Visiting Artist and alumna Miki Hsu Leavey '74 exhibits a collection of paintings

02.26.03, NORTON--The Beard and Weil Galleries at Wheaton College are proud to host alumna and Visiting Artist Miki Hsu Leavey '74 and a collection of her paintings from Monday, March 3 - Saturday, April 5, 2003. The exhibit will officially open on Thursday, March 6th at 7:00 p.m. with a lecture by the artist in Ellison Lecture followed by a reception in the Haas Concourse & Lobby. As a Visiting Artist Miki will reside on campus for the week talking about her work, visiting several studio art and creative writing classes as well as speaking to students and alumnae/i about the various career opportunities in the arts, education and beyond.

Miki Hsu Leavey sees her paintings as lyrical poetry that acts as a unique kind of visual prayer. She perceives her role as medium in a process, and firmly believes that being a part of this involvement acts as her motivation. Ms.Leavey states, "Good art is visual poetic imagery with all the qualities of its own language. My paintings are spiritual prayers that seek to have rhythm and direction." It is this process of making that compels her to finalize the abundance of forms and colors to a fruition, the painting.

Miki Hsu Leavey is a first generation Chinese-American born in the early 1950s in New York. Her decision to do fine art evolved via her creative writing and a teaching degree from Wheaton College. She lives in Napa, Calif., with her husband and two children, is the arts educator at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts and is in continuous pursuit of her art.

The Beard & Weil Gallery hours are Monday - Saturday, 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. The galleries will be closed for spring break, March 17 - March 23. For directions to Wheaton, go to www.wheatoncollege/About/Driving.html. For more information about arts events go to www.wheatoncollege.edu/arts and/or call the arts information line at (508) 286-3300 for updates and confirmations.

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