PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — Brooklynn Dyer-Watkins was born and raised in Magoffin County. After graduating high school, she moved away from home and family to explore the world and find her calling.

Dyer-Watkins found a passion for art along the way, obtaining her Bachelor of Arts from Morehead State University and her master’s in Arts in Teaching from the University of the Cumberlands. When she returned home, her art soon led her to work with other inspiring local artists like Tom Whitaker. She visited Tom at his cabin in Salyersville and got a firsthand look at some of his original art pieces.

“He was an incredible person. He showed me his art and how he painted and was so inspirational to me as well as so many others,” said Dyer-Watkins. “Tom’s love for art and knowing he could share it worked out for him, so I knew it could work for me too!”

Dyer-Watkins has been fortunate to have her show at the Mountain Arts Center Art Gallery as well as being featured among other artists at the Grayson Art Gallery.

Dyer-Watkins’s medium of choice is watercolor, which she has painted with for over 10 years. However, for the upcoming MOU, in Moments exhibit, she chose to work with oil, acrylic, and other mixed media.

MOU, in Moments has a special meaning for Dyer-Watkins. MOU stands for Me in Greek; she paints herself as a ghost in the paintings and representative of important life events, memories, and even future dreams – such as visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

Her art exhibition will open March 22 at the Big Sandy Community & Technical College’s McCall Art Gallery in Prestonsburg. A reception begins at 3:30 p.m.

For information regarding the show, you can contact McCall Art Gallery curator Matt Smith by phone at 606-889-4767 or by email at msmith0588@kctcs.edu.