ETSU Reece Museum set to memorialize local artist Lydia Wilson

Before her death in July, Johnson City-native Lydia Wilson was well-known for creating rustic folk art out of reused materials.Those works included her iconic sculptures, which Wilson once described as "visual voices" that reflect life struggles, social concerns, character traits and personal experiences. Using stitching, embroidery and other techniques, she was able to turn just about anything into a piece of art, according to her cousin, Nancy Howard.Wilson aimed to "use the bounty and resources of our region to capture the spirit of the people who dwelled here," which Howard said gave Wilson's art "texture, dimension and depth.""I think the materials she used were unique. She used everyday things in a different way when most people would not think of using them," Howard said. "She wanted them to be different — she wanted them to stand out and get your attention and get you thinking about things you pass by every day. She found unused items that were thrown away and gave them a purpose in life."She liked to use a lot of things from nature," she continued. "She used very unusual mediums for her work."Wilson was also an educator of the arts and spent much of her time teaching art classes at Girls Inc., Coalition for Kids and through workshops, where she encouraged others to express themselves using arts and crafts. Her work was featured in local and national publications, displayed at Nelson Fine Art, the Virginia Highland Festival, the Jonesborough Visitor Center and many other galleries. Wilson also attended craft shows in and around the area and at Artopia and the William King Museum in Abingdon.Howard said Wilson's work touched the lives of many other local artists and crafters, some of whom had the pleasure of artistically collaborating with her before she died.On Saturday, Aug. 25, East Tennessee State University's Reece Museum will be hosting a memorial service for Wilson. The event will feature some of her works, as well as other collaborative pieces involving other artists who worked with her. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and continue until 3 p.m."We wanted to put together some of her work that represents what she was and what she did," Howard said of the event.