FACES: An Exhibition of Charcoal Drawings
The Paducah Arts Alliance is proud to announce that board member Randy Simmons, Associate Professor of Drawing at the Paducah School of Art and Design, is currently presenting a solo exhibition, FACES: An Exhibition of Charcoal Drawings at BiLan Liao Studio & Gallery, 520 North 7th Street, in Paducah’s LowerTown Arts District. The Gallery will be open November 14 for Second Saturday from 1-5 PM and by appointment through November 20.
FACES showcases a collection of recent large charcoal drawings mostly based on iPhone portraits of friends, acquaintances, narrative portraits and street people in Italy. "All drawings are large scale charcoal worked on a toned piece of paper, which allows me to work subtractively by erasing in addition to drawing," says Simmons. "I’ve experimented with more mark making techniques to create richer values."
Simmons studied art in Great Britain before receiving a BFA in Painting and an MA in Drawing from Murray State University in Kentucky. He earned a MFA from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the recent featured artist in a solo exhibit at Gallery 121, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee. The current issue of Nashville Arts features “Randy Simmons, Charcoal and iPhones,” an article by Jesse Mathison. http://nashvillearts.com/2015/10/04/randy-simmons-charcoal-and-iphones/
Simmons also teaches for the Kentucky Institute for International Studies with the Italy program. He travels abroad with students each Summer, preparing them to be globally competent by exposing them to international culture, art and history–an effort that enhances Paducah’s efforts as an UNESCO Creative City.
A highly recognized artist, Simmons has recently been a merit award winner in the 57th Mid-States Art Exhibition, Evansville Museum of Arts and Science in Evansville, Indiana; a First Place award winner at the Cedarhurst Biennial, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mt. Vernon, Illinois; and one of five equal award winners for the international drawing competition, “Drawing Discourse: 6th Contemporary Drawing Exhibition,” University of North Carolina, Asheville.
For more information call 270-994-6213 or visit randysimmonsdrawings.com