Collage artist's focus on mid-Missouri earns Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs honor

Charles Dunlap, Columbia Daily Tribune
·3 min read
Columbia artist Jenny McGee speaks Wednesday night at Les Bourgeois Winery during Columbia's celebration of the arts event from the city's Office of Cultural Affairs and the Columbia Arts Fund. McGee's collage print of the Katy Trail was selected as the 2023 City of Columbia commemorative poster.
Columbia artist Jenny McGee speaks Wednesday night at Les Bourgeois Winery during Columbia's celebration of the arts event from the city's Office of Cultural Affairs and the Columbia Arts Fund. McGee's collage print of the Katy Trail was selected as the 2023 City of Columbia commemorative poster.

When people think of outdoor activities in Columbia and Boone County, they may end up at a park, hiking, rock climbing or even riding their bike on the Katy Trail.

The trail is one community feature Columbia artist Jenny McGee chose among various scenes from Boone County to highlight through the medium of paper collages. One of her versions of the Katy Trail was selected for this year's City of Columbia Commemorative poster.

"I love and appreciate the value of the Katy Trail and what it brings to our community. It is such an asset," McGee said. "It (also) is meaningful to my family. We have biked on the Katy and taken so many trips as a family on the Katy. It is a conduit to health and wellbeing."

McGee was honored in a ceremony Wednesday night at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport. Also recognized was Jill Womack, founding executive artistic director of Theater Reaching Young People and Schools, or TRYPS. Womack was unable to attend, but the award was accepted on her behalf by Corey Dunne, the theater's new executive artistic director.

Columbia artist Jenny McGee's medium is in collages and one she made of the Katy Trail was selected as the City of Columbia's commemorative poster for 2023. She was honored in a ceremony Wednesday night at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport.
Columbia artist Jenny McGee's medium is in collages and one she made of the Katy Trail was selected as the City of Columbia's commemorative poster for 2023. She was honored in a ceremony Wednesday night at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport.

The Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs each year selects a piece of art to serve as the city's commemorative poster, intended to "showcase the vitality and beauty of mid-Missouri and the significance of the arts." The poster program started in 1992.

McGee is offering 5x7-inch prints for just the cost of shipping. This includes the Katy Trail collage she made for the 2023 poster. Other options include The Burr Oak at McBaine and the Columns at the University of Missouri.

The Celebration of the Arts is an event organized by Office of Cultural Affairs and the Columbia Arts Fund. The office oversees annual arts funding supported through city funds. The Columbia Arts Fund is part of the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. It's an endowment fund also created by the city in which to support individuals and organizations in the arts.

Guests at the 2023 Columbia Celebration of the Arts on Wednesday look at an art print collage of the Katy Trail created by Columbia artist Jenny McGee. Her piece was selected as the City of Columbia commemorative poster.
Guests at the 2023 Columbia Celebration of the Arts on Wednesday look at an art print collage of the Katy Trail created by Columbia artist Jenny McGee. Her piece was selected as the City of Columbia commemorative poster.

McGee was born in the Phillipines in 1978, but was raised in Missouri. She spent a portion of her life in El Salvador in Central America. She is a breast cancer survivor and an event program notes she uses her art "as a tool to express emotions and emulate the courage and beauty found within each of us."

"(Boone County) is an incredible place to be an artist and to live in, and it is also such an honor to join the group of other artists who have this award. Columbia just welcomed me with the most open heart, from healing facilities for cancer, to art facilities at Orr Street to Access Arts to Columbia Art League," she said about when she moved to the city 12 years ago. "It is such an honor to know that the proceeds of this poster goes to support the arts."

This and past years' posters dating back to 1992 can be purchased from the Columbia Convention and Visitor's Bureau at 300 S. Providence Road.

Corey Dunne, TRYPS Children's Theater executive artistic director, accepts a special recognition Wednesday on behalf of Jill Womack, TRYPS founder and emeritus executive artistic director, while choking back tears during the 2023 Columbia Celebration of the Arts at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport.
Corey Dunne, TRYPS Children's Theater executive artistic director, accepts a special recognition Wednesday on behalf of Jill Womack, TRYPS founder and emeritus executive artistic director, while choking back tears during the 2023 Columbia Celebration of the Arts at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport.

TRYPS originally was conceived when Womack was studying her master's in fine arts at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. She then brought it to Columbia, founding the youth theater in 1999.

"During her tenure, Womack produced and directed over 100 productions and raised over $4 million for the company through education programming, plays, outreach, grants and events" said Mayor Barbara Buffaloe. "She has touched the lives of thousands of young people across mid-Missouri. She created a safe space for children to be themselves."

Dunne, who took on the theater directorship 13 months ago after Womack's retirement, is the person who nominated Womack for the annual arts celebration special recognition.

"I have worked on-and-off with TRYPS since 2006. So, Jill has also been a huge part of my life. It is not just your children, your families, your friend's children who have been touched by her, but me as well. My life has completely changed and I would not be here or who I am without her," Dunne said, choking back tears. "Thank you, Jill, for that."

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 2023 City of Columbia commemorative poster is Katy Trail collage