Art exhibit, reception tonight at OU Southern

Ohio University Southern is hosting the ninth Annual Women of Appalachia Project (WOAP) Fine Art Exhibition and “Women Speak” performance featuring female artists living in or with strong ties to Appalachia.

Artwork will be on display until Oct. 27 at the Southern Campus Gallery, in Ironton.

A reception celebrating both the opening of the exhibition and the spoken word performance will be held 6 p.m tonight  in the OUS gallery.

The Women Speak performance — including poetry, story and and song — will follow at 7 p.m. in the Riffe Mains Rotunda.

According to founder, Kari Gunter-Seymour Peterson, the mission of WOAP is to showcase the way in which female artists respond to the Appalachian region as a source of inspiration.

“WOAP brings together women from diverse backgrounds, ages and experiences to embrace the Appalachian stereotype — to show the whole woman; beyond the superficial factors that people use to judge her,” Peterson said.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m.

The reception and performance are free to the public, though donations in support of WOAP will be accepted.