by Shawn King

On Feb. 2, in the Anne Rudd Galyon Gallery located in the Cowan Humanities Building, an art exhibit of sculptures and weavings opened for students, faculty and visitors to Greensboro College to experience. The art exhibit was a joint effort by Catherine and Carl Billingsley. Catherine made the weavings in the exhibit and Carl is the sculptor. According to statements provided by the artists themselves, the works included in the exhibit are meant to represent the passing of time as it relates to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I started by weaving a table runner as a way of remembering the pandemic, not knowing at the time how long the pandemic would last and not knowing what else would happen as a result,” Catherine said. “So, it quickly came to me that there was more of a story to tell than just this one piece. We all shared this experience that started in 2020, and it went on for years. I tried to tell that story of the on-going pandemic, of the political implications and of the effects each of us experienced.”

“Although I did not make a series of sculptures during or about the pandemic, I closely followed Catherine’s series and continued with my own studio work making sculptures,” Carl said. “My approach to the pandemic was to utilize as much of the material as I had on hand to make my work and to avoid purchasing any new material. This resulted in fewer trips to suppliers and thus less contact with others as per pandemic guidelines. I chose to exhibit the bell series with Catherine’s weavings because they relate to the passage of time and the concept of positive ways of being alone, such as meditation.”

Professor Sondberg of the art department was acquainted with Carl as they both were members of the Tri-state Sculptors Educational Association. Sondberg offered the artists the opportunity to put their works on display on campus after seeing them during a visit to the Billingsley’s home. They were delighted to show what they had been working on during that period of isolation.

“One of the goals of our association is to promote sculpture as a vibrant contemporary art form and to help people to understand the relationships between all contemporary art forms,” Carl said. “Brittany (Sondberg) wanted to show her students and the Greensboro College community at large how two artists who share a life but work in different media also share ways of expressing similar ideas and concerns in very different forms.”

The exhibit is currently available for viewing in the Anne Rudd Galyon Gallery and will remain open until March 31.