MS144
Virginia
Wright-Frierson
As a multi-talented
artist, illustrator, writer and teacher Virginia Wright-Frierson is prolific in
her varied projects. She received her BFA in painting from the University of
North Carolina Greensboro in 1971. She also studied in Cortona, Italy with
the Art Student’s League in New York. She lived in Arizona for many years
and worked at the Tucson Museum of Art School and the University of
Arizona.
Her work has been featured around the world in over thirty exhibitions. Her 1977 move to Wilmington presented inspirations such as the 2004 tribute to Minnie Evans, artistic gatekeeper of Airlie Gardens for over 20 years. She was also commissioned in 2000 to paint a large mural in Littleton, Colorado at Columbine High School following the tragic shooting. She hoped her work would help the healing process, saying, “I want them to see forever and forget the terrible tragedy that happened here two months ago.”
Virginia Wright-Frierson’s medium is primarily watercolors as seen in the Island Passage children's book, which is an account of a day trip she took to Bald Head Island with her daughter.
The bulk of this collections follows the birth of an
idea for books on flora and fauna, the living desert, rainforest, and waters
around an island, from first thoughts and art doodles, to finished product. Most
of these notes focus on A North American Rain Forest Scrapbook, which can
be found in its complete form in the library's general collection. The remainder
of the collection includes newspaper clippings, correspondence with publishers,
and biographical information about Wright-Frierson.
This
collection was donated by Virginia Wright-Frierson, 1999
This collection has been designated Accession Number 144 of the Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections Department of the William Madison Randall Library, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-3297.
There are no access restrictions on this
collection.
Processed by Carroll R. Jones
Manuscripts
Collection
William Madison Randall Library
University of North Carolina at
Wilmington
Inventory
Manuscript/Box/File
144/1/1
Letter from John Burroughs Society
Announcement
of exhibit at UNCW
Wilmington Star-News article on author, 7/26/98
144/1/2
Handwritten description of Pacific forest, no date
144/1/3
Correspondence between Wright-Frierson and senior
editor at Morrow & Co., referencing to Big Boy, Little Boy.
144/2/1
Various news articles referencing career.
144/2/2
Article & photo referencing illustrations
Flowers For You
144/2/3
Asheville Art Museum.
Personal Travelogue
144/3/4
Articles on trip abroad.
144/3/5
1998 newspaper and library recognition of nature
books
144/3/6
3 reviews from Amazon.com
144/3/7
New Hanover County
Schools
144/3/8
Jan. 1982 article from the Wilmington
Morning Star
144/3/9
Oct. 20, 1984 article Wilmington
Star-News: Virginia Wright-Frierson, illustrator
144/3/10
Wilmington Morning-Star, June
1981
144/3/11
1996 educational travel abroad prospectus -
Gubbio, Italy
144/3/12
Oct. 1997, The Arts Courier
144/3/13
Virginia Wright-Frierson professional
biography
144/3/14
Penland School of Crafts, 1996
144/3/15
Meet the Author, New Hanover County Public Library
144/3/16
March-May 1990 St. Johns Museum promotion
144/3/17
Assorted illustrated samples
144/2/18
Five Wilmington Women
144/2/19
Undated handwritten changes to Soyung Pak
144/2/20
Early handwritten notes, no dates.
144/2/21
Corrected 2nd Pass
144/2/22
Aug. 7, 1998 Correspondence referencing National Park
Service edits.
144/2/23
Undated handwritten early notes on
Rainforest
144/2/24
Note from Soyung Pak referencing
cover for final manuscript changes, 9/24/98
144/2/25
July 8,
1998 letter from S. Pak with specification for book cover.
144/2/26
Undated handwritten script w/drawings in
2nd stage
144/2/27
Undated letter to S. Pak
referencing Island Scrapbook.
144/2/28
Undated early
edit of manuscript.
144/2/29
Draft #3 with typed edits.
144/2/30
Letters & memo to VWF referencing edits in final
work
144/2/31
Early handwritten notes for artwork on Rainforest
144/2/32
Miscellaneous notes, doodle art,
undated
144/3/7
Undated edited text from Soyung Pak, Rainforest.
144/3/8
May 4, 1998, memo from MAIN DESIGN refer.
Rainforest Scrapbook
144/3/9
4/26/98 First Pass
Rainforest, set type.
144/3/10
March, 1998, letter from
S. Pak; edited 3rd draft.
144/3/11
Undated version
#3 North American Rainforest
144/3/12
Draft # 2
Rainforest Scrapbook, Olympic Mpuntains to Pacific Ocean.
144/3/13
1997 Outline to editor at Walker & Co.
144/3/14
Letter to VWF from S. Pak, at Walker & Co., 1998
144/3/15
Edited format for American Rainforest
144/3/16
1/23/98. Letter from Walker & Co. editor.
144/3/17
Undated short draft.
144/3/18
Undated hand draft.
144/3/19
Undated typed notes on Rainforest
144/3/20
Pen & ink draft of manuscript
144/3/23
Undated pen & ink draft of Rainforest
144/3/24
Undated pencil notes
144/3/25
Oct.
1997 letter from Simon & Shuster referencing butterflies
144/3/26
Undated original draft of Rainforest.
144/3/27
Star-News article: book signing Main Library
for Island Scrapbook.
144/3/28
Amazon.com review of
Island Scrapbook, Dawn To Dusk on Barrier Island.
144/3/29
Amazon.com search for author works
144/3/30
Amazon.com synopsis Desert Scrapbook:Dawn To Dusk
On The Sonora Desert
144/3/31
WHQR Show, 1998.
Exhibit from travels
144/3/32
St. John's Museum of Art Newsletter, Winter 2000
144/3/33
Star News article including photo of
Wright-Frierson's mural for Columbine High School, July 23, 2000
144/3/34
Invitation for 8 Artists 6 Houses exhibition, October
13-15, 2006
COPYRIGHT: Retained by the authors of items in
these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United
States
copyright law.