Virginia Derryberry’s large-scale figure paintings and costume constructions blend narrative elements from mythology and alchemy, the forerunner of modern science. Rather than a straightforward illustration of a specific narrative, she presents multiple interpretations to the viewer to further exemplify alchemy’s transformative process. The painted images are constructed from multiple viewpoints and lighting systems, with passages of volumetric rendering set next to more abstract, painterly areas. The result is the creation of a virtual, shifting world where nothing is quite what it seems.

Derryberry has exhibited throughout the United States in venues including the Carnegie Museum of Art; Herron Galleries, IN; Forum Gallery, NY; Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia; Erie Art Museum; Hunter Museum; and Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. Her work is in various collections including the Carnegie Museum of Art; Asheville Art Museum; Tennessee State Museum; and West Virginia University. Her work has received numerous awards including the Southeastern College Art Association’s Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement.