Moorhead Cultural Center gets new programming director
By Becky Irvine Journal Correspondent | Posted: Monday, September 17, 2007
MOORHEAD, Iowa -- It was by chance that Paula Greene learned of the opening for the programming director position at the Moorhead Cultural Center.
MOORHEAD, Iowa -- It was by chance that Paula Greene learned of the opening for the programming director position at the Moorhead Cultural Center.
"I was at the Loess Hills Hospitality Association's Visitor Center in Moorhead posting one of my flyers offering to paint watercolor portraits," Greene said. "I saw their notice of the opening for the programming director position, and, since it was part-time, I thought it would fit perfectly with my return to my art career."
It was also close to Soldier, Iowa, her new hometown.
Ruth Pickle, the Cultural Center's founding programming director, had decided to step down after her years in the position of selecting both the artists and exhibits.
"Ruth Pickle has been very helpful to me in learning what needs to be done at the Cultural Center," Greene said. "She is so knowledgeable about the art and artists in this area, plus all of the Cultural Center's programs."
Since Greene was already involved with Town & Country Arts of Harrison County, a similar arts organization, and a member of its advisory and programming committees, she was already familiar with promoting the arts in western Iowa.
"Both the Moorhead Cultural Center and Town & Country Arts offer a wide range of venues for local artists from western Iowa to eastern Nebraska," Greene stated.
Having moved to western Iowa from Boston five years ago, Greene has enjoyed getting to know and work with many artists in this area. As an artist herself, Greene knows many artists from Omaha to Soldier.
"When I set up my easel in the lobby of the VA Medical Center in Omaha, I enjoy painting portraits of people who would like to sit for one," Greene said. She also has a studio at her home in Soldier, called Johnny Appleseed's Portraits.
"This year, while resuming my art career, I stumbled upon the concepts of values, color and composition used by the Old Masters which I now use in all my paintings. I have compared it to being a musician who has played by ear for years, but then learns how to read music," Greene stated.
Greene is a self-taught artist. She began painting 30 years ago with the goal of being self-supporting. In New Orleans, she set up her easel in Jackson Square and painted portraits.
However, since her goal of being a self-supporting artist was not being fully realized, Greene, like many other artists in the mid-1980's, had to put her artistic ambitions on the shelf for a time. She entered nursing school at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.
Since then, Greene has been a staff nurse in the intensive care units of hospitals in several major U.S. cities, a nurse educator and a public health administrator.
Then, late last summer, after 20 years in the healthcare field, Greene decided to return to her passion for art and her first love: She began to explore watercolor portraits.
"At the VA Medical Center, I have painted portraits of people from infants to age 90," she stated.
"I think original portraits are very special. People have a tendency to keep framed original portraits, so that many years later, they are valuable family heirlooms," Greene said. "I tell people that a portrait is the perfect gift for their great-grandchildren."
When she is not working on new exhibits for the Cultural Center, Greene can be found either at her easel in the VA Medical Center lobby or painting portraits at the new indoor Omaha Flea Market at 72nd and L streets. She also set up a Web site in March so that people can see the type of artwork she creates.
"I feel the action of creating art can be viewed as a luxury in a world where hardship and strife exist," Greene said, "but I also believe that the positive benefits of the arts are that they provide relief from everyday stressors and are able to inform and educate on many levels."
MOORHEAD, Iowa -- It was by chance that Paula Greene learned of the opening for the programming director position at the Moorhead Cultural Center.
"I was at the Loess Hills Hospitality Association's Visitor Center in Moorhead posting one of my flyers offering to paint watercolor portraits," Greene said. "I saw their notice of the opening for the programming director position, and, since it was part-time, I thought it would fit perfectly with my return to my art career."
It was also close to Soldier, Iowa, her new hometown.
Ruth Pickle, the Cultural Center's founding programming director, had decided to step down after her years in the position of selecting both the artists and exhibits.
"Ruth Pickle has been very helpful to me in learning what needs to be done at the Cultural Center," Greene said. "She is so knowledgeable about the art and artists in this area, plus all of the Cultural Center's programs."
Since Greene was already involved with Town & Country Arts of Harrison County, a similar arts organization, and a member of its advisory and programming committees, she was already familiar with promoting the arts in western Iowa.
"Both the Moorhead Cultural Center and Town & Country Arts offer a wide range of venues for local artists from western Iowa to eastern Nebraska," Greene stated.
Having moved to western Iowa from Boston five years ago, Greene has enjoyed getting to know and work with many artists in this area. As an artist herself, Greene knows many artists from Omaha to Soldier.
"When I set up my easel in the lobby of the VA Medical Center in Omaha, I enjoy painting portraits of people who would like to sit for one," Greene said. She also has a studio at her home in Soldier, called Johnny Appleseed's Portraits.
"This year, while resuming my art career, I stumbled upon the concepts of values, color and composition used by the Old Masters which I now use in all my paintings. I have compared it to being a musician who has played by ear for years, but then learns how to read music," Greene stated.
Greene is a self-taught artist. She began painting 30 years ago with the goal of being self-supporting. In New Orleans, she set up her easel in Jackson Square and painted portraits.
However, since her goal of being a self-supporting artist was not being fully realized, Greene, like many other artists in the mid-1980's, had to put her artistic ambitions on the shelf for a time. She entered nursing school at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.
Since then, Greene has been a staff nurse in the intensive care units of hospitals in several major U.S. cities, a nurse educator and a public health administrator.
Then, late last summer, after 20 years in the healthcare field, Greene decided to return to her passion for art and her first love: She began to explore watercolor portraits.
"At the VA Medical Center, I have painted portraits of people from infants to age 90," she stated.
"I think original portraits are very special. People have a tendency to keep framed original portraits, so that many years later, they are valuable family heirlooms," Greene said. "I tell people that a portrait is the perfect gift for their great-grandchildren."
When she is not working on new exhibits for the Cultural Center, Greene can be found either at her easel in the VA Medical Center lobby or painting portraits at the new indoor Omaha Flea Market at 72nd and L streets. She also set up a Web site in March so that people can see the type of artwork she creates.
"I feel the action of creating art can be viewed as a luxury in a world where hardship and strife exist," Greene said, "but I also believe that the positive benefits of the arts are that they provide relief from everyday stressors and are able to inform and educate on many levels."
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