Vicksburg Native Patrick Kelly Retrospective at Brooklyn Museum of Art

      

According to a story from the Monday, May 31 issue of the Washington Post, Vicksburg born fashion designer, Patrick Kelly is being honored with a retrospective show at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

From the article by Robin Givhan: Kelly (made) history, becoming the first American admitted to the Chambre Syndicale, France's prestigious organization of fashion designers.

"While he loved Madame Gres and Yves Saint Laurent, he'd say that in one pew at Sunday church in Vicksburg, there's more fashion to be seen than on a Paris runway," his partner, Bjorn Amelan, recalls.

In addition to his designs, items from Kelly's extensive collection of African-American memorabilia are featured in the show which runs through Septemeber 5, 2004.

    

    

City Acquires Property Next Door to Firehouse

      

Mayor Laurence Leyens contacted the VAA recently to announce that the City of Vicksburg has acquired the vacant lot next to the firehouse with the plan of grading it down to street level and creating a landscaped parking lot for use by the VAA. This will improve the appearance and cure some drainage problems which have plagued the firehouse over the years.

No target date has been announced for completion of this project.

    

    

Elections Held at May Meeting

      

Officers for the 2004 - 2005 year of the VAA were chosen at the May meeting on Tuesday, May 11:

President: Daniel Boone
Lisa Grant: First Vice President
Brenda Neumann: Second Vice President
Chris Haupert: Secretary
Angela Poovey: Treasurer (immediate Past president)

The next scheduled meeting of the VAA is Tuesday, September 14.