Submitted photo ‘Bison,’ an oil painting by Michael Doig, is part of the ‘Left of Center’ exhibit.

BUCKHANNON — The Colonial Arts Center and CAC Gallery is currently hosting a two-person exhibit featuring the work of local artists Michael Doig and Kevin Woodcock.

The exhibition, which is billed as “Left of Center,” will run through Feb. 28. There will be an artist reception on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by an artist talk at 2 p.m.

Doig, who is a former art professor at Davis & Elkins College, uses imagery evocative of life in a small town, interspersed with surprising colors and drips of paint that obscure parts of the picture plain, conjuring thoughts of memory, erosion, and deep, geological history.

Doig’s paintings are inspired by a childhood spent exploring life in and along the Tygart River. He specializes in oil painting and his works often depict people and scenes from Appalachia and West Virginia.

Guests staying at the historic Tygart Hotel  in downtown Elkins can enjoy his art, as it is spread throughout the hotel in guest rooms.

Woodcock, an Assistant Professor of Art at Davis & Elkins College, strives to express his sense of awe for nature and natural phenomenon. 

“I am not interested in being so precise as to look like a photograph; rather, I work in a more gestural manner to try and show some of the movement of the place, whether it be wind, water or sound,” he said.

Woodcock’s art can be seen on display in various locations throughout West Virginia. He has a painting that is a part of the permanent collection at the West Virginia Cultural Center in Charleston. Like Doig, he has art on display in the Tygart Hotel guest rooms. 

The CAC Gallery, which is located at 48 East Main Street in downtown Buckhannon, is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. All gallery events are free and open to the public. For information, call 304-472-1651.