Spirit Moves: Works by Allyson Mellberg Taylor and Jeremy Taylor Opening Reception

The Association for Visual Arts will host an exhibition of work by husband and wife artists, Allyson Mellberg Taylor and Jeremy Taylor. The artists reside in Harrisonburg, VA where Allyson is an Associate Professor in the School of Art Design and Art History at James Madison University, and Jeremy is an Adjunct Professor of Art at Piedmont Virginia Community College. They both received their MFAs from UNC Chapel Hill.

Both artists work in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpting and more. Allyson’s work is rooted in dystopic sci-fi and the lovely/uncomfortable space we humans attempt to occupy in nature. Jeremy’s work is built from a strong reverence for animals and nature. He explores issues of fear, domination, exploitation, manipulation and control. In his work, Jeremy uses traditional forms that are reminiscent of Japanese block printing, children's book illustrations, comic books, and Flemish engravings. His work finds the space where these illustrative formats converge to slur ideas of innocence and experience; where fantasy merges with ominous realism. Allyson and Jeremy frequently collaborate with each other, and this exhibit will feature some of their collaborative drawings, as well as their individual artwork.

The opening reception for the exhibit will take place Friday, May 22 from 5:30-8 p.m., and is free and open to the public. The show will run through June 19. Also on display in the Landis Gallery will be works by Chattanooga Christian School AP Art Students.