THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504280223
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
A grand opening celebration Thursday will mark the completion of the Visual Arts Center of Tidewater Community College in downtown Portsmouth.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m. guided tours of the 33,330-square-foot building will be given by students. The school occupies the entire building that housed The Famous department store at the corner of High and Court streets.
The school opened in January for classes in a portion of the building, while construction continued on the first floor. This month the galleries on the first floor were completed and the school's 24th Annual Student Art Show opened.
Art Prof. Joyce Howell of Virginia Wesleyan College was the juror. Prizes totaling $2,500 will be awarded today at 2 p.m.
Director Ann Iott called the center ``a major regional art school'' and said it is the only facility of its kind based at a community college in Virginia.
Currently, about 550 students are enrolled in a variety of classes, including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, graphic design and computer graphics and photography.
A variety of continuing education classes are offered including cartooning, jewelry making, photography, Chinese painting and Tidewater architecture. by CNB