Life in Shades of Gray, an exhibit featuring the recent works of Kentucky artist Randy Simmons, will be on display Feb. 7 through March 3 at the Perspective Gallery at VA Tech in the Squires Center.
Simmons, an associate professor of art at Paducah School of Art at West Kentucky Community and Technical College, will be on hand for a Meet the Artist reception on Tuesday, Feb. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the gallery. Both the reception and the exhibit are free and open to the public.
Simmons is currently serving as lecture artist in Assistant Professor of Music Alan Weinstein’s Creativity and Aesthetics class at Virginia Tech.
Simmons works with charcoal on paper using a drawing technique called chiaroscuro, or light-dark, which originated during the Italian Renaissance period. On his website, he says his work is largely autobiographical, and that he often draws inspiration from social and political issues. His work has been exhibited in galleries across the country. He has also worked as a photographer and with video shoots, including the shoot for Ben Folds’ music video “Cologne” in 2008.
The Perspective Gallery is located on the second floor of Squires Student Center. Life in Shades of Gray will be on display during expanded gallery hours from Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m. The gallery is closed on Mondays.