A Marriage of Engineering, Creativity and Heart
Greg Rice and Lydia Boddie-Rice combine their unique talents to make art come to life
By Lynette M. Loomis
Can science and art converge?
It seems quite reasonable to Lydia Boddie-Rice and her husband, Greg Rice.
The two met through a mutual friend who was Lydia’s personal trainer and receptionist at the Center at High Falls in the mid ‘90s. He was the matchmaker who introduced the two at Gold’s Gym where they both worked out. They married in 2002. Their artistic synergy has resulted in beautiful works of art.
The pair favor different mediums; the pair works with metal and Boddie-Rice with mixed media collage, primarily acrylic paint and fabric.
“I approach art-making with spontaneity and purpose,”said Lydia. “I embrace learning new techniques and I allow for the flow of ideas, mediums, and materials that contribute to the creation of statement pieces.”
She often uses collage to unite disparate ideas and incorporate a variety of techniques. From realism and a tight illustrative style to integrating calligraphy, paint, fabric swatches and digital image manipulation, she enjoys using her own photography (or images from permissible sources) as a basis for exploring the application of a variety of drawing and painting techniques.
As a former CEO, of Young Audiences of Rochester, a retiree of RG&E and a past member of the board of education for the Rochester City Schools, Lydia has extensive marketing and public relations experience. She uses her expertise in operations, marketing, and design (upon request) to support Rice’s for-profit business, Vance Curves Metal, and she assists with fund raising for the Solar Car Project, a social entrepreneurship program which Rice founded more than a decade ago.
Greg explains his role in the Solar Car Project. “I talk with kids about solar technology and some of the possibilities of solar-powered transportation. One of the goals is to show inner-city students the career opportunities available to them in engineering and sustainable technologies. We hope to keep the concepts and lessons we learn intriguing and applicable to daily life.”
Greg previously worked at Rochester Products, Kodak and Jasco Tools and is now the owner of Vance Curves metal, established in 2001.
“We specialize in visually appealing metal structures that perform a specific function, from security, to durability, to improvement and repair,” Greg explained.
He works with clients from ideas through design and fabrication in steel. His motto: “If you can think it, we can make it.”
The work by the couple can be reached at www.vcwelding.net and www.boddieworkscreations.com.
Photo: Left – Greg Rice translates a customer’s imagination into art, including beautiful handrails. Right – Lydia Boddie-Rice mixes mediums – photography, painting, and fabric, to create unique pieces.