RU Professor to Display Historical Paintings at Glencoe Museum

Radford University professor and artist Ken Smith is exhibiting a collection of his historical paintings this month through January at the Glencoe Museum in Radford.

"Scene of Conflict: Paintings of World War II, The Civil War and the Victorian Stage by Ken Smith” which opened Friday, Nov. 9. The exhibit runs through Jan. 10. Signed collector’s prints of the original oil paintings will be available for purchase.

"Scene of Conflict" features Smith's paintings of military history, including the French and Indian War, Civil War and World War II. Each painting, Smith said, depicts "a drama both profound and emotional, whether it be a moment of impending battle (Green Hell) or the agony of the moment of truth in Sarah Bernhardt’s Lady Macbeth (What is Done Cannot be Undone)."

Smith said his paintings illustrate historic individuals "in a very up-close and personal way, always seeking to show a vision of the world in which these people lived—and sometimes died—with a portrayal that is both authentic and heroic."

Smith, a resident of Pulaski, is an assistant professor of graphic design at Radford University. He previously lived in the Knoxville, Tenn., area for more than 30 years and is an alumnus of the University of Tennessee. He also holds an M.A. from Syracuse University and an M.F.A. from the University of Hartford in Connecticut. Smith is a member of the Coast Guard Art Program and twice has won its prestigious George Grey Award of Artistic Excellence. His paintings are featured at the East Tennessee Historical Society and the McClung Museum in Knoxville as well as at Fort Loudoun State Historic Area museum in Vonore, Tenn.

"Scene of Conflict" is free to the public, and will be on exhibit during Glencoe’s regular hours, Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Learn more about the exhibit, the reception and the lecture by calling the Glencoe Museum at (540) 731-5031.