A Teacher’s Canvas

Lacey Beam Dellinger grew up in rural Lincoln County with a strong interest in nature and wildlife. Today, she is not only a veteran high school teacher but also a talented artist whose work is currently on exhibit at Gaston College’s Beam Center for Visual Arts.

Gaston College was the first of three institutions Dellinger attended, and it played a significant role in shaping her artistic journey. “When I first came to Gaston, I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, which was also why Gaston worked for me,” she reflects. “Going to Gaston gave me time to get my academic classes completed and begin to specialize in the arts. I thought I might want to teach, but I wasn’t sure, so I focused on the arts and completed my Associate of Fine Arts.”

Balancing work and studies, Dellinger graduated from Gaston College in 2006. She then pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Print Media from UNC Charlotte in 2010, achieving Dean’s List honors three times and Chancellor’s List twice. Currently, she is enrolled in the Masters in Fine Art program at the Savannah College of Art and Design, all while completing her 15th year as a teacher in Gaston County.

Her latest exhibit, titled “Field Notes: Studies in Animal Myth and Meaning,” includes artworks of dinosaurs, wolves, owls, frogs, bears, and rabbits.

Dellinger is grateful for her time at Gaston College. “Gaston allowed me to complete my education at my own pace in a way that worked for me financially and as a person. I was able to finish my Bachelor’s Degree without any student loans or real debt to speak of in part because I chose to attend Gaston after graduating high school instead of heading directly to a four-year university.”

She appreciates the support she received from her professors. “The art program was a proper fit for me because it was a small community of students and professors who supported each other,” she added.

Dellinger’s exhibit, “Field Notes: Studies in Animal Myth and Meaning,” runs from September 2, 2025, through October 3, 2025, at the Lena Sue Beam Gallery on Gaston College’s Dallas campus.