Remembering Barn Alumni

Nancy Witt Mulick

October 5, 1946 to December 24, 2020

When someone first thinks of Nancy Witt Mulick, it’s likely that they think, “This woman has touched so many lives.” A Cumberland County native, Nancy was born in Millville, NJ, on October 5, 1946. Nancy spent most of her wonderful life in both Columbus, Ohio, and in Millville, NJ. During her time in Columbus, Nancy was the long-time Chair of the Art Department and an Artist-in-Residence at The Wellington School in Columbus for 27 years, retiring in 2011.

At the Wellington School she leaves a legacy of inspiring countless students and staff with her passion for art and creativity. She taught classes at the Rhode Island School of Design and The Gordon School when she lived in Rhode Island. A lifelong creative force who worked in ceramic, paper, oil, gouache, and a variety of other media.

In her role as Director of Special Programs at The Barn Studio of Art, Nancy founded the Maurice River School of Art Workshop in July 2009. Since its inception, the annual workshop has evolved into the region’s premier gathering of artists for a week each summer, culminating in an annual show at The Reiverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts. Her guiding vision was to bring landscape artists from throughout the US and overseas to her native South Jersey, with a special emphasis on the Maurice River and its environs, including the Delaware Bayshore. Nancy also envisioned providing the highest caliber of instruction, engaging many master artists from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as workshop instructors.

A graduate of Millville High School class of 1965, she was a member of the Debs TriHi-Y Club and has remained close friends with its members for more than 60 years. Nancy holds a BA from Douglass College in Art History, an MEd from The University of Vermont and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts. Most notably, she studied with Donald Judd, Sydney Janis and Hui Kai Kwong at Douglass and studied Anatomy at The Boston Museum School with Tim Nichols and Ceramics with Jun Kaneko in Omaha, NE. Her work is in collections in the the United States, Europe, and Japan. Permanent collections containing her work include The White House, The Dard Hunter Paper Museum and the Ossabaw Island Collection.

Joseph Edward McLaughlin

November 4, 1954 to November 14, 1975

Our beautiful Joseph.

Joseph began his studies at The Barn in 1966, when he was just a teenager. He immediately captivated all our hearts and was instantly born into our Barn family for eternity. During those teen years, he lost both of his parents. The Barn and art became a refuge for him. Joseph earned his way through The Barn art classes by progressing through the program from a monitor, apprentice, an intern to becoming a teacher.

While at The Barn, Joseph studied under such noted instructors as Morris Blackburn, Morel Pagano, Peter Pizzi, Frederick Gill, George Cheety, Oliver Grimley, Pheobe Shih and Pat Witt. He showed a breadth of talent remarkable for one so young and his natural artistic and creative gifts were boundless.

His four-year battle with cancer never seemed to daunt his positive determination nor did it prevent him from continuing to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA). He attended PAFA from 1972 and until his death in 1975. Also, he taught classes at The Barn Studio of Art between his confinement as a patient at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

In his short life, he produced untold numbers of works in oils, drawings, and watercolors.

Joseph Edward McLaughlin lived for only 21 years but left a legacy that is still remembered with fondness and appreciation.