BETSY L. RENFREW, MFA

Independent Research/Documentarian, Greensboro, NC

  • Documenting Montagnard weavers’ traditions in Greensboro with grant support from the Community Folklife Documentation Institute, North Carolina Arts Council and United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro.

  • Creating Ethnobotany and Oral History research projects using a Community Based Research format; partnering with local colleges.

betsyrenfrew@triad.rr.com


EDUCATION

University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC MFA, Painting and Drawing, 1993

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV MA, Fine Art, 1983

Towson State University, Baltimore, MD BS, Fine Art, 1980

RESEARCH/COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• Renfrew, B., Bush, C. (2017–present) Ethnobotany Study in the Montagnard American Community, ongoing study

• Renfrew, B., Bush, C. et al (2017–present) Oral History in the Montagnard American Community, ongoing study

• Renfrew, B. (2009 – present) Documentation and Preservation of Traditional Weaving Practice in the Montagnard American Community. Samples of my video documentation work on refugee weavers include:

• Morrison, S., Young, A., Renfrew B., Ksor, V., Romah, S., Adrong, H’Y. (Feb 2018) Why Cultural Humility is Key when Working with Marginalized: Outsider and Insider Perspectives A slide show and interactive presentation to UNCG PHE graduate students.

• Morrison, S., Renfrew B. (Apr 2018) Sustainable Futures: Sustaining Montagnard Cultural Knowledge through Ethnobotany, Oral History and Community Health, Society for Applied Anthropology annual conference, Philadelphia. Panel discussion presentation.

Montagnard Dega Weavers | NC Now | UNC-TV A 2016 production that features refugee weavers and my work helping to promote and preserve their traditions.

2016 NC Heritage Awards I assisted getting recognition by the governor’s office for two Montagnard traditional weavers. This video records the ceremony and demonstration of the weavers’ craft.

• Young, A., Malotky, M., Renfrew, B., Bush, C., Raczkowski, C., Morrison, S., Bernot, K., Shreeniwas, S., Dharod, J. (Apr 2016). Food Health and Culture: What the Montagnard Refugee Community can Teach Us. Presented by the Montagnard Health Disparities Research Network. IDS Speaker Series, Guilford College, Greensboro NC

• Renfrew, B., Young, A. (2009). Our Recent Projects. Design, Arts, Technology Symposium (DATS) 2009, High Point University, NC

CERTIFICATES

• Certificate in Documentary Arts (in progress), 2009 – present. Center for Documentary Studies, Duke University, Durham, NC. Including extended sessions and workshops on Camera Techniques for Documentary Video, Writing the Personal Essay, Creative Nonfiction for Documentarians, DSLR Video, Audio Slideshows.

• Helping Students Transfer and Retain Decoding Skills, May 2012. Issued by Reading Horizons

• STAR Training (Student Achievement in Reading), Jan. 2012. Issued by Appalachian State University

• Motheread Institute Teacher Training and Certification, Jan. 2011. Issued by Motheread, Inc

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

• Small Business Center courses, various, Guilford Technical Community College, 2013-2014

• Introduction to Distance Learning, Basic Skills Program, 2013

• NC Community College System (3-hour online course)

• Exploring Principles of Adult Learning (1 hour course), Sept 2012

• Teaching Adult ELL Emergent Readers: Linking Research and Practice (4.5 hours on line with extensive pre-course reading requirement), Jun 2012. English Language Learner University (ELL-U)

• Adult Language Learners with Limited Print Literacy, Do They Have a Disability? (2-3 hour on-line webinar), Apr 2012. NAASLN (National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs)

• Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC. IMPACT Greensboro, Leadership and Change Agent Training (12 monthly classes), 2011-2012

• North Carolina Refugee Conference, Office of Refugee Resettlement, U.S. Health and Human Services, Aug 2010. Health & ESOL training, Wilmington, NC

• ESL Conference, Mar 2010. Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC. Teaching strategies

• Tutor Training, November 2009. Reading Connections, Greensboro, NC

• Department Head Training 2006-2007, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC

• Basic Leadership Training 2006-2007. Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC

• Blackboard Online Teaching 10/ 2006 to 2/ 2007 (verified). Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC

Artist workshops, residencies, courses, special projects

• 2016 September, Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC. Long Stitch Book Binding, Hollis Fouts

• 2015 July, Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC. Book Structures, Hollis Fouts

• 2013 April, Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC. Gut and Wire Workshop, Heather Hietala

• 2010 January, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Two-week printmaking residency

• 2009 United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro & Piedmont. Triad Partnership, Entrepreneurship for Creatives, (4 weekends of arts business seminars)

• 2009 Penland School of Crafts, Creative Capital (1 day conference for self-employed artists)

• 2009 August, Weatherspoon Museum of Art, Greensboro, NC. Sherri Lynn Wood, Our Subject Is You artist, afternoon workshop. Mantra and stitching performance for audio.

• 2009 April, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT. One-month painting residency (Cora Cohen, Joyce Kozloff, Jene Highsmith visiting artists)

• 2006 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Painting and Drawing, Clarence Morgan

• 2004 Pullen Art Center, Raleigh, NC. Precious Metal Clay workshop (1 day or two weekend days)

• 2004 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Printmaking and Inkjet Transfers, Ken Kerslake

• 2003 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Sculpted Books, Dan Essig

• 2002 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Photography, Marco Breuer

• 1997 (Summer) Maya Research Program Archeological Dig, Blue Creek, Belize. Affiliated with Texas State University. Assisted archeologists with Maya archeological dig at Blue Creek, Orange Walk District, Belize. Made drawings of pottery and jade artifacts for museum research.

• 1992 Arrowmont School, Gatlinburg, TN. Painting (1 week) (for graduate credit)

• 1992 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Drawing, (for graduate credit), Robert Godfrey, UNC- Asheville

• 1989 (Summer) Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Books, Chris Yarborough

• 1989 (Spring, 3 weeks) Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Books and Paper, Jo Anne Schiavone and Debra Frasier

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

• Print Installation, Bell House, Greensboro, NC, 2016

• Art in Odd Places, Elm Street, Greensboro, NC, 2013

• Printocracy, Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC, 2013

• Bookopolis, Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC, 2009, 2011

• Green Hill Winter Show, Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, Greensboro, NC, 2009

• Instructors’ Exhibition, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC, 2000-2007

• North Carolina Community College Exhibition, NCCC Systems Office, Caswell Building, Raleigh, NC, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007

• New Works, Court Street Gallery, Fayetteville, WV, 2003, 2005, 2007

• One Woman Show, Pullen Arts Center, Raleigh, NC, 1997

• Two Person Exhibiting Member Show, Associated Artists Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC, 1993

• MFA Exhibition, Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC, 1993

Elliott University Center Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC, 1992

• Skopje University, Macedonia (former Yugoslavia) Paper Works, International Art Exchange, 1992

• Henley Southeastern Spectrum, Associated Artists Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC, 1992, 1993

• New Artists Showcase, Art Apace Gallery, Raleigh, NC, 1991

• One Woman Show, Gallery Space, Monroeville, PA, 1990

• Group Exhibition, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, 1989

• Group Show, Studio Z Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, 1987

• Small Works, Zaner Gallery, Rochester, NY, 1982

AWARDS/GRANTS

• United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, Multicultural Arts Investment Program.Project funding recipient with United Montagnard Christian Church, 2010-2011. Documented and implemented a weaving project with traditional Montagnard weavers in Greensboro, NC

• Community Folklife Documentation Institute (North Carolina Arts Council) Center for Documentary Studies, Duke University, Durham, NC. Residency, October, 2009 and May, 2010. Project funding recipient, grants awarded 2009, 2010-2011. Documented Montagnard weavers in Greensboro, NC.

• Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC Printmaking. Residency, January 2010

• Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont . Artist’s Residency in Painting, April 2009