On Wednesday morning, Morning Pointe of Chattanooga on Shallowford Road hosted an unveiling ceremony for a special 25th anniversary watercolor painting by regional artist Alan Shuptrine.
The piece, titled “Renewal,” is the largest watercolor painting by Shuptrine of the dogwood, who is well known for his southern regional subjects and realistic paintings. The piece hanging at the Chattanooga assisted living community is a hand-painted and signed reproduction of the original, which hangs in Morning Pointe’s corporate office in Cambridge Square in Ooltewah. It focuses on dogwood blossoms, flowering across the canvas in rich colors and amazing detail.
Guests gathered in the lobby to celebrate the occasion. After a welcome by Franklin Farrow, CEO and co-founder of Morning Pointe Senior Living, fellow co-founder and Morning Pointe president Greg A. Vital spoke about how the commissioning of the painting came about.
Morning Pointe of Chattanooga was devastated by the Easter 2020 tornado. Everyone at the building survived, and residents were safely relocated, but the building had to be rebuilt. The grand reopening took place in November 2021 and featured, at the residents’ idea, the planting of a dogwood tree to symbolize rebirth, resurrection and resilience. Thus, the idea for the painting was born.
“We thought, ‘How do we create something of permanence that will last for generations to come?’” Vital said. “We wanted to help bring our greater Morning Pointe family into our journey and celebrate everything that Morning Pointe has built over the past 25 years. Since art and life enrichment are so important in what we do and so valued by our residents, we decided that a beautiful painting would be the perfect way to achieve both goals, and Alan has captured our vision beyond our expectations.”
Shuptrine started the process with a charcoal drawing and then began the weeks of work on the piece itself, using three painting methods: wet on wet, wet on dry and dry brush. As a result, the texture is meant to draw viewers into the painting.
Shuptrine shared a few words at the unveiling about the process and the inspiration.
“For me, [painting] is a communication back to my audience,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for me to connect with other people on a deep spiritual and emotional level.”
Shuptrine, Vital, Farrow and Cody Harvey, executive director at the building, lifted the cloth from the painting to display it to the crowd.
Shuptrine also presented a copy of the coffee table book to the Morning Pointe of Chattanooga community, “I Come From A Place: Appalachian Watercolors of the Serpentine Chain” featuring some of his artwork and authored by Jennifer Pharr Davis, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.
Similar unveilings are taking place at all Morning Pointe communities as they receive their paintings.
Founded in 1997 by Tennessee healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living owns and operates 37 assisted living, personal care and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five southeastern states.
