'Works of Women' event to be held later this month at Oliver Flag House

The Kellerman Foundation is celebrating Women's History Month by showcasing the work of women from the area.

Lavetta Rhinehart's bronze sculpture of Marie Oliver, designer of the Missouri state flag, will be unveiled at the "Works of Women" event to be held from 5 to 8 p.m. March 22 at the Oliver "Flag House" at 740 North St. in Cape Girardeau. This year will be the 109th anniversary of Oliver's flag design being made the official flag of the State of Missouri.

The event will feature several displays of clothing and Victorian jewelry from around 1908, the year Oliver created the flag. Other works of Rhinehart's — whose husband, M. Charles Rhinehart, is also an artist — will also be on display, including the sculpture of Oliver that has not been seen by the public before.

Mary Ann Kellerman, founder of the Kellerman Foundation, said it was important to her to hold the event at the historical Flag House to create an immersive experience for guests.

"The reason we are holding the event there rather than the (Kellerman) foundation is those are the very walls that Marie was in when she was writing all the other states about what they did and how they designed their state flag," Kellerman said. "She wrote every single state and asked for details. She was an important Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) person and she was the state regent of DAR twice. She created that flag in the very house where we will be."

A Victorian pocket watch from the same time period Marie Oliver created the Missouri state flag. Several other pieces will be on display at the "Works of Women" event March 22.Submitted

Members of Zonta Foundation for Women, a global organization of professionals that seeks to empower women through service and advocacy, have volunteered their services for the event and will act as hosts. Patrons of the event may park in Centenary United Methodist Church's parking lot on Ellis Street, and a chauffeur will be available to drive them to the Flag House. Food and drink will be provided to guests, including a cake made by Nicky Thurmond of Charleston, Missouri, in the design of the Missouri state flag.

The sculpture of Oliver will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the event followed by a speech by John L. Oliver III, a lawyer and direct descendant of Marie.

"Mrs. Oliver will forever, after this party, be displayed at the Kellerman Foundation at Heritage Hall (at 102 Main St. in Cape Girardeau). She'll be right there on the center table as you come in," Kellerman said. "The Oliver exhibit will be permanent, but changing, always changing."

The "Works of Women" event will have a capacity of 150 people. Admission is $25 and tickets may be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/wow-event-works-of-women-tickets-277692725417?aff=erelexpmlt.

For more information on the Kellerman Foundation and Oliver Family exhibit, visit www.kellermanfoundation.org.

An art piece from Lavetta Rhinehart's "International Women" series. Rhinehart's art, along with a bronze sculpture of Marie Oliver, will be displayed to honor her for her work.Submitted