Art with Heart: Bringing Local Art to BRC

The Search Begins

A small committee of team members and village residents made the nearly two-hour drive to artist Nancy Stark’s Roanoke home with a mission: to find artwork worthy of a growing collection.

Dozens of original paintings lined the walls of her living room and spilled into an adjoining room, thoughtfully arranged like a private gallery. The collection traced years of Stark’s work, from earlier paintings to dramatic locomotives full of movement, light, and shadow.

But one painting kept pulling everyone’s attention away from the exhibition. Hanging quietly in the kitchen was a locomotive charging toward the viewer beneath a brilliant blue sky. It wasn’t part of the artwork Nancy had offered for consideration, yet the group couldn’t stop admiring it.

Eventually, they asked the question. Would she consider selling it? Stark stepped away to talk with her husband before returning with an answer. Her heart was still too attached to the painting to let it go. The committee understood.

Their months-long search to bring original Virginia artwork to a bare Mack Room was never simply about filling blank walls. It was about finding pieces with stories—art that felt familiar, sparked memories, and reflected the vibrant community residents call home.

When the Mack Room was renovated in 2020, the refreshed space was functional but largely bare. Aside from two clocks—a detail Jeannette Suter, Vice President of Independent Living, jokes about—the walls remained mostly empty.

Over time, residents began sharing an idea. “Some [residents] mentioned seeing local artwork displayed in hospitals and other community spaces,” Jeannette says. “It seemed like there would be great ties to having local art represented in our community.”

With an innovation grant made possible by generous donor support, Jeannette assembled a committee whose own creative talents helped shape the search. It included Director of Marketing & Sales Jeremy Douylliez, local art collector and enthusiast; resident Rob Kloetzer, a watercolor artist; and resident Chris Smith, a textile artist and collector with a rich background in the arts, including seven years on the board of the Staunton Augusta Art Center.

Together, they set out to create something far more meaningful than wall décor. “I remember early on feeling like I wanted it to reflect our culture at BRC,” says Jeremy. “I wanted it to feel vibrant. I know it sounds corny, ‘Energy for Life,’ but I wanted people to feel that in the space.”

Finding Their Eye

Before the committee purchased a single piece, they established guiding principles. The artwork would be original, not reproductions. It would showcase Virginia artists or depict scenes deeply connected to Virginia. Most importantly, it needed to resonate with the people who would spend time in the room every day. “One thing different between this project and the usual way of people buying artwork for their own home,” Chris explains. “We had to consider what would appeal to the residents here in the village.”

They also made another important decision. Instead of reviewing digital submissions virtually, they would find the artwork themselves. That choice sent them across Virginia—to watercolor exhibitions, galleries, artists’ studios, and private homes throughout the Shenandoah Valley, Roanoke, Staunton, Radford, and beyond. “We all have connections to artists in our community,” Jeremy says. “And if we just started pulling at those strings, we’re going to find some great stuff.”

The first purchase was Industry by Leigh Crumrine. It wasn’t the most expensive piece the committee would purchase, but it became a turning point for the rest. Standing together at an art show, the committee looked at one another, asking the same questions.

Do we all love it? Is this the right piece? Should we actually buy it?

Making that first purchase gave the committee the confidence to trust their instincts. “It was a huge milestone,” Jeannette says. “That was a good step for us to take,” Chris adds. “Once we made that purchase, we knew we could do this.” From there, the search became both easier and more adventurous.

Sometimes a painting immediately captured everyone’s attention. Other times, lively discussions unfolded as each committee member shared what a particular piece stirred in them—a favorite flower, a familiar landscape, memories of growing up near the shore, or the simple recognition of a farm that looked remarkably like one just down the road from BRC.

For Rob, one painting in particular immediately felt like home. Eastern Shore by Chris Tuttle reminded him of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where he grew up. “That says Eastern Shore to me,” he says. “If people can see something that’s familiar in their mind, then they’re going to like it.” Not every decision came easily. Barbara Holt’s March challenged the committee more than any other piece. Its bold, abstract style felt like the collection’s biggest risk, yet everyone was fascinated by it. “It was probably our wildest swing,” Jeremy shares.

The Reveal

The search also introduced the committee to artists whose passion matched their own. They visited homes where gallery walls filled living rooms. They commissioned original work and met artists eager to share the stories behind their work. Along the way, they even discovered work by internationally acclaimed watercolorists Nancy Stark and Z.L. Feng, whose paintings now hang in the Mack Room.

When the completed collection was unveiled on June 5, residents and guests wandered from painting to painting, many stopping to talk with the artists themselves. It was there that March, once considered the committee’s biggest leap of faith, quickly proved its place. “I remember seeing more people standing in front of her painting than just about any other painting in the room,” Chris recalls.

One resident pulled Jeannette aside with a simple observation, “This is why I chose BRC.” Another asked how long the artwork would remain on display. When she explained that the paintings had been purchased for a permanent collection, Jeannette watched as surprise turned into appreciation. “There seems to be an appreciation for the investment,” she says, “and commitment to wanting to showcase local artwork, so I appreciate that.”

One of the collection’s most talked-about pieces, In the Sky BRC by Sarah Jones, continues to invite viewers to pause a little longer. Jeremy recalls a moment with resident Janina Greene on the night of the unveiling that captured its impact best. Janina calls the piece her favorite and “a perfect way to summarize where we live.” As she took it in that evening, she told Jeremy, “It’s the mountains. It’s the wind. It’s the water. It’s the motion. It’s the e… motion.”

Another favorite came from Stark’s studio. While the committee left behind the blue locomotive that had initially stolen their hearts, they found another train painting that became part of the growing collection—a reminder that sometimes the perfect piece isn’t the one you expected.

Just the Beginning

Today, the Mack Room feels noticeably different. Colorful landscapes, expressive abstracts, and scenes from across Virginia greet everyone who gathers in the space. The artwork has transformed what was once a functional meeting space into a place that reflects the beauty, creativity, and character of the region beyond its walls.

Recent lighting upgrades in the Mack Room now enhance the collection, and the committee has already begun planning the next phase of the project through an additional donor-supported innovation grant.

Though Jeannette has a favorite piece (hint: it’s a flower), her greatest success wasn’t any single piece—it was the journey. “I genuinely enjoyed the process,” she says. “It helped me grow as a person and in art. I’m thrilled we got from an idea to this project coming to fruition. And the camaraderie with this committee of guys… I really enjoyed it.”

Looking ahead, the committee is already thinking beyond the Mack Room. “It’s the seeds to come,” Jeannette shares. And perhaps that’s exactly what the collection represents—not simply artwork on the walls, but the beginning of something that will continue growing for years to come, one thoughtfully chosen piece at a time.