A! Magazine for the Arts

A restrospective of D. R. Mullins artwork is on exhibit at William King Museum of Art.

A restrospective of D. R. Mullins artwork is on exhibit at William King Museum of Art.

D. R. Mullins' exhibit on display in Abingdon

March 30, 2020

The first retrospective of the work of area artist D.R. Mullins has opened at the William King Museum of Art and continues until June 27.

Mullins is a man of infinite variety. A pillar of the arts community of Southwest Virginia, his long career as an artist has touched many aspects of the creative culture of the region, from his murals adorning many prominent buildings to his mentorship of a new generation of Abingdon artists.


Heavily influenced by his own mentor, philosopher-artist Fred Carter, Mullins’ work is as varied as the artist’s ideas, skills and opinions. His art, ranging from sculptures to paintings, are all made up of intricate visual musings of line and symmetry, anchored in Appalachian imagery, Buddhist philosophy and Mullins’ own often witty, always pointed critiques of the human condition.


Mullins is best known for his 10-by-30 murals at Virginia Highlands Community College and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, and the entryway to the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace.


The exhibition brings together Mullins’ paintings, sculpture, early commercial work and a new series of paintings to explore the development of his distinctive style and worldview and to showcase the next chapter of his career.

The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.williamkingmuseum.org.

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