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Seen in Storage: Howard Finster’s Earth, Heaven, Hell

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April 8th, 2025

Figures falling from heaven into a long cave that progressively gets more and more red.
Howard Finster (American, 1916-2001)Earth, Heaven, Hell, 1986Oil on board54 x 16.75 inchesGift of the S. Powell Bridges Family Howard Finster (American, 1916-2001) refers to himself by many names: a Preacher, a Second Noah, and a sacred artist. Originally a travelling preacher, Finster was painting a bicycle one day when a smudge of paint got on his finger. He looked at the smudge and a face appeared to him, calling him to make Sacred Art for God. Although the story has become almost myth-like in the Finster cannon, Howard Finster would go on to create over 5,000 sacred art objects after...
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Seen in Storage: Bridge

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April 3rd, 2025

Richard Aberle Florsheim (American, 1916-1979)Bridge, 1977Lithograph on paper12.125 x 20 inGift of Lakeside Studio On a whim, I discovered Richard Aberle Florsheim's Bridge in the Van Every/Smith Galleries collection. Despite its gloomy, dismal mood, I felt captivated by its simplicity and its ambiguity, as if I was staring out a blurry train window on an unfamiliar, yet enticing, destination. This gray, grainy cityscape evokes a mysterious yet peaceful feeling and invites viewers into its rich, hazy atmosphere. Thin black lines denote a bridge with thicker vertical stripes forming skyscrapers in the background. Subtle reflections below the bridge posts indicate water,...
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Seen in Storage: A Doorway into My Semester in Italy 

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April 1st, 2025

A framed artwork. It is an etching of a scene in Venice, Italy. There is a boat coming from the left side, and a doorway, as well as two figures, in the center. There is a reflection on the water.
James McBey (Scottish, 1883-1959)The Doorway, 1925Etching on paper10.75 x 8.1875 inGift of John A. Welsh, III '59 As I first began to browse the Van Every | Smith collections in search of artwork reminiscent of my semester abroad, I sought a piece with some kind of not merely Italian, but Florentine quality. Not necessarily a depiction of the city or a Renaissance work, but instead a piece with some trait that whispered Florence, the city where I spent four cherished months. I imagined that perhaps I would choose a portrayal of architecture which brought me back to my apartment, with...
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New Acquisition: Harmony Hammond’s Emerging Cross I

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March 28th, 2025

Harmony Hammond (American, b. 1944) Emerging Cross I, 2022 Mixed media monotype on Twinrocker paper 10 x 13 in Gallery Purchase with funds from the Dr. Joan Huntley Art Acquisition Endowment Harmony Hammond (American, b. 1944) is one of the most influential artists in the Feminist Art movement of the late 20th century. In 1972, she was the founder of the first women's cooperative gallery A.I.R and has written critical feminist literature over the years, from establishing the journal Heresies: A Feminist Publication on Art & Politics and to writing Wrappings: Essays on Feminism Art & the Martial Arts. Her...
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Bimal Shahi ’25 | Way of Life

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March 26th, 2025
On view: March 19 – 25, 2025 Reception: Friday, March 21, 4:15-5:30 p.m. Bimal Shahi is a senior at Davidson College, pursuing a double major in Economics and StudioArts. He is the first international student to receive the prestigious Malú Alvarez Visual ArtScholarship at Davidson College. Additionally, he was awarded the Youth National Nyo Art Award inNepal for the year 2020. Bimal’s artistic practices are deeply inspired by his personal experiences,encompassing themes of upbringing, cultural transition, and life’s transition. His work has beenexhibited across campus on multiple occasions, and he has actively contributed to several non-profit initiatives, using his art to raise...
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