About Us
History
The Walter Cecil Rawls Library and Museum was first envisioned in 1952 by Walter Cecil Rawls, a St. Louis businessman and native of Southampton County. In searching for a suitable site, Mr. Rawls enlisted the aid of his boyhood friend, Junius W. Pulley who suggested the Courtland location. Both Mr. Rawls, an inventor and amateur artist, and Mr. Pulley desired that the library would include a museum to house artifacts of the county and collections of art.
The library-museum opened to the public on June 15, 1958. The first exhibit in the gallery was assembled by the Rev. C.W. Gibson, minister or Courtland Methodist Church. The exhibit featured art work by local artists and a display of Civil War memorabilia.
In 1966, F.D. Cossitt, noted art critic, sculptor and art historian, became museum curator . Mrs. E. F. Reese, III chaired the Arts Committee of the library board which was headed by J.M. Camp, Jr. At the time the museum was organized as an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In 1980 the museum /art division became a separate non-profit entity known as Rawls Museum Arts, Inc. Its objective was to expand cultural outreach by offering more programs, art classes for young and old, exhibits, trips to the Virginia Museum and opportunity to acquaint regional residents with the many facets of art. Under the auspices of RMA in 1984, a group of working artists formed the Blackwater ArtistÃs League.
On December 1999, RMA celebrated the opening of a new gallery. The building houses the Main gallery, the Francis Gallery which includes a Children’s Gallery, the Artworks Gift Shop, storage space, and offices. It also houses an extensive permanent collection of art.
RMA continues to offer programs to the citizens of the City of Franklin, and the counties of Southampton, Sussex, Surry and Isle of Wight. Visiting curators, lecturers, jurors, artists, performers and educators facilitate programs and exhibitions that are as diversified as the subjects, media, artworks, and lessons they present. The annual Riddick-Wiggins Concert is particularly favorite cultural event.
It is hoped that the entity that is now Rawls Museum Arts would have been pleasing to Mr. Rawls and his dream.
Concerts
Riddick - Wiggins Memorial Concert
The Riddick-Wiggins Memorial Concert is sponsored each year by Rawls Museum Arts in memory of two Franklin musicians, Mrs. Rebie Riddick and Mr. John Bowers Wiggins, Jr.
It has been the host of many great musicians, such as Mike Seegar, Paul Reisler, Diane Bardwell, and Gary Green.
Mike Seeger has devoted his life to singing and playing Music from True Vine - the home music made by American southerners before the media age. Music from True Vine grows out of hundreds of years of British traditions that blended in our country with equally ancient African traditions to produce songs and sounds which are unique to the United States.
Paul Reisler is a composer and songwriter as well as the co-founder and artistic director of Trapezoid. Since 1975, he has toured throughout North America and Asia, performing in more than 3,000 concerts, workshops and festivals, including his own Songcamps in the Country.
Joining him was singer Diane Bardwell. Her rich, warm voice, and the emotion with which she sings puts a life to Paul’s music . Heartsong Review calls her voice, “sweet and angelic…pierces straight through to the heart and soul.” She’s been performing since 1974, playing with the rock band, Jump Street, original acoustic group Anahata and the Celtic duo Almost Avalon.