RALEIGH — An exhibition of artwork by Meredith College alumnae showcases the college's historic commitment to visual art. It's a decade-by-decade look at some of the artists educated there, from Eleanor Layfield Davis' (class of 1932) oil painting to Hannah Costner's (2009) oil painting.

Oil, acrylic, watercolor paintings; clay, fiber, mixed media, drawings, jewelry, photographs and prints are represented. The show traces the evolution of the works from landscapes, portraits and still lifes in the earlier years, to gradually less literal, eventually abstract pieces.

Thematic changes also tell the story of the artists' interests, from childhood and family memories, social issues, the environment to popular culture.

A companion exhibit looks at Ida Poteat, the first art teacher at Meredith, and is organized around artwork by her and her students in each of her four decades there. Correspondence by the young women artists from the early 19th century is also on display.