24 Facts About Dorothy Gillespie

Dorothy Gillespie was an American artist and sculptor who became known for her large and colorful abstract metal sculptures.

Dorothy Gillespie's works are featured at her alma mater in Virginia, where she later returned to teach, as well as in New York, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Florida.

Dorothy Gillespie had a younger brother, Earl V Gillespie Jr.

Dorothy Gillespie graduated from Jefferson High School in Roanoke in 1937.

Dorothy Gillespie later attributed her vivid designs and bright colors to memories of a Christmas tree in Roanoke.

On June 5,1943, aged 23, Dorothy Gillespie moved to New York City.

Dorothy Gillespie joined the Art Students League where she was exposed to new ideas about techniques, materials, and marketing, and created works at Atelier 17 printmaking studio, where Stanley William Hayter encouraged her to experiment with her own ideas.

Dorothy Gillespie returned to making art in 1957, and worked at art full-time after they sold the nightclub in the 1970.

In 1977, Dorothy Gillespie gave her first lecture series at the New School for Social Research, and she would give others there until 1982.

Dorothy Gillespie taught at her alma mater as a Visiting Artist and gave Radford University some of her work to begin its permanent art collection.

Dorothy Gillespie then served as Woodrow Wilson visiting Fellow, visiting many small private colleges to give public lectures and teach young artists.

Dorothy Gillespie returned to Radford University to teach as Distinguished Professor of Art.

Dorothy Gillespie hosted a radio program, the Dorothy Gillespie Show on WHBI-FM in New York, from 1967 to 1973.

Dorothy Gillespie began moving away from realism and into the abstraction that marked her career.

Dorothy Gillespie returned to New York City in 1963 to continue her career.

Dorothy Gillespie maintained a studio through the 70s and worked towards feminist goals in the art industry, picketing the Whitney Museum, helping to organize the Women's Interart Center, curating exhibitions of women's art, and writing articles raising awareness of her cause.

Dorothy Gillespie completed many commissions for sculptures in public places, including the Lincoln Center and Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida.

Dorothy Gillespie maintained a studio in Florida and served on the board of trustees of the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, Florida, from 1996 to 1999, and on the Broward County Cultural Affairs Council from 1993 to 1994.

Dorothy Gillespie's work is unique in its use of ribbon-like shape and use of bright colors.

Dorothy Gillespie's sculptures are crafted out of aluminum covered in enamel.

Dorothy Gillespie's "Colorfall" is a 40-foot tall sculpture hanging in the lobby of Wilmington's Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts.

Dorothy Gillespie died in Coral Gables, Florida, on September 30,2012.

Dorothy Gillespie established a foundation to continue her work and the women's art movement after her death.

Dorothy Gillespie's papers are included in the Miriam Schapiro Archives on Women Artists at Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University.