Scenes of Person County
A collection of more than forty black-and-white photographs of rural Person County by Nancy Bates Allen will be on display at the Kirby Gallery in Roxboro during the month of April. A reception for the artist is scheduled for Sunday April 6, 2008 from 1:30-3:00 PM.

At the heart of this show are nine black-and-white prints on loan from the Specialty Clinic at Person Memorial Hospital. In September 2006 Susan Long, RN, Clinic Manager, requested that Nancy provide a group of black and white photographs of Person County for the waiting room, made possible by a generous donation for art in that space. Nancy had previously captured these and many other images one Saturday morning on a 120-mile driving tour of the county. She photographed the landscape, history and character of the county—churches, barns, tobacco carts, railroad tracks, Mayo Reservoir, Roxboro Motor Speedway sign, and more. Over the past two years she has added to this collection, snatching time on Saturdays or Sunday afternoons to explore the back roads of this beautiful county. Other than the loaned prints, her works are available for purchase, including a number of matted prints and photo cards.

As a photographic artist, Nancy was inspired by her father, Paul Bates, an accomplished nature photographer living in Virginia. Her husband, Barry, encouraged her talent with the gift of a professional digital camera. Along with additional lenses, an Epson photo-quality printer, and an upgraded computer, her camera has allowed her to develop her natural talent. Her first show, “Four Seasons on the Flat River”, was held at the Kirby Gallery in Roxboro in April, 2006, along with the work of Jennifer Miller, an accomplished landscape painter in oils and watercolors.

As ‘Dr. Allen’, Nancy has served Person County as a rheumatologist since 1987, caring for patients and training young doctors in the Specialty Clinic at Person Memorial Hospital. Her primary appointment is at Duke University Medical Center as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology. After graduating from Wellesley College in 1974 and Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston in 1978, she came to Duke for her internship and residency in internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in rheumatology. Appointed to the Duke faculty in 1982, she maintains an active clinical practice, conducts research in the area of vasculitis and enjoys teaching medical students, residents and fellows. Dr. Allen also serves as Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Faculty Development at Duke University. She and her husband live in southern Person County with their numerous rescued dogs and cats. Their twin children, a daughter and a son, are in college.

The gallery is located in historic downtown Roxboro at 213 North Main Street. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday afternoons from 1:00-5:00 PM, and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Telephone: 336-597-1709