BRIDGEWATER, VA (Bridgewater College) – The next exhibition in the Beverly Perdue Art Gallery at Bridgewater College will feature color photographs and short videos of Virginia bees, as well as the locals who work to protect them.

“Pollinator Friendly: Celebrating and Conserving Virginia’s Native Bees” by Scott Jost, BC professor of art and Harrisonburg resident, will show from January 7- February 4, with a reception and artist’s talk on Monday, January 12 at 5 p.m.

According to Jost, about 3,600 bee species are native to the United States, and nearly 500 are native to Virginia. Native bees pollinate an estimated 80 percent of flowering plants around the world, including agricultural crops and plants that are critical to natural ecosystems on which all life depends.

The exhibit will introduce native bees and some of the local people who are caring for and conserving them. Jost says he hopes his art will reveal the beauty and importance of native bees, raise awareness about threats they face and provide resources for those who are interested in helping native bees flourish. 

Jost is professor of art at Bridgewater College. He earned a B.A. in art from Bethel College in Kansas and an M.F.A. in art from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

The Beverly Perdue Art Gallery is located in the Forrer Learning Commons (FLC) at BC. A map of campus is available at bridgewater.edu/map. The exhibit is free and open to the public during the following hours when the FLC is open: libcal.bridgewater.edu/hours.