On Wednesday, May 20 a fashion show took place at the Torpedo Factory Art Center as part of the program for the Friends' annual meeting and the Performance Art and Lecture Series. Artists and models from the Malaysian community showed designs in women's wear made from colorful batiks. Each dress is a unique piece, hand-crafted and dyed by the artists themselves.

View photos from the fashion show.

Batik has ancient roots in Southeast Asia. To make batik, melted wax is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. Sometimes several colors are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps. After the last dyeing, the fabric is dried, then dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax, or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its distinctive character. Contemporary batik artists may use other techniques such as etching or stencils, and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramic.

JANE FRANKLIN DANCE PERFORMED AT TORPEDO FACTORY ON APRIL 22
Part 1 of a Two-Night Dance Invasion at the Torpedo Factory

Returning one year after their triumphant debut at the building, noted local dance company Jane Franklin Dance performed at the Torpedo Factory Art Center on Wednesday, April 22 as part of the Friends' Performance Art and Lecture Series. The evening incorporated excerpts from recent collaborations and previewed upcoming premier work.

View photos from the Dance Invasion.

Jane Franklin Dance celebrates movement and makes dance accessible to a wide range of audiences through public performances, community engagement, dance education, and collaborations with artists from other disciplines. The company has been presented at numerous state and regional venues including the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, Booth Playhouse in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the International Dance Festival in New York City.

CMDUPRE NAMED ARTIST OF THE YEAR;
HARWOOD, LUCKETT AND KENDALL RECEIVE HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Friends of the Torpedo Factory Art Center are pleased to announce that TFAA artist CMDupre has been named Artist of the Year for 2009. With Friends President Mike Jankowski at her side, juror Shauna Lee Lange made the announcement at a reception in the Target Gallery on January 8. Dupre, who has had a studio at the Torpedo Factory for over eight and a half years, was praised by Lange for creating paintings that have "achieved visual ecstasy and the work is far beyond the range of her counterparts." Read juror Shauna Lee Lange's full commentary.

Dupre will receive a check for $1000 from the Friends and a solo exhibition of her work in the Target Gallery from June 10 through July 12. A reception will be held on Thursday, June 11 at the opening of the exhibit and Lange will speak. A second reception to meet the artist will be held on July 9. The Friends have been sponsoring the Artist of the Year since 1992.

Departing from prior practice, the Friends awarded honorable mentions to three competition entrants whose work was deemed by the juror to merit special recognition. TFAA artists Matthew Harwood, Rosemary Luckett and Elizabeth Kendall were awarded certificates at the January 8 reception. Harwood's award was in the category of Technical Excellence, Luckett's was in Original Voices and Kendall's was in Media Representation. Congratulations to all of the winners!

The Friends continue to organize the Art at the Airport program in 2009. Currently there are 21 artists' works displayed at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Terminal A.

The works are by Torpedo Factory artists Marian Van Landingham, Ann DiPlacido, Everett Hill, Carol Lopatin, Felicia Belair-Rigdon, Roberta Glick, Liang Wei, Jean Thompson, Min Enghauser, Marcia Jestaedt, Marsha Staiger, Alison Sigethy, Deb Jensen, Jolande Goldberg, Lisa Schumaier, Rachel Collins, Mina Oka Hanig, Jamaliah Morais, Tory Cowles, Joyce McCarten, and Mary Lynch.

Please consider joining the Friends.

Click here for the membership form. For further information, contact .