The painting was presented anonymously to … the most inspiring art museum I know, that specializes in competent American art since 1850 – the Hickory Museum of Art. Its director, Paul W, Whitener, as honest as Lincoln, I think of as

Supposedly A. Alex Shuford said to Paul Whitener in March 1944 that “If you’re going to have a museum, you’ve got to have paintings”; and then

"The importance of art in awakening a sense of the appreciation of beauty cannot be measured. Even meager training in Art opens the eyes. Nothing is ever quite the same once you have learned enough about art to see the color variations in the trees, or the clouds – why,” he said, smiling broadly, “suddenly you realize there’s more beauty in one day than you could exhaust in a century.“

Hickory native and entrepreneur Laura Lee Wilfong was one of the local people who supported the start-up and early days of Hickory Museum of Art in a variety of ways.

Teacher, mentor, friend, benefactor: Wilford Conrow was all those things to Paul Whitener, HMA’s founder. Conrow was an instrumental part of HMA’s beginnings and early days.

Frank Stanley Herring was a friend of the family of Mickey Coe (Mildred McKinney, Paul Whitener’s future wife) and his first paintings of that family was of Mickey and two of her sisters. From left to right, with approximate ages, are

HMA invites you to join the continuing journey with a brand-new 2018-2021 Strategic Plan! The full plan is now available for you on our web site.

During our 75th Anniversary celebration, we will interweave our past and our future ambitions and stories. Come along for the ride!

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.