EDWINA MILNER’S GOLDEN PATHS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 15, 2014

NEW CONCEPT GALLERY CELEBRATES MILNEr’s JOURNEY\

Santa Fe, N.M.—“Golden Paths,” a series of 50 original acrylic and gold-leaf paintings on canvas by Edwina Milner, will be on exhibit at the New Concept Gallery, Thursday, June 12 through Monday, July 7, 2014. The reception, on Friday, June 20, 5–7 p.m., is open to the public.

“Golden Paths” celebrates the adventurous and magical journey of life, and marks an important chapter in Edwina Milner’s creative life. She has been a painter, costume designer, fashion illustrator, art teacher, and philanthropist. Throughout the past 20 years Milner has focused on promoting museums and other artists, especially women, throughout the U.S. This exhibition is a return to what she loves doing most — painting.

“Edwina Milner is a remarkable woman and a wonderful patron of the arts, but few people know that she has also always been an artist,” says Susan Fisher Sterling, Director, National Museum of Women in the Arts. “Her involvement with the National Museum of Women in the Arts began in 1986, when she became a Charter Member before the museum had even opened; and she also was a member of the museum’s newly formed Texas Committee. Edwina championed the museum’s cause from the beginning based on a deep, personal understanding of how difficult it was for women to be recognized for their art.

“As the founder of the museum’s New Mexico Committee in 1997,” Fisher Sterling continued, “Edwina was instrumental in bringing grassroots recognition to women artists through exhibitions, education programs, gallery and studio tours, sales events, and honored artists’ luncheons. On November 13, 2010, Edwina herself was honored by the Committee for her legacy of support for the women artists of New Mexico. With her husband, Charles, she also has served on NMWA’s Advisory Board for many years, and they have been generous supporters of the museum’s Legacy of Women in the Arts Endowment.

“Throughout all this time, for over 25 years, Edwina quietly and diligently continued to pursue her own artistic vision through painting, collage, and other media,” adds Fisher Sterling. “We are extremely proud that one of our own is now receiving well-deserved recognition as a woman artist of New Mexico.”

“We are delighted to be hosting Edwina Milner’s first solo show in Santa Fe,” says Ann Hosfeld, director of New Concept Gallery. “I’d like to invite everyone to this special exhibition. Edwina has done so much for the arts in the U.S. Now it’s time for us to celebrate her and her beautiful work.”

Inspired by her love of gold, it became the color of the “paths” in her recent work. “The title of the series, ‘Golden Paths,’ refers to how I view many decisions I’ve made throughout my 83 years,” says Milner. “Often you can decide which path you will take. A simple one not full of adventures—an expanded one with education, challenges, and opportunities—an adventurous one full of curves, turns, stars, and bright lights—a magical one full of romance, beauty, colors, and gold. It all depends on the paths you choose, the chances you take, and the events that come your way. My paths and decisions have been golden.”

In the past few decades, Milner has devoted most of her creativity not to the canvas but to leading many organizations as a trusted board member. Her influence both within and beyond the art community is attested to by her many awards and board memberships, including the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Women in New Mexico; and the boards of the Museum of New Mexico, the Folk Art Market, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the New Mexico School for the Arts.

In addition, Edwina and her husband, Charles, provided the lead gift and leadership for Milner Plaza in Santa Fe, the site of many special events, including the International Folk Art Market on Museum Hill. Milner Plaza has some of the best views in Santa Fe, and includes a beautifully landscaped courtyard and gardens with outdoor art and a labyrinth. Milner Plaza joins the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, the Museum of International Folk Art, and the Museum Hill Café.

Edwina Milner’s work has been displayed in the Dallas Museum of Art; the Witte Museum, San Antonio; and the University of Texas Museum, Austin. She holds a BFA in arts with honors from the University of Texas, Austin, and is a member of the Chickasaw Nation.

                                                   www.edwinamilner.com

WHAT: “Golden Paths,” a series of 50 original acrylic and gold-leaf paintings on canvas        by Edwina Milner
WHERE: New Concept Gallery, 610 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87501
WHEN: Thursday, June 12 through Monday, July 7, 2014
            Opening reception: Friday, June 20, 5–7 p.m.
CONTACT: Ann Hosfeld, 505-795-7570, www.newconceptgallery.com
COST: Free and open to the public

                               Interviews and Images Available on Request

Contact:
Jennifer Marshall
505-231-1776
jennifer@jmarshallplan.com
www.jmarshallplan.com