May 4, 2011
More than 50 works from the West Virginia State Museum’s art collection are on display now through June 24 at the Robert C. Byrd U. S. District Courthouse for the Southern District of West Virginia at 300 Virginia Street in Charleston. The exhibit, which showcases the work of West Virginia artists, is the latest art display in the public areas of the first and second floors of the courthouse.
“The Division of Culture and History is pleased that these exceptional and diverse art works are going to be seen by many visitors to the courthouse,” said Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. “The State Museum has been acquiring works of art for many years and appreciates this opportunity to have them displayed in such a wonderful setting.”
Terry Deppner, Clerk of the U.S. District Court, said that the exhibit is the newest exhibit in the Courthouse’s Fine Arts Program and the second time that the state has shared pieces from its collection. “The art display allows us to celebrate the work of West Virginia artists and is open to the public during courthouse business hours,” said Deppner. “We know that our visitors appreciate the art exhibits in the spacious and attractive public building and we are pleased to provide artists with this venue to display their work.”
The exhibit is a mixed-media display, according to Charles Morris, director of museums for the Division. “We have put together an exhibit that allows people to see the broad range of our state’s talented artists,” he said. Pieces in the exhibit include “Flowers,” a 1990 oil painting by Kathryn Gillespie of Elkins; “Two Churches,” a 1956 woodcut by John F. Hudkins of Charleston; “Sailboat Racing,” a 2009 fused glass piece by Leona Mackey of Huntington; “Round and Round and Round She Goes,” a 2001 mixed-media collage by Sonya Evanisko of Shepherdstown; “Their Happiness,” a 1983 oil painting by Caroline Jennings of Charleston; and “Hill/WV,” a 1970s collage by Henry C. Keeling of Charleston.
For more information about the exhibit, contact Morris at (304) 558-0220.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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