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In support of the cultural mission and quality entertainment of The Dunn Center, the Mims Art Gallery annually produces a series of art exhibits by nationally recognized and local professionals from various and diverse populations. Most gallery events are free to the public and bring music and art together for reception parties where visitors and art collectors can talk with visiting artists one on one. Most artworks are for sale and we encourage collecting from our exhibits.

The Gravely Gallery in The Dunn Center is a new space for edgy, young art made possible by a generous gift in honor of the late Janice Gravely. As a showcase for student talent at both NCWU and other local schools, it’s a great entry point for emerging artists and a tremendous benefit to the local art community. With so much to see and do at The Dunn Center, here’s a brand new gallery fulfilling that promise!

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Upcoming Events at the Mims & Gravely Art Galleries

Fantastic Little Paintings by artist, Bob Ross, is set to adorn the walls of The Mims Gallery at The Dunn Center from November 2, 2023 through January 4, 2024. The 2023 exhibition will be open to the public. Tickets will be available for $15 per person with free admission for children under five. This will be the first time a Bob Ross exhibit has been to North Carolina. With over 75 paintings, this will be the largest exhibition ever seen under one roof globally.

Robert Norman Ross, an American painter, art instructor and television host known by so many for his permed hair, showed the world how to paint fun pieces of art. He was the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, an instructional television program that aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS in the United States, CBC in Canada, and similar channels in Latin America, Europe and elsewhere. Ross subsequently became known through his posthumous internet presence.

Spending 20 years in the U.S. Airforce, this is where he developed an interest in painting after attending an art class at the Anchorage U.S.O. club. While still in the Airforce, Bob discovered a show called The Magic of Painting. This is where he learned a 16-century painting style called “alla prima” (Italian for “First Attempt”) widely known as “wet-on-wet.” This allowed him to create a painting in thirty minutes. Ross became a master at this technique and began to successfully sell his work.

During each thirty-minute episode of The Joy of Painting, Bob would teach his viewers the quick, wet-on-wet oil painting technique. He would paint a scene without sketching it first, creating the image directly from his mind in real-time. He explained his limited paint palette and made the process easy for everybody to understand in simple, easy-to-follow steps. Ross soothingly reminded his viewers that “we don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”

Ross was said to have painted an estimated 30,000 pieces of art in his lifetime– many of which will be on display in The Dunn Center. Guests are invited to come experience the joy that Ross brought to the art world. For more information, contact Jan Volz, Gallery Art Curator, jvolz@ncwc.edu.

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®Bob Ross name and images are registered trademarks of Bob Ross Inc. ®Bob Ross Inc. Used with permission.