The UWG Vault Gallery is Now Showcasing its First Art Exhibition

Courtney Bixby

The Vault Gallery art exhibit in Newnan, Ga. has recently opened its first exhibition of the fall semester and is showcasing local art and unique displays. 

The gallery is used for local and national artists, students and even UWG alumni. It was created by Dr. Chad Davidson, Executive Director of Global Engagement and Cultural Programming, who partnered with the city of Newnan and the Newnan Arts and Residence Program to use the space. 

The gallery is located in the Wadsworth Auditorium in Newnan and it is open Tuesday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. with free entry. The Vault Gallery opened in early September and has three exhibitions for the fall semester. The name of the gallery comes from the vault still located in the auditorium due to it being a bank in the past and now even features portraits in the teller windows. 

The gallery has been open for three years and usually features four exhibitions. Every fall the Blackwell Prize in Painter winner will have a solo exhibition. The annual prize hosted by UWG and made possible by the Blackwell Trust of Newnan, recognizes exceptional art and includes $10,000. In the spring the goal is to showcase anyone with a university connection. The gallery also holds student shows where UWG’s Art Student Union will choose a jurist every year to choose between student artworks that are submitted.

“It allows students professional gallery experience and exhibition time,” said Dr. Davidson

The first exhibition of the semester explores the creation and evolution of Georgia Courthouses with over 17,000 images presented. The exhibition is currently on display and will remain until Sept. 27, and will hold a reception and gallery talk on Friday, Sept. 20. The goal of the exhibition is to capture the architectural and artistic effect in the Georgia courthouses. 

“That’s just the beautification of Newnan,” said Dr. Davidson

The second exhibition features work from an Atlanta-based artist, Charly Palmer, who is also this year’s Blackwell Prize winner and will be on display from Oct. 1-25. Palmer’s work is described as visual stories that “bear witness to African ancestry and contemporary experiences.” 

Palmer was recently appointed by the United States Postal Service to design the 47th stamp in the Black Heritage Stamp Series. He has also worked with John Legend, TIME Magazine, the NBA, and just co-authored The New Brownies Book: A Love Letter To Black Families, which won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction.

The last exhibition this semester features work from David Boyd Jr., a nationally recognized artist that highlights rural and urban landscapes. Boyd Jr uses plein air paintings to highlight the messages in his art. This exhibition will run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 6. 

The Vault Gallery is currently taking applications. Anyone interested in being a gallery assistant may reach out to Dr. Davidson at davidson@westga.edu.

“Art just makes for more tolerant and beautiful places to live,” said Dr. Davidson. “It is called a museum because you go there to get in touch with muses.”