Expanded art museum opens on Liberty’s campus with new pieces, student art made for God’s glory

The Liberty University Art Museum welcomed local art lovers to its new location in Marie F. Green Hall with a ribbon-cutting grand opening Thursday, Oct. 20, displaying new pieces along with parts of its permanent collection at its expanded new home.

The museum is now located in GH 1350 within the School of Communication and the Arts, down the hall from its former location near the Tower Theater. Multiple other university museum spaces have been upgraded and relocated this year.

Todd Smith, who is both the founding curator of the art museum and chair of the Department of Studio and Digital Arts, said that the opening of this larger space is an answer to many people’s prayers and will provide students opportunities to showcase their God-given talents.

“Before this was ever my idea, it was God’s idea,” Smith said. “Over the years, He’s brought many people along who have done small things and large things to make this happen. A lot of prayer has gone into this. This is God bringing himself glory, and he’s going to use our students and faculty to do so.”

The crowd of students, faculty, and other art enthusiasts at the opening walked through an array of pieces from the university’s collection and an exhibition of art created by seniors in the studio art program — paintings, drawings, sculptures, textiles, and works in other media.

The Barbara A. Engstrom Gallery makes up one-third of the new art space, named after a supporter of the university who donated 30 of her own paintings in addition to glass and sculpted figures and photography she collected during her travels to 99 countries. This collection and funds given by Engstrom and her husband, Frederick, have made the expansion of the university’s art space possible.

School of Communication & the Arts Dean Scott Hayes said that the space will be used as both an educational tool and experience platform for students, faculty, and outside artists.

“It’s an academic activity and also an additional opportunity for us to exhibit the (product) of students doing their very best work,” Hayes said. “We are here to be reminded that God breathed into (us), He commissioned (us), and that we get to create art that worships Him. This museum is going to exist for as long as God blesses it, and it will celebrate Him.”

The Liberty University Art Museum is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 12-4:30 p.m. The museum is free of charge and is open to the public.