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‘Visual Stories’: Former Shepherd University professors, photographer unveil new art in exhibit

By Tabitha Johnston - Chronicle Staff | Jul 14, 2023

Shepherdstown resident Dawn Fye, right, chats with painter Susan Carney, center, and photographer Sarah Huntington at their exhibit in the War Memorial Building Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — “We’ve done this since 2005, every summer! It’s a tradition for me,” said Leonardtown, Md. resident Susan Carney on Saturday afternoon. “I haven’t done it since 2017, because I moved and then COVID hit.”

The painter and former Shepherd University art professor decided that this year was finally the right time to bring back her annual art exhibit to the War Memorial Building. Together with portrait photographer Sarah Huntington and retired Shepherd University Department of Contemporary Art and Theater professor Rhonda Smith, who is a printmaker, Carney held the “Visual Stories Art Exhibition” last weekend.

“I went to Shepherd and majored in painting there. Another guy who was in my painting class with me had a show in here, during the Contemporary American Theater Festival. When I saw it, I thought, ‘What a great idea, because there’s a lot of people to come through here!'” Carney said. “The next summer, I decided to do it. I did it by myself originally, and then with other people in the years after that.”

The artists she has held the exhibit with over the years have specialized in a wide variety of mediums, ranging from landscape photography to wood work. Her two collaborators this past weekend had, in fact, previously joined her annual exhibit at different times over the years.

“With this being the opening weekend for the theater festival, I knew this would be a good time to have a show here. I’m doing completely new work than what I used to do, when I was here,” Carney said, mentioning that returning to town has felt a bit like a homecoming to her. “I lived here 22 years. I taught art for 13 years in the public schools and two years, here at Shepherd. I just missed Shepherdstown so much, and all of my friends here. Lots [sic] of people I know have been dropping in, who I haven’t seen for four years!”

For Dawn Fye, of Shepherdstown, visiting the exhibit was a great way to catch up with her daughter Joselyn Auxer’s ninth grade art teacher from Wildwood Middle School.

“I saw that she was going to be here and decided to come by and see what she’s been up to!” Fye said, mentioning she has bought a number of Carney’s paintings over the years for herself and her daughter. “My interest has always been in abstract or impressionist art — nothing too structured. And that’s what I’ve often seen in her work.”

In between greeting new and old customers over the three days of the exhibit, the artists took turns slipping out to take in a play or two at the Contemporary American Theater Festival.

“It’s nice to be back!” Huntington said. “It’s been far too long since we’ve last done this.”