"Retrospective," an exhibit of the work of local artist Luvon Sheppard, will be on display in the Hartnett Gallery in Wilson Commons on the University of Rochester's River Campus from Monday, Feb. 3, through Sunday, March 9. In addition, Sheppard will give a talk at an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Sheppard's paintings reflect his involvement in Rochester community life. He is known for his watercolor street scenes and portraits of local African-American heroes, including abolitionist Frederick Douglass, choreographer and dancer Garth Fagan, and community activist Mildred Johnson.
In 1970, Sheppard became the Memorial Art Gallery's first neighborhood affairs coordinator. He also was instrumental in the creation of the Allofus Workshop, a groundbreaking organization created to provide community art classes.
A resident of Rochester since he was five years old, Sheppard received his bachelor's and master's degrees at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he is a professor in the School of Art and Design. His work is in the permanent collections of the Memorial Art Gallery, the City of Rochester, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the University of Seoul, and other institutions.
Hartnett Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. Admission to the gallery and exhibit events is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Hartnett Gallery at (585) 275-4188 or the Wilson Commons Information Desk at (585) 275-5911.