 T-shirt, featuring the artwork of Hilburn Womble.
The MMA's Volunteer of the Year award went to Kate Cherry. In presenting the award, museum board member Sylvia Follis described Cherry as "incredibly deserving, the epitome of the person laboring tirelessly behind the scenes, without credit, without wanting credit, to make sure everything works."
The program featured a special ceremony honoring the "Founding Artists" of the museum, many of whom were on hand for the evening. That included Norma Bourdeaux, Les Green, Millie Howell, Alex and Jean Loeb, Cornelia Mitchell and Clo Ann Rabb.
Former museum director Bill Watkins helped pay tribute to these pioneers with his own memories of the early days of the museum. The evening was capped by a special song: " I Saw My Future at the MMA," performed by the "Artists All- Star Band." The band was made up of Terry and Kate Cherry, Rhonda Denton, Bonnie James and John Marshall.