The North Carolina General Assembly of 2013 adopted the Whirligigs of Vollis Simpson as the official Folk Art of North Carolina (H.B.830). HMA owns several of his works, including

HMA’s collection of art keeps growing. Enjoy some selections here!

All about Matt Diffee and his ONE MAN GROUP SHOW that includes not only the original drawings for his cartoons and illustrations, but also for the first time  his more traditional artistic endeavors: realist landscapes, abstract paintings, and collages.

Ben Long grew up in Statesville, NC; and although he is by now a muralist and portraitist of world-wide renown, Long currently divides his time between Italy and Asheville, NC, saying that Asheville "just feels good." 

When discussing Singleton's work, "I would always tell him 'Forget the label self-trained, outsider or whatever,' " artist Willie Birch said. "He was a great artist and at some point in his life his work would be recognized as great art."

As I’ve mulled over what to say about the execution of Reflections II, I’ve found myself learning things about my working process of which I was previously only marginally aware. So it’s been an interesting exercise.

“[My] work is informed by the needlework traditions of southern women since North Carolina was settled. … It bows to the traditions of abstraction, while also striving to clearly represent the depth of my experience of nature.”

Jerry Goodnight credited Mickey Whitener Coe, HMA's second director, with encouraging him to continue with his art, beginning in college. “Mickey Coe is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me” he once said.

This undated oil is one of the works featured in the new HMA show (January 13 - March 11, 2018) "Playing with Light: Reflections from the Hickory Museum of Art Collection." Its painter, Samuel Colman, was a successful 19th century Hudson River School artist. He (read more).