Made the Newspaper!

I made the Dayton Daily News with my exhibition:

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Women featured in exhibit

Ginny Baughman of Westerville is featured in show.

By Pamela Dillon
Contributing Writer

“Naomi and Ruth” a mixed-media work by Ginny Baughman of Westerville, is one of 24 works at the “Mothers of the Bible” exhibit at the Marian Library at UD. CONTRIBUTED

HOW TO GO

What: “Mothers of the Bible” art by Ginny Baughman Where: Marian Library Gallery, University of Dayton, seventh floor Roesch Library When: Continues through Oct. 31; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays Artist’s reception: 7 p.m. Sept. 5 More info: 937-229-4214 or www.udayton.edu/ libraries

Strong women of good character in the Bible are celebrated in the current “Mothers of the Bible” exhibit at the Marian Library at the University of Dayton. Westerville artist Ginny Baughman is presenting 24 works that include acrylic paintings, mixed media, and sculpture now through Oct. 31.

Baughman is showing three works in her Mary series. “Mary: The Word Became Flesh” is my favorite, with Mary and the infant Jesus clothed in stained glass window elements. “Mary’s Song” is a mixed-media piece in her Visitation series, with words from Luke: 1:45-56 encircling her pregnant figure that show Mary’s humility and devotion to God. “Mary and the Mothers Before Her” is a sculptural work of found objects.

“The influences of my art include ... the imaginary qualities of the Surrealists, the constructiveness of the Cubists, the illuminating qualities of the Impressionists, the emotionality of the Expressionists, and the soul-searching narratives of the feminists,” Baughman said.

Great emotion can be seen in “The Woman and the Dragon.”

The warm colors of red and orange clash with the cool blues and purples in Baughman’s portrayal of a woman giving birth to a son with a red dragon waiting to devour him.

The work depicts good vs. evil in apostle John’s visions while exiled to Patmos in Revelation 12: 1-5.

Luke 2:36-38 reveals Anna the prophetess, whose husband died after only seven years of marriage. After his death, she was said to have “never left the temple, but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day.” She lived to be 84, and is part of Baughman’s “Life Stages” series. The gray stripes in Anna’s robe mimic her long gray, braided hair. Her face in the work shows prayerful devotion.

“Naomi and Ruth” reveals the close relationship that Ruth enjoyed with her mother-in-law, Naomi. After the deaths of their husbands, Ruth decided to leave her homeland and go to Bethlehem with Naomi. Baughman shows the heads of the women, side by side, framed by sheaths of wheat. Gleaning the wheat fields is what led Ruth to her second husband, Boaz.

“ ‘Mothers of the Bible’ is firmly in the Marian tradition, highlighting the strong, faithful women who paved the way to salvation culminating in Mary, who brought Jesus Christ into the world, said the Rev. Johann Roten, director of research and special projects at the Marian Library.

Baughman’s figure titled “Wisdom” is shown with text, “Sophia — Chochma.” Chochma is often translated in Hebrew as “wisdom,” or “inspired intellect.” The name Sophia is not found in the Bible, but rather in the so-called gnostic gospels. These thirteen papyrus volumes were found in 1945 by an Egyptian peasant in Nag Hammadi, with sections that question New Testament theology and orthodox Christian doctrines.

“Sophia, or wisdom, is a strong presence in the Catholic tradition. An entire book in the Old Testament is devoted to wisdom,” said Roten. “In some of the more recent traditions, there is a strong connection between Sophia and Mary, as well as Jesus Christ.”

In “The Dutiful Wife,” Baughman depicts a woman stuck within the confines of a church building. The painting relates to Ephesians 5:22-24, 31-33. Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,” at the beginning of these verses. However, females can find comfort in verse 33 as Paul admonishes husbands to “love his wife as he loves himself ....”

“I work as an author, poet, or musician creating narrative that can be interpreted in a variety of ways,” stated Baughman. “I weave a story leaving conclusions up to the viewer’s own interpretation. My hope is that it will spark a discussion about issues that are important to me.”