The Top of West Virginia Arts Council presents “Stange Vases,” an exhibition by West Virginia artist and education Brian Fencl, which will be on display at the Summit Art Gallery, 243 Three Springs Drive in Weirton from Aug. 28 to Oct. 3.

The “Strange Vases” series features oil and watercolor paintings and drawings in graphite or colored pencil. It explores unconventional still life compositions inspired by Fencl’s grandmother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease in the 1980s. The first sign of her cognitive decline was her habit of placing groceries in unexpected places, like meat in the bread drawer or flowers in non-traditional containers.

“This series is my way of making sense of the suffering caused by Alzheimer’s, and it serves as a heartfelt homage to her,” said Fencl.

Fencl’s work reflects his belief in art as both a repository of personal experience and a shared space for viewers to connect through observation.

“When my work succeeds, it reveals our shared insights and attitudes about life,” he said.

A Colorado native, Fencl earned his MFA in Drawing from the New York Academy of Art and his BFA in Illustration from Art Center College of Design in California. He is a professor of art at West Liberty University, where he directs the Nutting Gallery. His work has been exhibited across West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.