VWU offers two art galleries located in the Hofheimer Library: the Neil Britton Art Gallery and the Barclay Sheaks Gallery. The mission for the Neil Britton Art Gallery is to present objects and artifacts along with the goal of inspiring students on campus to have their own ideas, whether they are provocative or not.
The ideas presented by the artists in the Neil Britton Gallery feature the people and places that they encountered while traveling, documenting and playing roots music.
The Barclay Sheaks Gallery’s mission is to present stunning but meaningful visions of knowledge and aspects of life. If you are interested in seeing the exhibit, it lies in the back of the back of the library and it is available all hours when the library is open.
VWU senior, Tailor Grayson, says she frequently visits the art gallery whenever she is in need of a quiet place. Grayson stated that the first time she came down to this gallery was about a year ago and it just stuck with her since. “It is very peaceful, and I can admire paintings while I do my work.”
This gallery’s first portion, the Neil Britton Gallery currently features, “Journey into Art Music and Folklore.” This portion contains works by Art
Rosenbaum and Margo Rosenbaum. The goal of this gallery was to combine their voices together in order to inspire others to do their own creative work within their own vision.
This gallery displays paintings such as, “Rakestraw’s Dream 1993,” “The Studio and the Sea 2017,” and “Les Inseparables 2013” all painted by Art Rosenbaum with many other pieces of work to see as well, along with many black and white photos taken by Margo Rosenbaum. The pictures that Margo Rosenbaum displayed are in all types of different angles that consist of historical and controversial aspects of how we see things.
Grayson added, “My favorite part would have to be a lot of the black-and-white photos that are hung up. I really like how detailed they are and the different angles that they show. I go here a couple times a week and each time I go and look around, I have always been a big fan of museums and admiring works of other people.”
Each of the pieces delve into storytelling and discovering that the artists share. All of their works have been inspired by their travels and things they have encountered. Their creative voices combined make for a powerful mixture of disciplines and an elevated way of understanding the world
around us.
Both of them are celebrated musicians and share a passion for documenting folks they’ve encountered throughout traveling around the world and routing music to their visions of artwork and life.
The next section adjacent to the Neil Britton Gallery is the Barclay Sheaks
Gallery which exhibits a body of work with a unique display for guests to observe.
This gallery displays the factors of liberal and lifelong learning. The founder, Barclay Sheaks joined the Virginia Wesleyan faculty in 1969. He was a poet
and a nationally known painter who has had works in numerous museums as well as many distinguished universities and private collections.
He is best known for his acrylic paintings of the natural environments and people in the Chesapeake Bay. Some of his work includes, “Head Water 1987,” “Deserted Farm 1965” and “Summer Light 1998.”
Grayson appreciates the peaceful campus spot as an undiscovered space. “I
really like how quiet and structured it is. I often go back there to do my work and every time I turn, there is a painting to admire. Sometimes when I look at the work I get inspired to do my own assignments. It seems like not that many students know about it,” Grayson said.
Grayson added, “Each time I come down, I find a different aspect of art that I didn’t see before. There is always something new to look at when you come down here enough. Each piece has different meanings and different art textures that speak to the artist.”
If you are looking for a nice peaceful place to sit and enjoy art this would be
the place to go on campus. Everyone is welcomed and admission is free. Both of these galleries are for different views and aspects on not only artwork but visions on life as well.
The Art Rosenbaum and Margo Newmark Rosenbaum: Journeys in Art,
Music, and Folklore showing will remain on campus for viewing until Dec. 7.
Kim DeHart|Marlin Chronicle
BY KIM DEHART
kmdehart@vwu.edu
Featured Image Courtesy of Kim DeHart | Marlin Chronicle
