 |
Miriam Ahladas '93: "I credit R-MC for the opportunity to learn something about myself." |
On many days, you can find
Miriam Ahladas '93 hard at work in her art studio, upstairs in the lovely Ashland home she shares with her husband John. The space brims with the accoutrements of the artist-in-residence: brushes, a paint-flecked palette, canvasses. “I love my studio,” says Ahladas as she scans her colorful domain, “but I really love painting outdoors. I let nature speak to me and I describe that beauty through my painting.”
Ahladas, wife of R-MC treasurer John Ahladas, grew up in a family with a deep appreciation for art. “But I never felt that I could create art—until I attended Randolph-Macon,” she says. “I needed one Fine Arts credit, so I dared myself to sign up for Drawing 101, taught by Professor Dawn Latane. On the first day of class she asked us to draw some chairs she had arranged in the room. I didn’t know how in the world I’d begin and I thought, ‘I’ve signed up for the wrong thing.’”
But the next day brought with it a fresh perspective. Latane sent her students outside to sketch and “I decided to become like a child, to let go and relax,” says Ahladas.
Returning to school as an adult had several advantages. “I had a greater appreciation for my educational experience. My professors told me I added to the class because of my maturity,” she says. Ahladas’ discovery of art—and herself—blossomed. “I credit R-MC for the opportunity to learn something about myself,” she says. She graduated Magna cum Laude with a major in
English and a minor in
education.
Ahladas’ birthplace—Norway—is a source of inspiration to her. “It is exciting to express my love for my heritage through my art,” she explains. The artist recently added a new form of expression to her repertoire—fiber art. Colorful ribbons of fabric hang on a wall in her studio, providing a creative nudge for Ahladas, who uses a technique called art quilting to craft landscapes mounted onto frames. A recent project took shape after she was inspired by a beautiful piece of Norwegian bark. “Fiber art is an expression of how I feel emotionally and spiritually,” she says.
Ahladas’ advice for students interested in pursuing an art career is heartfelt. “Everyone has talent. It takes desire and opportunity…you just have to find your means of expression.”