WINTER 2009Phil Anthony
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salemqtr@verizon.netThis is hardly the first time that Salem MM's Molly Carpenter has given us permission to use a photograph of her sculpture on our cover. Most recently you'll remember her bust "Billy" on the Spring 2009 Salem Quarter News. Her bas-reliefs have also appeared as far back as the Winter 2001 issue.
DECEMBER QUARTERLY MEETING
Salem Monthly Meeting
Sunday, 13 Dec 20099:00 am Arrival & Coffee 9:30 am Carol Singing 10:30 am Worship 11:15 am Art Show & Lunch: 1:00 pm Business Meeting Child care, beverages and desert provided This time we're presenting "Kacy III," a 14" x 26" bas-relief panel with pure gold leaf. You can view the panel in full color on the Salem Quarter Website. Or look it up on Molly's own site, where you can find many other pieces of hers as well.
I'd already decided to use this one last summer, when I first saw a photograph of it. As things turned out, it's particularly appropriate for this issue. Molly—along with two other fine Salem artists, Dana Gayner and Frances Smith—are giving their time and talent to organize the art exhibit at the Salem meetinghouse that will be held during the December Salem Quarterly Meeting on Sunday, 12/13.
I expect Molly's work will be represented there, as will the work of Dana and Frances and many other artistically gifted Friends from the meetings of Salem Quarter. And some of the items displayed, including jewelry, will be available for sale … just in time for those of you who celebrate Christmas.
T here's another artist whose painting, I know, will be exhibited, even though she won't be around to enjoy it. Two Friends have told me they intend to display items they purchased over the years from Woodbury MM's Narcissa Weatherbee, another frequent contributor to the pages of Salem Quarter News. She graced us, in fact, just a year ago on the cover of the Winter 2008 newsletter. And the pen-and-ink cover she drew for the Spring 1999 issue is reproduced in her memory in this issue.
Narcissa herself, however, has moved on. Her sudden death in October came as a shock to all of us. She is sorely missed not only by Friends, but by the people of Woodbury and the surrounding area whose lives she touched in so many ways. They came out in force to remember her at the Jericho Baptist Church, which had to put double rows of folding chairs down the center aisle. I wasn't counting, but there were perhaps as many as 500 of us there to say goodby.
They spoke of her art, but even more movingly of her teaching and encouragement, her presence at civic events, her reaching out to children with love and face paints, and her many contributions to the life of the community. Members of the Society for Poets of New Jersey and other artists whose work she helped bring to public attention offered their thanks; one poetic tribute, from the president of the Poets’ Society, appears in this issue.
Though nobody talked about it at the microphone, many people’s minds were on the bridge she painted for Woodbury. Many others privately mentioned the car she drove, decorated with flowers that boldly announced her presence—and her gift.
Narcissa was a member at Woodbury MM, but she usually attended the Jericho Baptist Church where we remembered her. She loved the excitement and energy the services there brought to her spiritual life. She loved to argue with the church’s pastor about his sermons (and, he confided, he enjoyed arguing back). She talked with special enthusiasm about the gospel music that was featured prominently at the memorial.
There will be music at our December quarterly meeting too, though probably not quite so lively as what Jericho Baptist has to offer. Once again David Lamont of Woodstown MM and Beth Johnson of Mullica Hill MM will lead us in Christmas carol singing at 9:30 am. The response we got from their program last year told us that this was the most popular offering we’d ever presented for a quarterly meeting.
Worship will follow, at 10:30. Then at 11:30 we’ll return to Salem MM’s Annex for lunch and appreciation of the art before the meeting for business at 1:00 pm. All of us look forward to seeing you there.
With gratitude to Dana, Frances, and Molly, and to David and Beth—I think Narcissa would approve.
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Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 09:39 PM
