“Art Listening: Works by Laura Staman” opened Oct. 18 at the Meredith Art Gallery at Virginia State University in Petersburg. The exhibit, which includes 20 drawings in oil crayons and pastels and six sculptures, will be on display through Dec. 4.

Artwork by Laura Staman is on display at Virginia State University.
Staman, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University, is director of outdoor programs and student leadership training at Sweet Briar College.

Her artwork also has been displayed in the “Canvas and Paper Trail” show in Fleetwood, Va.; at a Women’s Art Gathering in Sperryville, Va.; and in several exhibits at Sweet Briar. Most of the work in the “Art Listening” exhibit has not been shown previously.

“My drawings and sculptures stem from a period of solitude and contemplation on the Chesapeake Bay, where I learned to listen to my own inner voice and God’s voice through the interface of art and nature,” Staman said. “The resulting dialog is manifested in a series of journal pages that chronicle my ‘listening’ experience, along with sculptures made of fibers and natural materials.”

A reception and gallery talk with the artist will be held 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9 at the gallery, which is located on the second floor of VSU’s Harris Hall. The event is free and open to the public. For directions and gallery hours, please call (804) 524-5944.

The following are some of the pieces on display: