Faces of UNC Asheville

Virginia Derryberry

Art Professor and Department Chair Virginia Derryberry is a dynamo—whether she’s standing in front of a classroom full of students or in front of a canvas with a paintbrush.

As a professor, she’s known for her skills in guiding students to explore new artistic techniques and in mentoring them in creative undergraduate research projects. In fact, since joining the faculty in 1996, Derryberry has received a number of awards, including the university’s highest honor for faculty, the Distinguished Teaching Award.

A recent edition of the prestigious magazine New American Paintings, featured several of her works from a series entitled "Rebis."

The paintings are saturated with deep, rich colors, and they incorporate dualism, mythological narratives and alchemical symbols. The paintings also are quite large. “They are actually bigger than I am,” laughed the petite artist, who stands at about five feet tall. “I like the feeling that I could walk into my paintings. It’s like creating a virtual world.”