Returning to Birmingham-Southern College as a visiting artist, Richard Feaster ’89 is giving back to the department that helped mold his artistic interests.

His exhibition, “Promise of the Sun,” will be on display in the Kennedy Art Center’s Durbin Gallery until Nov. 26. Feaster spoke in the gallery before the opening reception on Nov. 8 and, while he was on campus, had the chance to step into his old classrooms and look over senior art students’ portfolios.

“The department is very much the same place, and the teaching approach hasn’t changed. It’s great to see that continuity from when I was a student,” he says.

After getting his fine arts degree at BSC, Feaster received his MFA in painting at Tulane University. He spent time across the nation before leaving New York for Nashville in 2002. He has shown his work nationally and internationally, including exhibits at the City University of New York, the National Academy Museum in New York, and the Cheekwood Museum of Art in Nashville. Currently, he is represented by Zeitgeist Gallery in Nashville and Trager Contemporary in Charleston, South Carolina.

The 14 pieces that make up Feaster’s display at BSC are inspired by the series of 36 drawings collected in his book project titled “Gathering of Promises.” The series was part of a 2016 Nashville collaboration, 20 Collaborations in Book Art.

“Drawing is a place to experiment, and I knew seeing these drawings on campus could be important to students,” Feaster says.

The large abstract works in the Durbin Gallery are united by Feaster’s signature textures and monochromatic palette. He often includes black and metallics, then anchors each piece in one other color. He also brings out the essence of each medium he incorporates, often through the strokes of paint and graphite.

“My work depicts a process-driven abstraction,” Feaster explains. “I’m not necessarily abstracting an image, but the piece takes on the materials of the process and elements of painting. I use painting techniques and brushstrokes like they are words from a dictionary.”

When he moved to Nashville, Feaster was welcomed by a thriving art and gallery scene. Alongside creating his own work, he works behind the scenes at the Frist Art Museum, joining artists and staff to arrange exhibitions. His trip to Birmingham this month allowed him to reflect on his career goals as a college student and how his BSC professors and classes guided him.

“Having the space and time to spend on art and my professors’ impact on the fine arts encouraged me,” he says. “Meeting professors and other artists helped me see that fine art was something I could do and something I was good at.”

When he first came to BSC, Feaster wanted to major in graphic design, particularly since commercial illustration and design seemed like a more practical path. However, he saw a dedication to fine arts in the department and in his instructors, including current professors Steve Cole and Pamela Venz and retired professors Bob Tucker and Bob Shelton. In turn, the department led him towards studying painting, printmaking, and sculpture.

“I am grateful for the education I had because BSC has a transformative effect on students. I know other artists who have graduated and have been successful for a long time,” Feaster says. “That’s a true testament to the program.”