More than three-dozen note cards depicting paintings by Nellie Meadows are displayed in a window at Clay City United Methodist Church.
The cards are there as part of a celebration of the well-known Kentucky artist's life. Mrs. Meadows' body was laid out at the church yesterday.
She died of complications from congestive heart failure Monday at Clark Regional Hospital in Winchester. She was 91
There just wasn't enough room in the little church for large original Nellie Meadows paintings, let alone the scores of people expected to come by to pay their respects.
To the people of Powell County, Mrs. Meadows was not only a noted artist, she also was a kind and caring woman who often helped others.
"She just would give anything to anybody," said her granddaughter, Shawna Meadows of Clay City. "The community in general just loved her."
Many of the note cards were copies of those sold as Christmas cards to raise money for the Kidney Foundation of Central Kentucky. Cards and prints of paintings by Mrs. Meadows raised tens of thousands of dollars for the foundation over a span of about 15 years.
"She never got a penny for it. She never took any of the profit. She just did it for the pleasure of helping other people," said Jan Doctrow, former executive director of the foundation. "I thought that she was the most generous, kind, wonderful, charitable person that I've ever met."
Mrs. Meadows was a self-taught artist who took up painting seriously in the 1960s. She started doing primarily watercolors of wildflowers. Later came birds and landscapes -- Kentucky birds and landscapes, of course.
"She liked to paint anything that was Kentucky based," Shawna Meadows said.
A series of paintings by Mrs. Meadows depicting scenes from Red River Gorge have been especially popular, her granddaughter said. In the 1970s, Mrs. Meadows' painting Kentucky the Great State was chosen as the official state painting for the U.S. bicentennial celebration. The artist's works hang in many government and business offices and schools in Kentucky.
Mrs. Meadows was a member of a group of artists that were named Kentucky Heritage Artists in the 1970s. As a member of the Kentucky Heritage Artist program, which was sponsored by Appalachian Regional Hospitals, Mrs. Meadows and the other artists traveled the state, talking to school children and others about their work.
"She was an excellent wildflower artist and landscape painter," said fellow Kentucky Heritage Artist Al Cornett, who also lives in Powell County. "She was just a real nice kind of person to have in the county," he added.
Cornett recalled how Mrs. Meadows was always mindful of the time when she traveled to art shows.
"She would have to get back to fix Roscoe's supper," he said. "She wasn't one of these jewel bedecked people. She was just a common person."
Roscoe was Mrs. Meadows' husband, who died in 1996.
Mrs. Meadows helped her husband run a general store, feed and lumber supply business and Meadows Golf Course in Clay City. Before she married in 1940, Mrs. Meadows, who was raised on a Powell County farm, studied at Fugazzi Business School in Lexington and worked at Clay City National Bank. She reportedly was the first woman to work at a Powell County bank.
Over the years, Mrs. Meadows served on the Powell County Social Services advisory board, Powell County Library board, Powell County Board of Health and the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan Bank board of directors and was active in many other organizations.
She was a charter member of the Red River Historical Society and Museum in Clay City. She owned the building that houses the museum, where her son has served as curator.
"She was responsible with Larry, her son, for getting that museum up and running," Cornett said. "That may be her legacy."
Mrs. Meadows received many honors for her work. In 1981 she was named Distinguished Woman of the Year by the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs. In 1993 she was named Citizen of the Year by the Natural Bridge/Powell County Chamber of Commerce.
At her death, she was still doing the books for the golf course, which Larry Meadows operates.
She also was still painting, having completed several pictures this year. They were sold almost as fast as she could put them on the walls of Kathy's Country Kitchen in Clay City, her granddaughter said.
"They would be there about five minutes," she said. "The last one she painted was hands holding a Bible, and a bowl of fruit in the background."
The artist sold many original paintings for about $70 when other artists were asking $300 for comparable works, her granddaughter said.
"She way undersold."
Mrs. Meadows reasoned that people worked hard for their money and should not have to pay so much for something that would make their lives more enjoyable, she said.
In addition to her son, who lives in Clay City, and granddaughter, Mrs. Meadows is survived by grandchildren Leif Meadows of London and Cody Meadows of Clay City and three great-grandchildren
The cards are there as part of a celebration of the well-known Kentucky artist's life. Mrs. Meadows' body was laid out at the church yesterday.
She died of complications from congestive heart failure Monday at Clark Regional Hospital in Winchester. She was 91
There just wasn't enough room in the little church for large original Nellie Meadows paintings, let alone the scores of people expected to come by to pay their respects.
To the people of Powell County, Mrs. Meadows was not only a noted artist, she also was a kind and caring woman who often helped others.
"She just would give anything to anybody," said her granddaughter, Shawna Meadows of Clay City. "The community in general just loved her."
Many of the note cards were copies of those sold as Christmas cards to raise money for the Kidney Foundation of Central Kentucky. Cards and prints of paintings by Mrs. Meadows raised tens of thousands of dollars for the foundation over a span of about 15 years.
"She never got a penny for it. She never took any of the profit. She just did it for the pleasure of helping other people," said Jan Doctrow, former executive director of the foundation. "I thought that she was the most generous, kind, wonderful, charitable person that I've ever met."
Mrs. Meadows was a self-taught artist who took up painting seriously in the 1960s. She started doing primarily watercolors of wildflowers. Later came birds and landscapes -- Kentucky birds and landscapes, of course.
"She liked to paint anything that was Kentucky based," Shawna Meadows said.
A series of paintings by Mrs. Meadows depicting scenes from Red River Gorge have been especially popular, her granddaughter said. In the 1970s, Mrs. Meadows' painting Kentucky the Great State was chosen as the official state painting for the U.S. bicentennial celebration. The artist's works hang in many government and business offices and schools in Kentucky.
Mrs. Meadows was a member of a group of artists that were named Kentucky Heritage Artists in the 1970s. As a member of the Kentucky Heritage Artist program, which was sponsored by Appalachian Regional Hospitals, Mrs. Meadows and the other artists traveled the state, talking to school children and others about their work.
"She was an excellent wildflower artist and landscape painter," said fellow Kentucky Heritage Artist Al Cornett, who also lives in Powell County. "She was just a real nice kind of person to have in the county," he added.
Cornett recalled how Mrs. Meadows was always mindful of the time when she traveled to art shows.
"She would have to get back to fix Roscoe's supper," he said. "She wasn't one of these jewel bedecked people. She was just a common person."
Roscoe was Mrs. Meadows' husband, who died in 1996.
Mrs. Meadows helped her husband run a general store, feed and lumber supply business and Meadows Golf Course in Clay City. Before she married in 1940, Mrs. Meadows, who was raised on a Powell County farm, studied at Fugazzi Business School in Lexington and worked at Clay City National Bank. She reportedly was the first woman to work at a Powell County bank.
Over the years, Mrs. Meadows served on the Powell County Social Services advisory board, Powell County Library board, Powell County Board of Health and the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan Bank board of directors and was active in many other organizations.
She was a charter member of the Red River Historical Society and Museum in Clay City. She owned the building that houses the museum, where her son has served as curator.
"She was responsible with Larry, her son, for getting that museum up and running," Cornett said. "That may be her legacy."
Mrs. Meadows received many honors for her work. In 1981 she was named Distinguished Woman of the Year by the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs. In 1993 she was named Citizen of the Year by the Natural Bridge/Powell County Chamber of Commerce.
At her death, she was still doing the books for the golf course, which Larry Meadows operates.
She also was still painting, having completed several pictures this year. They were sold almost as fast as she could put them on the walls of Kathy's Country Kitchen in Clay City, her granddaughter said.
"They would be there about five minutes," she said. "The last one she painted was hands holding a Bible, and a bowl of fruit in the background."
The artist sold many original paintings for about $70 when other artists were asking $300 for comparable works, her granddaughter said.
"She way undersold."
Mrs. Meadows reasoned that people worked hard for their money and should not have to pay so much for something that would make their lives more enjoyable, she said.
In addition to her son, who lives in Clay City, and granddaughter, Mrs. Meadows is survived by grandchildren Leif Meadows of London and Cody Meadows of Clay City and three great-grandchildren
More than three-dozen note cards depicting paintings by Nellie Meadows are displayed in a window at Clay City United Methodist Church.
The cards are there as part of a celebration of the well-known Kentucky artist's life. Mrs. Meadows' body was laid out at the church yesterday.
She died of complications from congestive heart failure Monday at Clark Regional Hospital in Winchester. She was 91
There just wasn't enough room in the little church for large original Nellie Meadows paintings, let alone the scores of people expected to come by to pay their respects.
To the people of Powell County, Mrs. Meadows was not only a noted artist, she also was a kind and caring woman who often helped others.
"She just would give anything to anybody," said her granddaughter, Shawna Meadows of Clay City. "The community in general just loved her."
Many of the note cards were copies of those sold as Christmas cards to raise money for the Kidney Foundation of Central Kentucky. Cards and prints of paintings by Mrs. Meadows raised tens of thousands of dollars for the foundation over a span of about 15 years.
"She never got a penny for it. She never took any of the profit. She just did it for the pleasure of helping other people," said Jan Doctrow, former executive director of the foundation. "I thought that she was the most generous, kind, wonderful, charitable person that I've ever met."
Mrs. Meadows was a self-taught artist who took up painting seriously in the 1960s. She started doing primarily watercolors of wildflowers. Later came birds and landscapes -- Kentucky birds and landscapes, of course.
"She liked to paint anything that was Kentucky based," Shawna Meadows said.
A series of paintings by Mrs. Meadows depicting scenes from Red River Gorge have been especially popular, her granddaughter said. In the 1970s, Mrs. Meadows' painting Kentucky the Great State was chosen as the official state painting for the U.S. bicentennial celebration. The artist's works hang in many government and business offices and schools in Kentucky.
Mrs. Meadows was a member of a group of artists that were named Kentucky Heritage Artists in the 1970s. As a member of the Kentucky Heritage Artist program, which was sponsored by Appalachian Regional Hospitals, Mrs. Meadows and the other artists traveled the state, talking to school children and others about their work.
"She was an excellent wildflower artist and landscape painter," said fellow Kentucky Heritage Artist Al Cornett, who also lives in Powell County. "She was just a real nice kind of person to have in the county," he added.
Cornett recalled how Mrs. Meadows was always mindful of the time when she traveled to art shows.
"She would have to get back to fix Roscoe's supper," he said. "She wasn't one of these jewel bedecked people. She was just a common person."
Roscoe was Mrs. Meadows' husband, who died in 1996.
Mrs. Meadows helped her husband run a general store, feed and lumber supply business and Meadows Golf Course in Clay City. Before she married in 1940, Mrs. Meadows, who was raised on a Powell County farm, studied at Fugazzi Business School in Lexington and worked at Clay City National Bank. She reportedly was the first woman to work at a Powell County bank.
Over the years, Mrs. Meadows served on the Powell County Social Services advisory board, Powell County Library board, Powell County Board of Health and the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan Bank board of directors and was active in many other organizations.
She was a charter member of the Red River Historical Society and Museum in Clay City. She owned the building that houses the museum, where her son has served as curator.
"She was responsible with Larry, her son, for getting that museum up and running," Cornett said. "That may be her legacy."
Mrs. Meadows received many honors for her work. In 1981 she was named Distinguished Woman of the Year by the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs. In 1993 she was named Citizen of the Year by the Natural Bridge/Powell County Chamber of Commerce.
At her death, she was still doing the books for the golf course, which Larry Meadows operates.
She also was still painting, having completed several pictures this year. They were sold almost as fast as she could put them on the walls of Kathy's Country Kitchen in Clay City, her granddaughter said.
"They would be there about five minutes," she said. "The last one she painted was hands holding a Bible, and a bowl of fruit in the background."
The artist sold many original paintings for about $70 when other artists were asking $300 for comparable works, her granddaughter said.
"She way undersold."
Mrs. Meadows reasoned that people worked hard for their money and should not have to pay so much for something that would make their lives more enjoyable, she said.
In addition to her son, who lives in Clay City, and granddaughter, Mrs. Meadows is survived by grandchildren Leif Meadows of London and Cody Meadows of Clay City and three great-grandchildren
The cards are there as part of a celebration of the well-known Kentucky artist's life. Mrs. Meadows' body was laid out at the church yesterday.
She died of complications from congestive heart failure Monday at Clark Regional Hospital in Winchester. She was 91
There just wasn't enough room in the little church for large original Nellie Meadows paintings, let alone the scores of people expected to come by to pay their respects.
To the people of Powell County, Mrs. Meadows was not only a noted artist, she also was a kind and caring woman who often helped others.
"She just would give anything to anybody," said her granddaughter, Shawna Meadows of Clay City. "The community in general just loved her."
Many of the note cards were copies of those sold as Christmas cards to raise money for the Kidney Foundation of Central Kentucky. Cards and prints of paintings by Mrs. Meadows raised tens of thousands of dollars for the foundation over a span of about 15 years.
"She never got a penny for it. She never took any of the profit. She just did it for the pleasure of helping other people," said Jan Doctrow, former executive director of the foundation. "I thought that she was the most generous, kind, wonderful, charitable person that I've ever met."
Mrs. Meadows was a self-taught artist who took up painting seriously in the 1960s. She started doing primarily watercolors of wildflowers. Later came birds and landscapes -- Kentucky birds and landscapes, of course.
"She liked to paint anything that was Kentucky based," Shawna Meadows said.
A series of paintings by Mrs. Meadows depicting scenes from Red River Gorge have been especially popular, her granddaughter said. In the 1970s, Mrs. Meadows' painting Kentucky the Great State was chosen as the official state painting for the U.S. bicentennial celebration. The artist's works hang in many government and business offices and schools in Kentucky.
Mrs. Meadows was a member of a group of artists that were named Kentucky Heritage Artists in the 1970s. As a member of the Kentucky Heritage Artist program, which was sponsored by Appalachian Regional Hospitals, Mrs. Meadows and the other artists traveled the state, talking to school children and others about their work.
"She was an excellent wildflower artist and landscape painter," said fellow Kentucky Heritage Artist Al Cornett, who also lives in Powell County. "She was just a real nice kind of person to have in the county," he added.
Cornett recalled how Mrs. Meadows was always mindful of the time when she traveled to art shows.
"She would have to get back to fix Roscoe's supper," he said. "She wasn't one of these jewel bedecked people. She was just a common person."
Roscoe was Mrs. Meadows' husband, who died in 1996.
Mrs. Meadows helped her husband run a general store, feed and lumber supply business and Meadows Golf Course in Clay City. Before she married in 1940, Mrs. Meadows, who was raised on a Powell County farm, studied at Fugazzi Business School in Lexington and worked at Clay City National Bank. She reportedly was the first woman to work at a Powell County bank.
Over the years, Mrs. Meadows served on the Powell County Social Services advisory board, Powell County Library board, Powell County Board of Health and the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan Bank board of directors and was active in many other organizations.
She was a charter member of the Red River Historical Society and Museum in Clay City. She owned the building that houses the museum, where her son has served as curator.
"She was responsible with Larry, her son, for getting that museum up and running," Cornett said. "That may be her legacy."
Mrs. Meadows received many honors for her work. In 1981 she was named Distinguished Woman of the Year by the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs. In 1993 she was named Citizen of the Year by the Natural Bridge/Powell County Chamber of Commerce.
At her death, she was still doing the books for the golf course, which Larry Meadows operates.
She also was still painting, having completed several pictures this year. They were sold almost as fast as she could put them on the walls of Kathy's Country Kitchen in Clay City, her granddaughter said.
"They would be there about five minutes," she said. "The last one she painted was hands holding a Bible, and a bowl of fruit in the background."
The artist sold many original paintings for about $70 when other artists were asking $300 for comparable works, her granddaughter said.
"She way undersold."
Mrs. Meadows reasoned that people worked hard for their money and should not have to pay so much for something that would make their lives more enjoyable, she said.
In addition to her son, who lives in Clay City, and granddaughter, Mrs. Meadows is survived by grandchildren Leif Meadows of London and Cody Meadows of Clay City and three great-grandchildren
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