Longest serving women's club celebrates role of art

Sarah Knee, right, manager of the Jefferson City Museum of Modern Art, points out images from one of three artists featured in the downtown museum. The Tuesday Club held its meeting in the facility to see the art and learn more about it and its creators.
Sarah Knee, right, manager of the Jefferson City Museum of Modern Art, points out images from one of three artists featured in the downtown museum. The Tuesday Club held its meeting in the facility to see the art and learn more about it and its creators.

With more than 100 years of history, the women of the Tuesday Club say monthly programs and friendships are what keeps them coming back.

"I remember giving a report on Amelia Earhart and discussing the details about the challenges of her final flight," said Margie Dampf, one of the oldest serving members of the Tuesday Club. "This was so interesting and different because it was prior to the advent of the internet."

Dampf has been a member of the Tuesday Club for at least 50 years.

The Tuesday Club, the longest serving women's club in Jefferson City, focuses on literature, philanthropy and female empowerment. The club started in 1895 with the intent to give women a place to enrich their level of cultural awareness through literature, politics and other worldly issues.

They hosted their annual tea party Tuesday at the Jefferson City Museum of Modern Art, welcoming Sarah Knee, manager at the museum, and Jim Dyke, cartoonist and owner of Cottonstone Gallery, as special guests. This year's tea party theme was "Art is Long, Life is Short."

Dyke is a Missouri artist and has worked as the News Tribune's editorial cartoonist for 27 years. His presentation focused on his work as an artist, painter and cartoonist.

Throughout his segment of the presentation, he told stories about the history of the Capitol building, the Jefferson City community and its traditions, and he explained how he incorporates these messages into his artwork. He told the audience a lot can find out about the history by studying historical photos.

To illustrate his work, he displayed original designs on ceramic mugs, painted ties, portraits and published cartoons.

Judy Naught, a Tuesday Club member and insurance agent at Naught-Naught, said she enjoyed how Dyke captures the history of Jefferson City in the variety of artwork he does.

Art gallery manager Knee followed his presentation showcasing the original works of three famous minority artists whose work is featured throughout the gallery. Knee told the audience they chose art that resonates with youth because the intent of the gallery is to give at-risk youth an opportunity to be in a positive atmosphere and learn about artists with whom they could relate.

One featured artist was Purvis Young, a Miami native who was referred to as the black Picasso. Knee said at one point he was homeless and painted on trash and other objects he found.

"He says that he is dedicated to painting the world's problems," Knee said.

Thornton Dial, an African-American artist from rural Alabama who came to prominence in 1980s, painted in secret for years due to racial tensions that existed in southern states at the time. He first saw his work on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The other featured artist was Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba, who is originally from the Ivory Coast in Africa. The gallery had a piece that depicted his interpretation of orphans.

Knee said she wants the youth to realize all of the work on display shows even though the artists came from poverty stricken areas, they were able to still use what they had to become well-known artists.

"I believe work like this can inspire kids," Knee said. "It provides them other role models to look up to besides sports figures or celebrities."

"We loved today's programs," said Diane Boyer and Jane Reed, long-time members of the women's social club.

"The best memories about the club are the women involved," Boyer said. "The women are superb. They're involved in the community, and they are just wonderful people."