Riverland Community College

The James Wegner Art Gallery provides an educational experience to students and the community by featuring exhibitions from regional, national, and international artists working in a variety of media.  

The gallery is located in the Austin East building just to the left of the Frank W. Bridges Theatre lobby. Gallery hours vary each semester. Please call 507-433-0600 for current information.

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Memories of the West

Name of artist: Lyssa Lovejoy
Dates of show: Sept 18 – Oct 27
Gallery Open Hours: M-F 10am-6pm
Artist Talk: Monday, Sept 18, 1pm Artist Talk in the gallery

Lyssa Lovejoy is a mid-career, full-time artist who works in many mediums in visual arts, primarily painting and drawing. She exhibits her arts in various venues and galleries all over the United States, teaches classes and workshops, and takes limited, specialized commissions.

Lyssa learned her craft at the feet of her father, a well-known, self-taught, black American artist, Jimmy Lovejoy. In addition to her father, Lyssa studied with and is influenced by various well-established artists, including Deanna Persson, who is known for abstract art; Joanne Bird, who is a multicultural, Native American artist; Arthur Wright, known for collage; and Candace Hunter, a mixed media artist and activist.

Lyssa’s work tells a story through layered meaning and purposeful details; her subjects are often from various references. Her goal is to create pieces that not only look beautiful but also communicate important messages that can help start or continue conversations about life experiences.

She uses her art to foster resilience in people and help them to understand their own stories. Lyssa has trained with Pathways in Minneapolis, which has been a catalyst to deepen her experience using the arts to heal. She runs programming in county correctional facilities, organizations that provide trauma support, and schools. Lyssa works out of her studio in Evansville, Minnesota.