Every artist has the impulse "to make a mark," Palmer Museum of Art curator Joyce Robinson said.

Robinson discussed this idea in association with the museum's "Leaded: The Materiality and Metamorphosis of Graphite" exhibit during a gallery talk on Friday, discussing how artists made their marks through the use of graphite and pencil.

Robinson said that art is often "visually blush, conceptually rich, and immediately accessible."

The first works were by Christopher Cook, who uses graphite powder and mixes it with liquid so that he can create a piece that looks like a painting. He paints both abstract landscapes and portraits of theaters and stages, she said.

"His work is painterly, gestural, both very abstract and highly illusionistic at the same time," Robinson said. "I do really like the theaters."

Next, Robinson discussed pieces by Mark Sheinkman, which are selling faster than he can make them, she said.

Sheinkman starts his process with a white canvas and covers it with graphite powder, Robinson said. Then he erases the graphite to create the tendrils. Finally, he goes back in to place some more graphite.

"These are wonderful, because they are wildly abstract and then, on the other hand, wildly illusionistic. They look like smoke tendrils or ribbons," Robinson said.

Sheinkman's pieces didn't only catch Robinson's eye. Ramya Punati (senior- premedicine) said Sheinkman's pieces were among her favorites.

"My favorites are the ribbon ones, because they are so big, and they right away get your attention ... they have many layers and are immediately captivating," Punati said.

In addition to these pieces, Robinson discussed Meghan Gerety's work, which is made entirely by pencil. She also read an excerpt from Gerety as to why she creates her pieces solely with pencil.

"I'm focusing on the mundane in order to achieve the sublime," Gerety wrote.

Robinson also showed a 3D skyscraper made entirely of pencils by The Art Guys. This sculpture once appeared in the Neiman Marcus catalogue for $40,000 but never sold, she said.

Despite that, Priyanka Kuverji (senior-biology) was greatly impressed by The Art Guys' work.

"I like the pencil sculpture the best because it was very creative," Kuverji said.

The exhibit, organized by the University of Richmond Museums, runs through Nov. 29, Robinson said.