"Preciousness," an exhibition by artist Troy Wingard, comes to the Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery at Coastal Carolina University Jan. 14 through Feb. 22. The gallery will also host an artist lecture on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m., followed by an opening reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. These events are free and open to the public with no ticket required.

Wingard describes his mixed media pastel portraits as an exploration of the "ideas, identity, culture and individualism" of the artists he depicts in a piece. "I use chalk, paper and gold leaf to construct a likeness, which reinforces their uniqueness," he says. "I then symbolize their portraits with imagery and materials that emphasize the idea of preciousness."

Wingard's series have been showcased throughout the country and in magazines such as The Pastel Journal and New American Paintings. His work addresses the spiritual aspects of visual art, while attempting to capture the subtle and quiet moments of internal reflections. Auto Insurance reviews

The Lexington, S.C. native earned a BFA in graphics design from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a MFA in drawing and painting from the University of Georgia (UGA). As associate director of the Latin America Studies Abroad Program at UGA, he has managed and taught drawing and painting study abroad art programs in Cuba, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. He currently serves as the foundations and undergraduate coordinator for the Department of Visual Arts at Southeastern Louisiana University.

The gallery is located in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts at 133 Chanticleer Drive W. in Conway. It is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call the gallery at 843-349-6454.