When Lunenburg County artist Eldridge Bagley began painting in 1973, he didn’t need to search for inspiration. He was already deeply “planted” in and surrounded by the land, the people, and a way of life that have yielded a rich harvest of subject matter. The majority of Bagley’s paintings reveal an intimate link to a rural lifestyle that continues to inspire his art. “Southern Exposure,” his upcoming exhibit at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond, will include a collection of 16 new oil paintings and will be on view from May 17-July 11. Narrative works such as “Hair Hut,” “At the Cannery,” and “The Smell of Rain” offer the viewer revealing glimpses into a way of life that continues to inspire and is worthy of preserving.

An opening night reception will take place Friday, May 17 from 6-9 p.m. Crossroads Art Center is located at 2016 Staples Mill Road in Richmond. Hours are: Mon.-Sat. 10-6. The center will be closed for maintenance June 30-July 7. For more information visit them on Facebook, www.crossroadsartcenter.com, or call (804) 278-8950.