The Friends of the Art Museum of West Virginia University are some of the museum’s leading champions. Whether they joined the Friends with an extensive knowledge of art or as an educational opportunity, members are dedicated patrons of our beloved museum.

The Friends of the Art Museum is a membership group for people who enjoy social, educational, and cultural activities that further their understanding of and appreciation for visual art. Events include members-only programs with artists, curators and collectors, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of art collections, gatherings in the homes of private collectors and artist’s studios, and invitations to exclusive dinners designed just for members.

Rose Casey will deliver, “Rooted in Black and White: Racial and Environmental Landscapes in William Kentridge's Universal Archive,” for Lunchtime Looks at the Art Museum of West Virginia University May 3.

Casey, assistant professor of English at WVU, will explore the aesthetics and politics of the tree series in William Kentridge's Universal Archive. She argues that the tree series shows how ideas are constructed—including ideas about race—and as such are open to change.

A large grouping of works donated by two of West Virginia’s most prominent art collectors is now on display at the Art Museum of West Virginia University.

“Collective Insight: The Harvey and Jennifer Peyton Collection,” celebrates the expertise and foresight of the Peytons with a selection of more than 60 paintings, prints and drawings that represent some of the most important artistic movements of the twentieth century.

A special edition of Art Up Close! on April 17 will be an opportunity to get to know the new director of the Art Museum of West Virginia University.

Join us for a casual conversation between Todd J. Tubutis, the new director of the Art Museum of West Virginia University, and Jesse Wright, news director for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The pair will talk about how Tubutis’s background led him to Morgantown, what makes an academic art institution unique, and what the future may hold for the Art Museum.

The motion paintings of West Virginia native and noted artist James Edward Davis will be the focus of the next Art Up Close! at the Museum Education Center, on Wednesday March 20. 

Presented by Jeffrey Moser, Assistant Professor of Interactive Design in the School of Art and Design, College of Creative Arts, the program begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Museum Education Center Grand Hall, which is located near the corner of Patteson Drive and Morrill Way at the Evansdale Campus North Entrance.  The event is free and open to the public.

The West Virginia University Creative Arts Center, the beloved home of WVU’s College of Creative Arts, is where thousands of creative students have earned their education, countless families have made memories at a show and regional and national performers have delighted their fans. The building, known to many as the CAC, turns 50 in April. To celebrate, WVU’s College of Creative Arts is hosting a birthday celebration for the building April 12 - 14. 

“Since its dedication in 1969, the CAC has been North Central West Virginia’s largest, most prominent performance venue and arts education building,” said Keith Jackson, dean of WVU’s College of Creative Arts. “50 years of history, memories and education deserves to be celebrated as we look forward to the next chapter in the building’s history.”