A gallery opening for Coal Region artist Joe Evanousky will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. today at the Tamaqua Community Arts Center, 125 Pine St., Tamaqua.

The body of Evanousky’s work is dedicated to the brave men and boys who lived and worked on the Hard Coal region’s railroads and in the mines.

His penchant for capturing the area’s rich history began while he was studying for his master’s degree in art education from Kutztown University.

“The professor said, ‘I want you to do one thing that you always wanted to do and never had the time to do it,’” Evanousky recalled. “Everybody always said, ‘You’re a coal cracker. You’re from the Coal Region.’”

Evanousky, a Shenandoah native living in Barnesville, decided his drawing would focus on coal mining.

It was fitting, he said, because his father worked as a driller at a strip mine in Shenandoah, and both his grandfathers also worked in the mines.

For the class, he drew a composition he calls “Generations.” It features the former St. Nicholas Coal Breaker between Mahanoy City and Shenandoah - which was the world’s largest at one time. To it, he added a portrait of a coal miner, a man entering a bootleg mine - and a boy watching. It represents three generations: grandfather, father and son.

“This was the very first one I did,” Evanousky said.

That was in 1977 - and he never stopped drawing Coal Region scenes and people.

Many of those drawings will be on display during the opening and exhibit, which runs through the end of August.

He chooses charcoal to capture miners and mules, a miner holding a mug of beer, or breaker boys at work. Another drawing called “Baba and Taka” is a tribute to his Ukrainian and Polish grandparents.

“I do a lot of research. I visit historical societies for old photographs,” he said.

About 10 years ago, and around the time he retired from his position teaching art at North Schuylkill High School, Evanousky began drawing trains. He also works with paint and creates relief art with sports teams’ logos.

Several of his originals and many prints will be available for purchase at the art center.

To introduce himself to attendees, Evanousky wrote his thoughts on his Coal Region Art Collection.

“If my drawings could take, they would speak of the rugged men, women and children who got by on the determination in their hearts, the strength of their backs and the dirt on their hands. I proudly dedicate all of my drawings to those whose efforts have forged the Hard Coal Region work ethic. Enjoy the exhibit, and pay tribute to the past by making the most of the present.”

The meet and greet is open to the public.