Scenes from Central Virginia Community College’s Spring Showcase and Art Open House.
Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) gathered an art-loving crowd on Thursday for its Spring Showcase and Art Open House as part of “The Hill,” an art series by the college honoring Lynchburg’s notorious hills and offering various creative classes and activities.
Francie Dye, CVCC’s workforce training coordinator, explained the art series was made possible by a generous, anonymous donor. She collaborated with other art lovers at the college to direct the funds toward the idea of an “art revival,” focused on hosting classes, workshops as well as the spring showcase to unite artists and enthusiasts alike.
“It’s really just open and bringing folks together to appreciate art regardless of where you are along the spectrum,” she said. “Maybe you’re just a beginner — you haven’t had much exposure, or maybe you’re an artist, and you just want to get your work out there and exhibit it.”
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Creative events in the series will run from July 9 to Sept. 11, including courses on stain glass-making, window design, playwriting, origami, smartphone photography, slate-painting, porch sign design and several digital art tools.
Registration can be found at cvcc.augusoft.net. All participants younger than the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The June 27 showcase, also a part of the series, represented the artistic talents of students, faculty, staff as well as Lynchburg-area locals who dazzled attendees with creations across a variety of art mediums.
Read about some of the showcase’s featured talents:
Kristopher Collins’ various works include paintings, cardboard art, pen and ink drawings, woodblock printings as well as spray-painted work.
Kristopher Collins, former CVCC student and the showcase’s featured artist, has enjoyed exploring various art mediums since he was a child, he said. On display were various works including paintings, cardboard art, pen and ink drawings, woodblock printings as well as spray-painted work.
Collins helped Dye to spearhead the art revival initiative, aiming to promote artistic talent following the discontinuation of CVCC’s liberal arts program in 2021. He said Dye reached out to him when she had the idea for the showcase, knowing him as a reliable, artistic source.
“For two months, I shot [Dye] ideas…I literally said the words ‘art revival,’” he said.
Aside from creating and selling physical art pieces, Collins used his talent to design a streetwear apparel brand, Oaksiders, and he posts art videos and vlogs to his YouTube channel, Get Struck Tuesdays.
He also currently serves as an ELMS-Canvas administrator for CVCC, overseeing the college’s learning management system.
Barry Leigh Vest Sr.’s work includes intricate illustrations that showcase his acute abilities in detailed line work and shading.
After surviving a near-fatal car crash, local artist Barry Leigh Vest Sr. explained that the tragedy was how he got his start as an artist in 2015.
“That kind of rattled my brain…but then I could draw,” he said.
The incident led to him suffering memory loss as well as anxiety. As a result, he began occupying himself with adult coloring books, then sketchbooks. Soon enough, Vest was producing extremely intricate illustrations that demonstrated his newfound, acute abilities in detailed line work and shading.
The event was Vest’s first art showcase.
Trish White creates and experiments with digital studio art, acrylic paintings as well as marker and pen art among other mediums.
Trish White, a local artist who also manages marketing and PR for CVCC, considers the animated series Sailor Moon and Rainbow Brite to be her original inspiration. White, who studied at CVCC as well as Liberty University, has created and experimented with digital studio art, acrylic paintings as well as marker and pen art among other mediums.
Victoria Olin’s key inspirations for her work include luxury fashion and anime, or Japanese animation. She especially enjoys creating art depicting angels.
CVCC student and self-taught artist Victoria Olin has been creating works for the last seven or eight years, she said. She explained her passion began when she was particularly bored one summer.
Olin shared that her key inspirations include luxury fashion and anime, or Japanese animation. She especially enjoys creating art depicting angels.
Megan Ellis enjoys drawing what she referred to as “collages” of colorful illustrations. She is also skilled in crochet.
Local artist Megan Ellis said she has been drawing since she was in high school. She enjoys drawing what she referred to as “collages” of colorful illustrations. She is also skilled in crochet.
Ellis focuses on creating art surrounding what makes her happy in life.
“Artists need to reflect things they like or they wouldn’t enjoy doing it,” she said.
Harper Lawson,
