Civista Medical Center Gallery, La Plata
The Charles County Arts Alliance presents a special memorial exhibit showcasing the artwork of the late Ann Maggi at the Civista Medical Center Gallery in La Plata. The show will run through the end of May.
Maggi, who passed away a year ago, left behind a wealth of paintings -- a small sample of which now hangs in the gallery located off just off the main lobby of the La Plata hospital. Maggi had a special connection to the hospital, having been a nurse for more than 25 years at Civista.
In addition to being a visual artist, Maggie was a talented writer, actor, and singer. Her love of music came through her Irish parents who sang the old ballads, which she joined in on, imbuing her poetry with the same rhythm, humor, and longing. Her book, a compilation of hers and her sister's poetry title "The Moriarity Sisters." She shared her vocal and acting talents with the Port Tobacco Players, performing in their road show, "The Comedy of Broadway." In 2006, she was chosen as Charles County's Senior Idol winner, and she went on to be the second place winner of Senior Idol for Maryland.
A group of Maggi's friends -- Pat McConkey, Lynette Smoot, Judy Durner, Kathy Keough, and Diane Kenney -- presented the idea to the Arts Alliance for the exhibit.
"We were concerned that her many paintings would languish unseen in storage and knew that Ann would have loved the idea of her artworks being displayed at the hospital where she devoted so much of her life as a nurse," said Durner. "She was such a special individual whose love and good humor extended far beyond her family to include everyone with whom she shared her many gifts and talents. We all felt blessed by her presence."
Proceeds from the sale of any of the displayed artworks will be donated to Maggi's favorite charity, The Sisters of Mt. Carmel.