The American art collection originated with nine Thomas Sully works given by Jeanne Sully West of Buckingham County, Virginia in 1971. Mrs. West was a direct descendent of Thomas Sully (1783-1872), one of America’s most important portrait painters. Other notable artists include Eastman Johnson, Anna Hyatt Huntington, Robert Rauschenberg, Albert Pinkham Ryder, Lee Friedlander, Sally Mann, and Adam Pendleton.

Mayo Collection

The Mayo Gallery, contributed by Robert B. and Margaret T. Mayo ’52, features nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century American and European art. The exhibit includes 80 paintings.

Kissee Collection

Keith’s collection of art is largely comprised of American artists from the Depression and the New Deal eras. This period of art reflects hard times and the perpetual reliance of individuals and communities.

Blanton Collection

This contemporary art collection, comprising more than 450 works, came to LCVA through the generosity of Jackson L. Blanton, a native of Tamworth in Cumberland County. Blanton retired in 2003 from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond as vice president and community affairs officer, a role in which he promoted economic development in underserved communities. In addition, he developed the bank’s fine arts program and served as curator of its art collection, which includes more than 1,000 artworks.

Folk Art Collection

The LCVA actively collections the work of folk, self-taught, and outsider artists with two key collections forming its core – the Oppenhimer Collection of Folk Art and the Marion Forgey Line Collection.