Join Piedmont Arts for an opening reception in honor of the museum’s new exhibits, Friday, Aug. 12 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the museum.
“Private Domain,” an exhibition of large-scale oil-on-canvas figure paintings by Virginia Derryberry, explores contemporary aspects of alchemy, the forerunner of modern science. Many of the paintings are multi-panel pieces that use a Renaissance altarpiece format and question the nature of sequential narrative. The intent is to suggest multiple interpretations rather than straightforward illustration of a specific narrative. At first glance, it seems that a “real” space is being defined, but in fact, the painted images are constructed from multiple viewpoints and lighting systems. Passages of volumetric rendering set next to more abstract, painterly areas result in the creation of a virtual, shifting world where nothing is quite what it seems.
Derryberry’s work is shown regularly in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, and her paintings have been written about in an extensive list of publications including, New American Paintings magazine and Oxford American magazine. She has received such awards as Outstanding Artistic Achievement from the Southeastern College Art Association; Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome; Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award and the Feldman Professor Award for scholarship from UNC-Asheville; and the Annual Artist Fellowship from the Southeastern College Art Association.
“Continuity (Color + Texture)” features assemblages by Raleigh-based artist Davis Choun, whose work is born out of an attraction to discarded or everyday materials, most notably clothespins. After disassembling the clothespins, the wood pieces are then burned, dyed, and/or stained. Using those pieces, he composes a pattern to affix to a panel, allowing the clothespins to interact and layer on one another. His processes of manipulation heavily rely on improvisation and continuity.
Choun was born and raised in Rutherford County in western North Carolina and graduated from the School of Design at NC State University. His work has been supported by various galleries around North Carolina, including Artspace in downtown Raleigh, where he was awarded an Emerging Artist Residency.
“Seasons and Colors of the Appalachian Trail” is a photo-essay celebrating the 85th anniversary of the completion of the Appalachian Trail. This pictorial guide of the natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains was collected on photographer Bill Booz’s thru-hike of the entire 2,160-mile-long trail. This seven-month odyssey took Booz through 14 states and an estimated five million steps to complete. Booz’s photographs transport viewers into some of nature’s finest scenes — from delicate details of flowers in the spring to the majesty of the mountains in fall.
“Works by Pat Coleman” will be on display in the Lynwood Artists Gallery.
The opening reception is free and open to the public. Complimentary wine and light refreshments will be served. Music by Spencer Koger. Artist talk at 6:15 p.m. with a walk-and-talk through “Private Domain” led by Virginia Derryberry. RSVP required by Aug. 9 to (276) 632-3221 or online at PiedmontArts.org.
Exhibits will be on display Aug. 13 – Oct. 22. Exhibit admission is always free.
Exhibits and reception sponsored by Toy and Joe Cobbe, Jo and Don Grayson, Nancy and Henry Moore, Barbara and Andy Parker, Barbara and Guy Stanley, Lynn and Noel Ward and Lynwood Artists.
