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Februrary/March
2009
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One
Woman's Vision of Change Transformed
Naval Torpedo Plant into Art Center
Marian
Van Landingham was named a Living
Legend of Alexandria in 2007. Info
about Feb. 8 "Meet the Legends"
reception in Artists' News section.
Photo by Project Director Nina Tisara.
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As the Torpedo Factory
Art Center begins its 35th anniversary year,
member artists reflect with gratitude upon
the transformative vision and leadership
of one of their own.
In 1973 artist Marian
Van Landingham saw a creative opportunity
in an abandoned, dilapidated World War II
naval torpedo plant. She proposed a radical
idea for the time: use the factory as studio
spaces for artists and have the studios
open to the public. Visitors could come
in and watch the artists at work, learn
about the artistic process, and even purchase
artwork.
As part of the Bicentennial
Commission of the City of Alexandria, Virginia,
and President of the Art League, Van Landingham
was able to make this vision a reality.
The building opened in 1974 as the Torpedo
Factory Art Center, becoming one of the
country's largest and most celebrated visual
art centers, serving as a model for art
centers across the country and around the
world. Click
for more history.
Promotions,
Events, Traveling Show Celebrate 35 Years
Throughout 2009, the
Torpedo Factory Art Center is featuring
anniversary promotions and events.
A 35th Anniversary
Coupon encourages visitors to add
an original piece of Torpedo Factory artwork
to their collections with a special offer.
53 participating artists will honor $35
off of a purchase of $200 or $350 off of
a purchase of $2000. Coupons may be printed
from the website or picked up in the building.
Our monthly Second
Thursday Art Night event spreads
the excitement of 35 years with special
anniversary happenings throughout the year.
The February 12 event will take a look at
the Art Center's unique history, March 12
will reveal the role of Torpedo Factory
artists in the community, and April 9 will
get the public involved in an environmentally
"green" installation of art. More
about Second Thursday Art Night.
From Here 2
There: Traveling Exhibition of New Works
showcases a selection of Torpedo
Factory artists' recent work as it travels
to similar art centers throughout the country.
In September, the show returns to Alexandria
and will be on view at the Athenaeum. Click
to view the artwork.
On a site where men
and women once worked around the clock to
make torpedoes and other weapons of destruction,
artists now bring their creations to life.
The Torpedo Factory has grown and changed
in 35 years but remains a place where creativity
is fostered among the community of artists
and its many visitors.
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C.M. Dupre
Named Artist of the Year
Harwood, Luckett, and Kendall Receive
Honorable Mentions
Top
Row: Artist of the Year C.M. Dupre,
oil painting "Angels &
Insects"
Bottom
Photo, Left to Right: Friends of
the Torpedo Factory President Mike
Jankowski, Original Voices winner
Rosemary Luckett, Artist of the
Year C.M. Dupre, juror Shauna Lee
Lange, Technical Excellence winner
Matthew Harwood
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The
Friends of the Torpedo Factory Art Center
are pleased to announce that artist C.M.
Dupre 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 "reflect in-your-face life passages
that border and transcend on theatre, music,
philosophy, literature, compassion and shared
human experiences." Read
juror Shauna Lee Lange's full speech entitled
"A Mansion Owner's Spirit."
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. The Friends have been sponsoring
the Artist of the Year since 1992.
Honorable Mentions
Awarded
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!
Friends
of the Torpedo Factory Art Center's Mentor
Show
Artist
Christine Parson mentors high school
student Amanda Raffaele |
March 18 - 22
Reception: March 22, 3-5pm
The Friends' mentorship program matches
high school art students with Torpedo Factory
artists, an extraordinary opportunity which
culminates in a student art exhibition in
the Torpedo Factory Art Center's Target
Gallery.
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Target
Gallery is the national and international exhibition
space of the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Read
the latest Target Gallery news on their blog!
From Dido's Lament #3, Kathleen Hancock |
BookEnds: The Book as Art
January 22 - February 22
Reception: Second Thursday Art Night, February 12, 6-8pm
Gallery Talk: 7pm
This exhibition focusing on the book as art "bookends"
the DC-area art scene with work shown simultaneously
at two venues, Torpedo Factory Art Center's Target Gallery
in Alexandria, Virginia and Pyramid
Atlantic: A Center for Print, Paper and Book Arts
in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Pyramid Atlantic show
runs from February 10 to April 18. The juror for this
exhibition is Helen Frederick, Founder and former director
of Pyramid Atlantic. Frederick chose 56 pieces that
will be on display at both galleries. The work encompasses
more traditional forms of art books and more contemporary
and sculptural versions as well.
View
the BookEnds
artwork online.
Impala Mating Game, Mary Ann Charette |
Honoring the
Life and Work of Torpedo Factory Artist Mary Ann Charette
February 27 – March 1
Memorial reception: Sunday, March 1, 2-4pm
Special memorial exhibition. An award-winning ceramic
artist, Mary Ann Charette's trademark was animals in
motion. She carved those images into porcelain vases,
bowls, slab-formed tiles, plaques, and jewelry. She
was also known for perfecting special firing results
with raku and smoked porcelain.
Torpedo Factory
Newly Juried Artists' Exhibition
March 8 -15
Reception: Sunday, March 15, 2-4pm
One week after the Torpedo Factory Artists' Association's
annual jury process, Target Gallery will display the
work of
Llama Vest, 2008 Newly Juried Artist Annemarie
Feld |
newly juried artists for one week. Meet the new artists
at the show's reception on March 15.
CALL FOR ENTRIES
Fresh: An Exhibition of Urban
Contemporary Art
Deadline for entries: March 16, 2009
Show dates: May 6 - 31
Fresh is an exhibition that examines the latest trends
in the urban contemporary art scene from graffiti style
and pop art surrealism to contemporary figurative
painting and lowbrow. The juror for this exhibition
is acclaimed artist Clark
V. Fox.
Click
for more information and prospectus - Apply
online for this show!
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Sycamore,
Crescent Moon,
Margaret Huddy |
Living Legends of Alexandria (LLA) announces a "Meet
the Legends" reception, February 8, 3-5pm, The
Carlyle Club, 411 John Carlyle Street. Tickets $25 in
advance / $30 at door. LLA is funded in part by a grant
from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. Torpedo
Factory associate artist and Project Director Nina
Tisara received a 2008 Alex Award for her work on
the project. Reservations / Info:
or 703-838-8098.
Click
here to view the portraits.
Margaret Huddy of studio 203 has won an award
at the Potomac Valley Watercolorist's 35th anniversary
exhibition for her painting Sycamore, Crescent Moon.
The exhibit continues at Strathmore Hall until February
21.
Ann McDowell of studio 17 and Marcia Jestaedt
of studio 13 would like to thank everyone who so generously
contributed to our annual Holiday Food Drive. Each delivery
was received with great appreciation. The artists were
able to deliver 530 pounds of food to United Community
Ministries.
Stone
XLIII, Grace Taylor |
The positive reaction to Grace Taylor (studio
312) and Susan Makara's (studio 339) 2008 show
Stoned at the Strathmore resulted in an invitation
to exhibit their work at the Friendship Gallery in Friendship
Heights, Maryland. Grace Taylor's striking photographic
portraits of stones and Susan Makara's textural acrylic
paintings of tree bark and stones will be presented
alongside the work of stoneware and porcelain artist
Alice Hui and handmade paper artist Jane Brasheres.
The show Four Artists will run from February
2 to 28 with a reception on Sunday, February 8, from
11:30am to 1:30pm. Location: Village of Friendship Heights
Art Gallery, 4433 South Park Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland,
20815.
Mirella Monti Belshe of studio 27 presents a
showing of Altered Rolling Pins at the atrium of both
Corporate Office Centers at Tyson's II, located at 1650
and 1750 Tyson Blvd. in McLean, Virginia. The exhibit
will last from January 10 - April 11.
Mirella has moved from studio 32 to studio 27 at the
Torpedo Factory, located immediately on the left as
you enter from Union Street. Her sculpture will now
be freestanding and visible at eye level from North
Union Street.
Sissy Cutchen, associate artist, has
found a gallery to represent her contemporary folk art
on the island of Coronado in the San Diego area, where
she also resides. She is working on a spring show and
a restaurant account. She happily creates her work in
her open garage studio.
Carol Levin of studio 30 was invited to show
her sculpture at the Flanders Art Gallery in Raleigh,
North Carolina during the month of March.
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