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SAMPLES OF WORKS IN KEVIN BENNINGTON’S ‘TIME 4 INFLUENCE” ART EXHIBIT AT BLUEFIELD COLLEGE, NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 18. |
Titled “Time 4 Influence,” the Bennington show will be on display in BC’s Art Gallery on the first floor of Lansdell Hall from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. The exhibit is open and free to the public. Weekend hours may be obtained by calling the Bluefield College Office of Public Relations at 276-326-4212.
An assistant professor of art at Concord University, Bennington holds a bachelor of arts degree in graphic design and studio art from Concord and a master of fine arts from the Art Institute at Miami International University of Art and Design. Before becoming a teacher of art, Bennington worked as a graphic designer for eight years in public relations and marketing.
A native of West Virginia, Bennington says he has a strong connection to the environment and enjoys fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities. He is an advocate for promoting clean water practices and trash removal from many of the area’s local streams and rivers. In fact, his art exhibit at Bluefield College represents his passion in the field of graphic design and his love for native rivers and lakes.
“Over the last 12 years I have compiled a collection of over 8,000-plus nature-based photos,” said Bennington about his BC art show. “As an artist, these photos are my inspiration to create these scenes displayed. From memories and past dreams, I used my photo database to construct these one-of-a-kind nature-based scenes.”
Those scenes include West Virginia rivers and lakes with trees, water and animals added, changed, modified or saturated to fit each particular landscape. His exhibit at BC includes a number of local scenes, including Key Dam, Harmony Acres Lake, Jimmy Lewis Lake, Sutton Lake, Bull Falls, Cranberry Glades, Greenbrier River, New River, Bluestone River, Camp Creek, and Brush Creek. In all his recent works, he tries to draw attention to both extremes of beauty and pollution, even on occasion showing the pristine environments and polluted environments as interactive artworks, in an effort to inform viewers of the importance of pollution awareness
“I create these pristine artworks to help promote and communicate that pollution in our rivers and lakes is a problem,” said Bennington. “Maybe if we are more aware of how beautiful our surrounding region is we will be less likely to pollute these environments.”
In addition to the Bluefield College exhibit, Bennington has displayed his art at the Chuck Mathena Center, Arthur Butcher Gallery, Tamarack, Athens State University, Bluefield Area Arts Center Paine Gallery, Southwest Virginia Community College, and the Candelori Gallery. He has designed web sites, logos and publications for Concord University, McDowell County Career and Technology Center, Camp Brookside, Healthy Hearts for Kids, Fireplace Restaurant and Sports Bar, and political campaigns.