Local Greene County artist and writer, Colleen Nelson, has a display of her works of art inside of the Benedum Art Gallery at Waynesburg University. Students and locals may visit the exhibition, which is open to the public until Friday, March 1.

Nelson  is known for her writing work in “The Greene Scene,” a publication in Greene County, as well as for her yearly calendars, which she has been creating for 50 years now. She started creating these calendars, “To have something that was made in Greene County to sell at a friend, Judith Finch, to sell in her newly opened antique and gift shop in Rogersville,” Nelson wrote in an email interview. “It was also a great present for our family and friends to show them how beautiful the country is and why we chose to live here.”

This year, Nelson has agreed to have her work shown off at the Waynesburg University gallery, which showcases art from local artists. 

“She’s a great woman, and I’m very proud to celebrate her,” Chair for the Department of Fine Arts Andrew Heisey said.

The display features many of Nelson’s calendar pages, as well as a handful of Nelson’s pieces from “The Greene Scene.”

“My style is I have no one style. What I have is a way of seeing things that speak to me and when I turn what I see into art I do the line and composition that it calls for.” Nelson wrote. “I have lots of techniques to pull from – crosshatch, stipple, dots dashes – whatever it takes I let it happen.” Nelson said when referring to her art style.

The display showcases months from Nelson’s calendars, from the first ever crafted page, being July 1979, to the entire 2024 calendar. Each page displays something Nelson saw that she was inspired by around Greene County.

“It makes any image work if you find that balance, whether it’s an old fence post leading your eye to the important object in the piece, or a tractor half hidden by snow, but you know it’s in the right place when you look at it,” Nelson wrote.

Nelson had a final message for all aspiring artists: “Don’t worry about style – forget about the concept of style and just do your work with awareness and concentration will follow. Let the object speak to you and listen.”

Heisey teased that the next display is from a local friend of his who specializes in “gross” work.