MARYLAND

Yumi Hogan, Md. first lady and artist, is guest at arts council luncheon

The Daily Times

An accomplished artist is coming to Salisbury as a special guest of the organization that has promoted creative expression in performance and graphics for a half century on the Lower Shore.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan stands alongside his wife, Yumi, during the inaugural ceremony at the statehouse in January 2015.

Yumi Hogan, first lady of Maryland and wife of Gov. Larry Hogan, is an artist with a passion for ink landscapes influenced by her Korean tradition on the family farm, and her adopted home in Maryland.

The Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council invited Hogan to a luncheon of distinction: The nonprofit celebrates a golden anniversary this year.

"SWAC turns Fabulously Fifty," states an invitation to celebrate 50 years of promoting the arts in Salisbury and throughout Wicomico County. "Celebrate the Gold and the Arts, with Yumi Hogan."

MORE ON THE ARTS:Salisbury to host National Folk Festival starting in 2018

The annual meeting luncheon, or "Let's Do Lunch Arts!" is set for Tuesday, June 13, in the Great Hall of Holloway Hall at Salisbury University.

SWAC organized in 1967 to promote the arts in the region. Organizers say the meeting luncheon is a chance to learn how funding for the nonprofit has benefited the community. It's also an opportunity for guests to see displays and hear presentations by SWAC grant or scholarship recipients.

The event includes entertainment and awards.

It kicks off with an introduction of Hogan, the first person to serve as a first lady in the U.S. who was born in South Korea. A meet-and-greet with the first lady is set for 10:30-11:15 a.m., with a program and lunch starting at 11:15 a.m.

According to her biography, Hogan actively supports the arts in Maryland and is a proponent of art therapy, teaching art to people with disabilities and cancer patients.

Hogan has a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she is an adjunct faculty member. She also has a master of fine arts degree from American University.

She is known for abstract landscapes in Sumi ink on traditional Hanji paper, and her works have been displayed in art shows and museums around the world and the mid-Atlantic, including the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Tickets to the SWAC event are $35 for those who reserve a seat by Friday, June 9, and $40 after the date. Tickets are available online at GetSWAC.org, or by calling 410-543-2787.

Mail checks to P.O. Box 884, Salisbury, MD 21803 or stop by the SWAC office during business hours at 104A Poplar Hill Ave. in Salisbury.

On Twitter@DTDeborahGates