Wren on the Record by Kelsea Hull
Scope and Contents
This collection contains color slides of the William and Mary campus, student life, sports, and other activities during the mid-1970s and a quilt.
Most of the slides were created by Bill Leonard and Scott Takane, both 1978 graduates of William and Mary. They depict life in the residence halls of the Bryan Complex, Old Dominion Hall, and Monroe Hall and include images of the buildings, student activities, and dorm life. The quilt was given to Van Black by female residents of the Stith Hall, where Black served as an area coordinator (resident assistant). The squares are symbolic to the women who made them and pertain to something specific about the either the university or the Bryan Complex, such as a square of the Crim Dell and squares representing the insects that invaded the Bryan Complex. There is a document which lists each square and the names of the women who created them. Additionally, there is a handwritten note to Black from President Thomas Ashley Graves, Jr., acknowledging the quilt.
Also included in the collection are three paintings commissioned by Black to commemorate 5 years of the Staying Connected: Together Serving Others initiative.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1971-1977, 2015
Creator
- From the Collection: Black, James Van I., 1953- (Person)
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Extent
From the Collection: 2.75 Linear Feet
Dimensions
37.25" (height) x 24.875" (width) x .5" (depth)
Artist's Statement
Music can transcend and connect generations, just as the William & Mary Class of 1975 Staying Connected iniative has brought together William & Mary students and alumni for the past 5 years. I symbolize the relationships Staying Connected has fostered between alumni and students by painting on records. The focal point of the painting is the Wren Building, William & Mary's most iconic landmark, with the 1693 weather vane clearly visible, representing William & Mary places not only on tradition, but on the shared experiences of attending the College.
The weather vane points directly to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here record in the upper left corner. Released in 1975, its placement in the composition represents the passage of time since the Class of '75's graduation. Taylor Swift's 1989 record, placed in the bottom right corner, represents music well known by my Class of 2015 classmates, many of whom partnered with the Class of '75 in many iniatitives. I hope to draw the eye down from the top of the piece to the bottom, again representing the passage of time and the relationships Staying Connected has nutured through its work.
The trees not only add color and frame the Wren Building, but also serve to represent "connection" as ths the leaves intertwine with each other and link the branches. - Kelsea Hull, Class of 2015, B.S. Psychology; Fredricksburg, Virginia
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository