Dorothy Gillespie, a sculptor, painter, and installation artist from Roanoke, left a lasting impact on the world of public art.
Renowned for her signature large, ribbon-like metal sculptures, she was a prolific creative force and passionate advocate women in the arts. Gillespie was also a Radford graduate and Distinguished Professor of Art at Radford University.
On July 15, the Radford University Art Museum received several of her sculptures to restore and add to the permanent collection. These works will find their way to the Artis Center and perhaps campus other locations. Gillespie’s son, Gary Israel drove them down from New York in a rental van, one of several trips he says he’s made over the years to various museums.
The museum received about 20 sculptures in total including three towering metal creations that were once exhibited in the 2003 Rockefeller Exhibition and a number of “starburst” works. Israel, who is the President and CEO of The Dorothy M. Gillespie Foundation Inc., said that he was happy to bring them to Radford and excited about the prospect of students working on the restoration.
Radford University
