Past Exhibits

D.R. Mullins: One Man Group Show

For a virtual tour click here. William King Museum of Art is delighted to organized the first retrospective of this respected and influential artists’ work, the largest showcase of his art ever mounted by an art institution. This exhibition brings together Mullins’ paintings, sculpture, early ...

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Quilt National

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, Quilt National returns to the William King Museum of Art. An international juried exhibition of contemporary quilts, this biennial seeks to demonstrate the transformations taking place in the world of quilting. Its purpose in 1979 was, and still is, to carry the definition of quilting far beyond its traditional parameters and to promote ...

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Elaine Fleck: Textures Interwoven

Textures Interwoven presents a selection of paintings that merges fabrics and oils into a unique representation of the natural world and how humans have an integral place in it. Part whimsical, part mystical, the paintings transport the viewer to a world beyond objects; a world of natural motifs and complex ...

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In Our Own Words: Native Impressions 2015-2016

In Our Own Words: Native Impressions 2015-16, on loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, highlights the lives of Native Americans today. This series of prints, produced by Daniel Heyman and Lucy Ganje under the guidance of master printer Kim Fink, was inspired by conversations with members of North Dakota’s ...

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By Native Hands: Selections from the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

By Native Hands: Selections from the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art highlights selections from the Native American basket collection of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel, MS. Focusing on baskets from Native groups in the southeast, this exhibition provides a space to discuss environmental and political issues that continue to ...

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From These Hills

From These Hills: Contemporary Art in the Southern Appalachian Highlands is one of William King Museum of Art’s longest standing traditions. First held in 1993, this biennial is unique in its geographical scope and the number of important artists it has exhibited who live and work in Southern Appalachia. This year marks ...

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In Conversation: Inspired Furniture Then and Now

In Conversation: Inspired Furniture Then and Now explores the legacy of furniture making in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. This exhibition features work by contemporary furniture makers in tandem with historical pieces from the region. Placing these pieces together opens the door for conversations about traditional process and stylistic form present in ...

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Now Playing: New Forms in Contemporary Glass

The “drama of discovery” came to define the early days of the Studio Glass movement as artists transitioned the material of glass from functional object to sculptural. Now Playing: New Forms in Contemporary Glass examines where the dramatic element of glassmaking is leading artists working today. ...

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Mannish

Artist Travis Donovan works to uncover the hidden nuances present in everyday objects by presenting them as metaphors for self and place. Heavily influenced by Appalachian culture, Donovan collects, embellishes, and tinkers with mundane items in order to bring their meaning into question. He is particularly interested in exploring stereotypes of economic class and masculinity through ...

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Intertwined: Regional Textile Traditions

This exhibition, organized by The William King Museum of Art, explores the realities of nineteenth-century home textile production in the region surrounding Abingdon, VA. These textiles were planned, produced, and passed down through families as important heirlooms. Adept skill in the processes of weaving, quilting, and sewing is evident in the complex designs of this regions’ ...

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