Art Collections

One bit of news today: our ’25s received an email this morning about Project Wake, the optional (and highly recommended!) small group book discussion. You can see the emails our incoming ’25s receive at our archive.

Today I want to offer a fun rabbit hole to go down: Wake Forest’s art collection. We have an incredible history of art on campus. Our buildings and public spaces are filled with paintings and prints and more. These artworks enhance and enrich our students’ lives and their appreciation of beauty, shape, and form.

The beauty of the digital age is that you, too, can enjoy these works! You can browse the collections below and look for pieces you like – and perhaps even see them in person when you are on campus!

Student Union Collection – since 1963, every four years a group of students is charged with purchasing artwork for the University; these are their selections

Student Art Collection – featuring works by WFU student artists

General Collection – this collection has works by art department faculty, regional artists, and an increasing number of artists of international acclaim

Graylyn Collection –  the Graylyn manor house contains a diverse collection of artworks including paintings and furnishings

Hanes Collection – Philip and Charlotte Hanes made a bequest of their home and art collection to the University; it includes works by American artists ranging from 18th century portraits to 20th century contemporary art

Portrait Collection – these are portraits of distinguished members of the University community

Print Collection – consists of original prints from the 15th century to the 21st century, by artists such as Chagall, Durer, Goya, Matisse, Picasso, and Rembrandt

RJ Reynolds – this is the donated corporate collection of RJ Reynolds

Simmons Collection – in 1941 at graduation, Thomas Simmons donated his extensive collection of 19th and 20th century art

I went down the rabbit hole myself and can’t find my very favorite work, but I did find a few of my close seconds 🙂

— by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)