Macel Falwell’s artwork to be revealed at Liberty art gallery

From the time she was a young lady, Macel Falwell, wife of the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, had two dreams in life related to her talents: to play the piano in front of an audience and for people to view her artwork. The first dream was fulfilled as she served for many years as pianist alongside her husband at Thomas Road Baptist Church. However, few people knew of Mrs. Falwell’s other talent — visual art.

Liberty University, TRBC and the surrounding community will now get a chance to view her paintings, which span a half-century and include a variety of subjects such as landscapes, portraits, architecture and animals in a variety of media. Her show, “Macel Falwell: The Journey of a Hidden Artist,” opens Thursday, Oct. 16 at The Visual Communication Arts Gallery and will run through Nov. 17.

Mrs. Falwell’s interest in art began in early childhood when she would draw pictures on any small scraps of paper she could find. During her high school years in the 1950s, she began taking art classes and quickly excelled. After she was married, she found time to paint even during the busy formative years of her family, Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University. As the wife of a nationally known religious leader and mother of three, she found solace in painting the everyday scenes of life. The content of her work is wonderful in this regard, from depictions of animals, landscapes and people. Mrs. Falwell’s last painting, executed after a trip to the Peaks of Otter with her husband, was completed in 1998.

The show’s opening is from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday.
Visiting hours after the Thursday opening are:
Mondays 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Tuesdays 1 p.m.-9 p.m.
Wednesdays 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Thursdays 1 p.m.-9 p.m.
Fridays 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Saturdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Admission is free.
The Visual Communication Arts Gallery is located beside the Vines Center in the Helms School of Government Hall.