Exhibits by Eric McRay, Jon Murrill Opening Jan. 11

New exhibits sharing a contemporary perspective on the human experience will be on display January 12 – February 23, 2019 at Piedmont Arts.

Mood and Music: Paintings by Eric McRay features work by the Raleigh, North Carolina-based artist. In his work McRay blends the verve, images and rhythms of the Bebop jazz age with the non-objective abstraction tradition of the New York School of the 1940s and 1950s. His focus is on subjective emotional expression with particular emphasis on spontaneous creative actions. McRay received a BFA degree at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, where he earned a four-year scholarship for his artistic talent. His work is included in the collections of North Carolina Central University Art Museum, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Health Raleigh Hospital, NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, and many private collections.

Jon Murrill, Stronger

Drawing the Soul: Portraits by Jon Murrill provides a contemporary perspective on the spirit of the working class through the use of expression. Working in charcoal, Murrill captures photorealistic images, allowing his audience to interact with the personality of each portrait. His work does not represent an idealistic beauty, but rather, the spirit of working class individuals and the depth of character that they each possess. Murrill was born in Warsaw, Indiana and currently lives in Southwest Virginia. He obtained his Master's of Fine Art degree from Radford University with a concentration in oil painting and drawing. He has exhibited in juried exhibitions and group shows across the United States. Murrill is an adjunct professor of drawing at Virginia Western Community College and a visual art instructor at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia.

Clarence Heinz, No Ball Playing Allowed

Clarence Heinz is a Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based artist who paints from his life experiences – including growing up in Charleston, South Carolina during segregation; serving during the Vietnam war; and his 32 years in prison, during which time he taught himself to paint. He primarily uses oil, watercolor and acrylic in his quest to fill blank space on canvas.

The Magic of Glass, featuring work by Aleen Wilsonwill be on display in the museum’s Lynwood Artists Gallery. Wilson is a glass artist working out of Gallery 22 in Uptown Martinsville.

On Friday, January 11, 2019 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Piedmont Arts will host an Opening Reception in honor of these exhibits. Piedmont Arts members, prospective members, artists and guests are invited to attend. This reception is sponsored by Susan and Charles Aaron, Jennifer and Dru Ingram, Martinsville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Joyce and Kenneth Staples and Lynwood Artists. Please RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221 or online here.

Piedmont Arts is a nonprofit art museum in Martinsville, Virginia that inspires and engages the diverse Martinsville-Henry County community and surrounding areas through visual arts, performing arts and arts education. Piedmont Arts is a statewide partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Piedmont Arts programming is partially supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Piedmont Arts is located at 215 Starling Avenue, Martinsville. Museum hours are Tuesday – Friday from 10 am – 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am– 3 pm. Admission is free. Learn more at www.PiedmontArts.org.