EVANSVILLE, IN (01/17/2023) The University of Evansville (UE) presents “Drawing Life, Death, and Relationships,” an exhibit by Randy Simmons now on display at the Melvin Peterson Gallery through February 25. The gallery is located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Weinbach Avenue, across the street from the UE campus.
The Melvin Peterson Gallery is open to the public from noon until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday; and from noon until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
A public reception and artist lecture by Simmons will be held on Thursday, January 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Melvin Peterson Gallery. This event is part of the Emerging Contemporary Artist Lecture Series, sponsored by the Efroymson Family Fund and the UE Department of Art.
Randy Simmons earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing from Murray State University and a Master of Fine Arts in drawing from the University of Cincinnati. He currently serves as a professor of art for the Western Kentucky Community and Technical College Paducah School of Art, where he teaches drawing courses.
Simmons is a prolific artist with a body of work that includes black and white images of himself, friends, and family. The larger-than-life drawings are intimate portraits as well as a tour de force with charcoal and graphite mediums on paper. His work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in galleries, museums, and universities throughout the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys.
Most recently, Simmons’ work documented his mother’s declining physical health and dementia that ultimately led to her death. “It was during this time that I explored the dynamics of family history, childhood, and the delicacy of memory,” he said.
