As the spring semester came to a close, Vance-Granville’s Fine Arts program had the opportunity to take original artwork out of the classroom and into a true public gallery.
Five student artists from VGCC’s Visual Portfolio class joined instructors Matt Carlson and Isaac Talley for “New Hue,” a one-night exhibition featuring a range of styles and techniques. The show offered the students practical experience on what they might expect in a future art career, including setting up the exhibition space before its opening. The Orpheum at Oxford hosted the show, which took place during Downtown Oxford’s regular Quittin’ Time event on May 8.
According to Carlson, most of the students will graduate at VGCC’s May 16 commencement ceremony, and this show was the culmination of their time at the College. Rather than submitting pieces as a part of an assignment, the student artists took full control of their work for the first time, creating artwork driven by what is most important to them.
New Hue holds the distinction of being the program’s first public exhibition. VGCC Fine Arts had previously planned such an event for spring 2020; but, like many of that year’s in-person events, it could not take place.
“I want to thank Matt and Isaac for their expertise and mentorship of our students,” noted Betsy Henderson, Department Chair of Fine Arts & Humanities at the College. “They are both very valuable members of the Fine Arts team and, along with the students, created a lovely setting to showcase the talents we have at Vance-Granville. I was very proud and look forward to next year.”
Congratulations to all the students who participated:
- Abigail Atkinson
- Eon Hicks (2nd Place)
- Tia Iversen (3rd Place)
- Declan Sellars (1st Place/Best in Show)
- Riley Stone
![Five college students stand under a red neon marquee which reads 'Orpheum' [New Hue]](https://www.vgcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/VGCC-New-Hue-Group-Photo-050825-1024x819.webp)