Well, it just wouldn’t be an issue of the Seahawk without at least one article about a new art exhibition, so here it is.

The Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum has introduced a series of exhibitions, which highlight and pay tribute to folk art, one of the most powerful and, subsequently, popular forms of artwork today. Featuring pieces from both local and national collections, these exhibitions will include work from some of the best self-taught artists in the nation.

On Sept. 10, three simultaneous exhibitions will be unveiled; the first of which is entitled “Point of View.” Consisting of over 80 works by 50 artists, the exhibition will be work taken from the collection of William and Ann Oppenhimer, founders of the Folk Art Society of America and publishers of Folk Art Messenger. There is a heavy emphasis on the “rich expressions” of the southeast and the family-based carvings of the southwest.

The second exhibit, “Outsider Art Inside Wilmington,” will focus on art from private local collections. Made up of 38 pieces, the exhibit features all southern artists and a variety of mediums.

Finally, “Expressing Our Roots” will be made up of art from the Cameron Art Museum collection. The work of Minnie Evans, Clyde Jones, and Billie Ruth Sudduth highlight this collection of North Carolina artists. Represented are works in clay, wood, fiber and paint.

The Cameron Art Museum and The Chamber Music Society of Wilmington are also sponsoring a folk art contest in conjunction with the exhibitions. Top entries will be on display in the museum beginning Sept. 9, and a silent auction will be held on Sept. 17. All proceeds will go to the C. Reynolds Brown Memorial Fund, in honor of the former museum director.

Finally, just when it seems like things couldn’t possibly get any more cultural, the Chamber Music Society of Wilmington announces “Echoes of America,” a concert featuring “gentle syncopations of violin and piano.” The concert will be on Sept. 17 and will highlight the opening of the “Point of View” exhibit.

A preview reception featuring hours d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be held Sept. 9 at the museum. For more information, contact the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum at 395-5999.