Christina O'Connor | The Roanoke Times

Yonsenia White chats with friends and visitors during her opening reception at the Radford University Art Museum in the Bondurant Center in downtown Radford.

Want to go?

• When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday through Oct. 8
• Where: Radford University Art Museum, 1129 E. Main St.
• Contact: Call 831-5754 to confirm opening hours

As a conceptual artist, Virginia Tech professor Yonsenia White will tell you that she is more interested in the message of art than the medium.

With a background in painting, drawing, photography and sculpture, she has many tools from which to choose. But the idea or the emotion is the key, White said.

"My work is mainly driven by catharsis, the act of emotional release," she explained. "Through my artwork, I vent my frustrations, joys, worries, concerns into whatever I create."

Her acrylic painting series "Journeys into Cathartic Abstraction" was created in January.

"After a year of having artist's block, I decided to go back in the studio and work through that," White said. "I have a tendency when my art mojo comes back to turn out a lot at one time."

The 25 emotive pieces that emerged in the next couple of months were a response to White's experiences dealing with race, gender, desire and spirituality.

Ten of the pieces are being exhibited at the Radford University Art Museum through Oct. 8 and are priced at $1,000 each.

"Whatever I was feeling or struggling with, I allowed that feeling to take hold of me," White said of the pieces. "I like to fly without a net for the most part."

White grew up in Newport News, Va., and knew she wanted to be an artist in kindergarten.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art at Virginia Tech in 1996 and 1997, respectively. She received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University in 1999.

Now, the 33-year-old artist lives in Christiansburg and has taught introductory- and advanced-level art courses at Virginia Tech for 10 years.

Her work has appeared locally in the Armory Art Gallery, XYZ Gallery and at exhibitions at Roanoke College and Virginia Tech. Past exhibits include "Woman's Work" in 2000, "Giving Up White Men for Lent" in 2002 and "Focus on God" in 2004.