Henry County Enterprise
  • News
    • Business
    • Community Calendar
    • State News
    • National News
  • Obituaries
  • eEnterprise
  • Classifieds
  • Spiritual
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Parabola
    • Southern Baptist
  • Classifieds
  • Contact
  • Login
Subscribe For $2.50/Month
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Business
    • Community Calendar
    • State News
    • National News
  • Obituaries
  • eEnterprise
  • Classifieds
  • Spiritual
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Parabola
    • Southern Baptist
  • Classifieds
  • Contact
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
Henry County Enterprise
No Result
View All Result
Home Community Calendar

Piedmont Arts showcases local talent through March

By Tara Lucas

February 24, 2023
in Community Calendar, Local News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email

The late Rodney Scott “Rupe” Dalton and his unique artwork are not strangers to Piedmont Arts. 

Dalton, who was a barber by trade as well as a comedian, passed away last year. 

His timeless artwork depicts scenes from southern life in Black American families. Scenes displaying blues musicians, family gatherings, and children playing were common in his work. Dalton was an airbrush artist whose detailed work could easily be mistaken for oil painting or oil pastel on canvas. 

Lauren Ellis, Programs and Public Relations Coordinator at Piedmont Arts, referred to Dalton as an amazing, beloved local artist. 

“All of the other artists would get kind of upset when they found out that Rupe was entering Expressions, because when Rupe entered, they knew they were not going to win Best In Show,’ Ellis said. “Rupe won Best In Show almost every time he submitted.”

Expressions is an annual local competition open to all artists living within a 100-mile radius of Martinsville, Virginia. 

An exhibit to honor Dalton, entitled “Rupe Dalton Retrospective,” is currently on display until March 18.

The late Rodney Scott “Rupe” Dalton’s artwork is on display at Piedmont Arts.

“Hanging Tree Guitars,” which features the work of luthier and artist Freeman Vines, also is on display. Vines has built guitars for over 50 years by transforming materials such as radio parts, wood from tobacco barns, and other items into distinctive hand crafted pieces.

Vines was born in 1942 in Greene County, North Carolina. He met photographer and folklorist Tim Duffy in 2015. Duffy is the founder of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, a nonprofit that provides assistance and grants to senior and vulnerable artists. The foundation focuses on southern music such as blues, gospel, folk, and Native American music and the artists. The foundation has served over 500 artists since 1994 with Vines being one of those artists.

Freeman Vines spoke of his pieces in his exhibit, “I felt the wood was trying to talk to me, trying to tell me something.” Vines acquired wood in 2015 from the tree in which Oliver Moore was lynched in the 1930s. His work takes wood from the traumatic past of people in Eastern North Carolina and shapes it into something that speaks against the story of that ordeal. Vines work will be on display until March 18 as well.

In accordance with Black History Month, Piedmont Arts will host an African American Read-In and Family Day on February 25 at 10 a.m. Admission is free.

“Hanging Tree Guitars,” by artist Freeman Vines, is among the exhibits currently at Piedmont Arts in Martinsville.
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email
ShareTweetPin
Previous Post

Foster Gallery at Piedmont Arts to showcase art from three local elementary schools

Next Post

Some DMV services unavailable Saturday due to system outage

Next Post
Some DMV services unavailable Saturday due to system outage

Some DMV services unavailable Saturday due to system outage

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join Our Newsletter

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Business
    • Community Calendar
    • State News
    • National News
  • Obituaries
  • eEnterprise
  • Classifieds
  • Spiritual
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Parabola
    • Southern Baptist
  • Classifieds
  • Contact
  • Login

© 2020 Mountain Media, LLC

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email

Forgot your password?

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Back to login

Add Henry County Enterprise to your Homescreen!

Add