Paintings by Nathaniel Rogers: at left, "Nailed" and right, "The King Is Dead"

An exhibit of oil paintings by Davidson College art professor Nathaniel Rogers will open with a reception Wednesday night, March 14, at 7 p.m. in the Van Every Gallery of the Belk Visual Arts Center at Davidson College. The exhibit, “Secret Things, Tiny Rituals,” includes 20 paintings depicting figures in fairy-tale or theatrical settings, but in the midst of unexpected behavior, such as setting fires, shooting weapons, or using knives or hammers.

Nate Rogers

Mr. Rogers, a 2002 graduate of Davidson, holds an M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He will present an artist’s talk about the exhibit at 7:30 p.m. The gallery is at Main and Griffith streets in Davidson.

Mr. Rogers’s narrative, small-scale oil paintings have been described as meticulously rendered and filled with playful detail. Inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales, he seeks to reveal the more unsavory aspects of human nature. By masking his characters’ sadistic acts within childish role playing scenarios, Rogers effectively mitigates the truths that belie their degenerative behavior.

There is no charge to attend the opening or the exhibition, which may be viewed through April 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. For information call 704-894-2575.

See more of his work at http://www.nathanielrogers.com/

STUDENT ART EXHIBITS

Meanwhile, Davidson College’s gallery also will be hosting exhibits by senior class studio art majors Taylor Thomas, Sara Claire Chambless, Rachel Means, Lauren Kamperman, Brendan Schamu, and Cristina Casal. The artists will exhibit their work for a week at a time in the Smith Gallery of the Belk Visual Arts Center beginning March 13 and ending May 4. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. For information call 704-894-2575.

Read more about these and other Davidson College art department events in the art department newsletter.

BETH YBARRA PAINTINGS AT TOWN HALL

The latest exhibit at Davidson Town Hall is a series of paintings from recent years by Huntersville artist Beth Ybarra. The show may be seen during business hours at Town Hall, 216 S. Main St., Davidson.

"Spanish Rooftops," by Beth Ybarra.

Ms. Ybarra is an acrylic painter. A northern Kentucky native, she studied oil painting with Paul Chidlaw of Cincinnati, Ohio. But an unexpected turn of events forced her to give up oils. “After developing an allergy to oil paints, I began to paint with acrylics and have never regretted it,” she says.

She has a B.F.A. in graphic design from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and worked as a graphic artist and interior designer. She later returned to graduate school at the University of Kentucky, earning a master of arts in interior design. Motherhood took her away from interior design, and in 2004, she returned to painting full time.

Beth Ybarra

She has won a variety of awards in juried shows, and her works are in both corporate as well as private collections.

Of her work, she says: “My landscapes depict scenes from my travels, and my still lifes depict the beauty of everyday objects. In my portraits of people and animals, it is my desire to capture the unique character of each subject. This often happens with a single stroke of my brush and never ceases to amaze me.”

More information about the artist may be found at her website, www.BethYbarra.com

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