William King Museum of Art (WKMA) celebrates the diversity of regional artists with the 15th anniversary of its biennial exhibition, From These Hills: Contemporary Art in the Southern Appalachian Highlands. This major exhibition of new works by artists working in all media highlights the continuing artistic vision of individuals in our region. The 2021 exhibition will open at the William King Museum of Art, in Abingdon, VA on September 30, 2021 and will continue through February 6, 2022.

Every other year, selected works from a number of artists are carefully chosen by a guest curator. Selected artists for the 2021 exhibition include Betsy Bannan, Carla Taylor, Carrie A. Dyer, Cavan Fleming, David Underwood, Devin Mitchell, Gary Mesa-Gaido, Halide Salam, Heather Fleming, James Veenstra, Jean Hess, Jeff Chapman-Crane, Jonathan Adams, Joshua White, Ju Yun, Kevin Beck, Kirsten Stolle, Kris Rehring, Laura Ann Schroeder, Mike Ousley, Ray Stratton, Sally Brogden, Simone Paterson, Torrance Redford, Virginia Derryberry, and William Fields.

This year, William King Museum of Art is honored to be hosting “From These Hills” guest curator Michael Rooks. Michael Rooks has served as the Wieland Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the High Museum of Art since 2010. Rooks served as Commissioner and co-curator of the U.S. Pavilion at the 12th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, in 2010 and is an independent art writer. Prior to joining the High, Rooks held curatorial positions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA); The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu; and the Honolulu Academy of Arts.