Perspectives: The Artwork of Betty Van Meek & Whit Meek

September 22, 2011 at 5:00 pm - Opening Reception

Perspectives: The Artwork of Betty Van Meek & Whit Meek

Two native Greenwoodians, a mother and son, share their perspective of cultures outside their own. Betty Van photographs the people she interacted with through her rental business and has met all over Greenwood. Whit has traveled to other cities and countries and seen the beauty in the ordinary.

Betty Van Meek and her son, Whit Meek, possess a passionate view of the world.  Neither have formal training in the field of the art, however both have an understanding of the world around them. From this view, they project a sense of realism in the human and built environment.

Betty Van Meek worked in downtown Greenwood and saw the faces of African Americans in their daily lives. From the lens of her camera, she discovered the roots of their African heritage through their dress and customs. Even though she does not claim to be a professional photographer, there is no question she captures a moment in the lives of those she photographs. She visited Baptist Town, the oldest African American neighborhood in Greenwood to document people. She believes there is a keen sense of place that exists here, a phenomenon that is gradually disappearing and needs to be documented.

Whit Meek found his creative outlet through metal sculpture. His artistry began at an early age through a natural ability of seeing forms which create shadows. As you will see in this exhibition, he pulls from images found in symbols and faces. From his travels to Central America, Mexico and Baja California, he began to incorporate photography. He created images derived not only from the fixed environment, but began to explore the natural environment. He lives with his family in Sedona, Arizona.