On Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, Augusta’s Sacred Heart Cultural Center will host an artist reception open to the public from 4 to 6 p.m. to unveil a new winter exhibit from three artists.
Located at 1301 Greene St. in downtown Augusta, Sacred Heart will begin displaying pieces from Ronda Bryce, Vicki Greene and Joni Vanover that will remain in the center until March 8.
Working with consecutive careers as a medical technologist, stay-at-home mom and church administrative assistant, Bryce has also maintained a love of art over the years.
“She is grateful to now be able to pursue art full-time,” stated a press release from officials of the Sacred Heart Cultural Center.
After culminating a love for artistic endeavors in her 60s, Bryce has remained primarily self-taught – supplemented by various classes and workshops during her life – and is a member of the North Augusta Artist Guild.
Working in watercolor, pen-and-ink as well as graphite, Bryce is hoping to use her artistic gifts to “thank God for the beauty He has placed in the world, because of the great love He has for us,” according to a press release from the center.
Greene is a native Augustan who has always painted for family and friends. With many of her loved ones enjoying gifts of handpainted items at Christmas and birthdays, Greene was always volunteering to paint props and other pieces for her children’s school plays and activities.
In 2017, when Greene retired as director of the Walton Foundation for Independence and the fundraising arm for Augusta’s Walton Rehab Hospital, she decided to work on significantly developing her craft.
Although Greene has always found acrylics a comfortable medium, she decided to challenge herself by enrolling in classes for art majors at Augusta University with professor Tom Crowther, where she fell in love with the fluidity of oils.
Since then, Greene has had several successful paintings at Walton Foundation’s Undercover Artist Show, the Sacred Heart Cultural Center and the North Augusta Heritage Center.
Yearly, Greene said she shows her work at the “Festive Muses Christmas Show” in November, and stays busy during the holiday season by painting Christmas and golf related linen pillow covers and paintings.
“Painting is like therapy for me,” she said. “There is nothing more relaxing than sitting down with a blank canvas with some good beach music playing and seeing what happens.”
Raised in Savannah, Ga, Vanover’s mother was an artist and influenced her love of art and painting.
After spending many years painting beside her mother, Vanover attended Vanderbilt University and later received her degree in education from Georgia Southern University.
Utilizing Vanover’s art in all aspects of teaching, especially first grade – her first love and priority, painting on canvas and creating various subjects became a joyful experience.
Vanover also studied art with Freeman Schoolcraft, alongside Linelle Widener, Barbara Whetstone Fox, Charlene Montgomery, Billie Jean Powell, Kathy Marbury as well as other professors from the same university.
“Her paintings are joyful and colorful. Many subjects reflect Augusta, Ga., and low country scenes,” stated a press release from the Sacred Heart Cultural Center. “Her imagination of how color interacts in life plays a great part in the interpretation of the painting. Vanover enjoys interacting with other artists and critiquing each other.”
With light refreshments served at the reception, a portion of the profits from bought paintings will go towards supporting the center and its mission to bolster art in downtown Augusta.
For more information about the Sacred Heart Cultural Center and the upcoming artist reception, visit: www.sacredheartaugusta.org.
