VCUHS employee art competition benefits staff, elates patients

By Brooklyn Jones
University News Services

For the past couple of weeks, the first floor corridor of the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center’s Gateway Building has served not only as a busy walkway for patients, visitors, faculty and staff members, but as a gallery exhibiting more than 200 various works of art completed by VCU Health System employees and their family members.

The art work was part of the VCU Health System’s first Employee and Employee Family Member Art Show and Competition, which was sponsored by the National Arts Program Foundation and the VCUHS Department of Cultural Programs.

“The first floor of Gateway is a major thoroughfare for patients, staff and visitors,” said Philip Muzi Branch, director of cultural programs for the VCU Health System. “This exhibit becomes an oasis for an art lover, a diversion for worried visitors and a source of pride for the employees.”

All VCUHS employees and their family members were eligible to enter two works of art and all artwork was exhibited and judged by a panel.

The competition consisted of five categories: youth under 12, Youth 12-18, adult amateur, adult intermediate and adult professional.

“I think an art show and competition like this one benefits the staff, their families and the Gateway Building,” Branch said, adding that it is part of the VCU Health System’s commitment to employee satisfaction and retention.

Winners from each category received cash prizes as follows:

Youth Under 12

•    First place, $75: Augustus Waltz-Folmar, “Blue Fall,” pastel and wax
•    Second place, $50: Cindy Song, “Tiger,” pencil
•    Third place,$25: El-Rahman McKoy, “Chameleon,” mixed media collage

Youth 12-18

•    First place, $75: Allison McClure, “Russian Staircase,” photography
•    Second place, $50: Carolyn Morris, “Sunset in Ocracoke,” photography
•    Third place, $25: Megan Wood, “Serenity,” acrylic painting

Adult Amateur

•    First place, $300: Michael Edmond, M.D., “Christmas Day in Byrd Park,” photography
•    Second place, $200: Rochelle Malpaya, “Serenity,” acrylic painting on canvas
•    Third place, $100: Georgia Farr, “New Orleans,” mixed media sculpture

Adult Intermediate

•    First place, $300,Curtis Sessler, M.D., “Bridal Veil Creek,” photography
•    Second place, $200: Linda Walker, “A Caribbean Morning,” watercolor
•    Third place, $100: Marjolen Dewitt, “Chair,” wood

Adult Professional

•    First place, $300: S. Ross Browne, “The Entitled,” acrylic on canvas
•    Second place, $200: Ginger Edwards, “Into the Woods,” watercolor
•    Third place, $100: Pam Roberts, ”VCU Film Maker,” acrylic on canvas

Along with the cash prizes, honorable mention ribbons were awarded as well as scholarships for continuing art education. Each artist also received a certificate of participation in the National Arts Program.