Campaign Spotlight: Bev Perdue Jennings

Whether she is admiring the brushstrokes in a John Singer Sargent portrait, shaping her own compositions in oil and watercolor, or teaching a workshop, Bev Perdue Jennings is keenly aware of the power that art can hold. She and her husband, Ed, are longtime supporters of the museum and recently sponsored the Congo Masks exhibition. With a recent gift to establish the Bev Perdue Jennings Assistant Curator of American Art Endowment, Jennings has created an enduring legacy at the museum.

“Bev’s generous gift is a major investment in the museum’s curatorial department. An endowment like this not only ensures the continued financial stability of the museum, but directly benefits our visitors by enabling curators to produce new scholarship and create outstanding exhibitions,” remarks Alex Nyerges, VMFA’s Director and CEO.

The impact a single curator can have on the museum has been especially evident of late. Dr. Christopher C. Oliver, who assumed the new title in August, is the curator behind Virginia Arcadia: The Natural Bridge in American Art and Ansel Adams: Compositions in Nature, both of which opened in 2021.

For Jennings, creativity is the driving force behind her giving, volunteer commitments and her work as an artist in watercolor and oils. “Creativity is essential to the human condition,” she explains. “Art gives us a window into the past, a way to imagine the future and an opportunity to grow our spirits. We are so fortunate to have in VMFA an institution that celebrates and encourages creativity in its galleries, exhibitions, studio classes and statewide programs, and this gift is my way to support those efforts.”

Growing up on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Jennings had little opportunity to visit museums as a child. However, giving back was an important value in her family. While expanding the family business into one of the country’s largest chicken brands, her father Frank Perdue also quietly made significant investments in the charitable foundation established by his father. Now known as the Arthur and Franklin Perdue Foundation, the charitable arm of Perdue Farms has partnered with FeedMore for two decades and provides grants to communities where the company has a significant presence. The Foundation also provided funding for the Jennings endowment.

In addition to her support for the museum, Jennings also serves on the board of Art for the Journey, whose programs offer safe and encouraging spaces for self-expression and discovery for veterans, youth, and the incarcerated. For the last several years, she has volunteered as an instructor at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland with the group. “Although I had taught workshops before, working with these women is something I’d always wanted to do. My role is to coach the participants and share techniques, but they get to choose what to paint, the size of the canvas, every color, every brushstroke. It’s almost a form of meditation. When you’re creating, everything else melts away.”

Jennings began painting in watercolor after her younger daughter was born and has since achieved signature member status in the American Watercolor Society. Known professionally as Bev Perdue, her work has been recognized in several prestigious art competitions and is in numerous private and corporate collections. Yet Bev continues to seek new artistic challenges, and began working in oils several years ago. “Art to me is all about the journey,” she explains. “If I were painting today the same as five years ago, I wouldn’t be satisfied.”

Jennings sees a similar mindset at VMFA. “Even with the tremendous growth in the last decade, VMFA is always striving to do more. The museum’s staff is phenomenal and under Alex Nyerges’ leadership they’ve created an ambitious vision for the future. The upcoming expansion, particularly the second exhibition space, will lead more people to discover what a gem we have in Richmond. I like to think that I haven’t created my best painting yet and feel the same way about the museum.”

We invite you to learn more about the Campaign for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by visiting this page or contactingJasmonn Coleman, Assistant Deputy Director of Development, at campaign@VMFA.museum or 804.340.5529.