July 2024 Exhibits
This month we are presenting two exhibits with themes of the future, one from an archeological view of our current plastic-planet by Eric Manwiller and the other an imagining of a post-dystopian life where organic life coexists within a technological ecosystem by G. Terado. And Welcome to the Menagerie of Horrible Darlings opening in the Centre Gallery. Prepare for some creepy haunts. Also featured is Ray Sutton who shares the unique voice of abstract expressionism. As always, we present the monthly All Media show by local artists—a special treat of many topics and art forms.
The opening reception is Friday, July 26th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Enjoy music, refreshments, and libations. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free. Admission to the art center is free, always.
Plastic Fossils: Recent Works by Eric Manwiller
Imagine a world where earth and plastic lie buried playfully, side-by-side, for a future civilization to ponder. That’s what Eric Mainwiller imagined in his exhibit at Art Works. A Richmond-based artist, Mainwiller combines painting and sculpture. And recently he has added mixed materials like casts of 1980s action figures, glitter, flip sequins, and various textiles to his work. The results evoke images of “plastic fossils” and explore issues of environmental importance.
Tech Utopia by G. Terado
G. Terado has a degree in media art and animation from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. He brings these skills and talent to this exhibit.
Tech Utopia is a speculation of a future post-dystopian life alongside the hope and faith for organic life successfully coexisting within a technological ecosystem. Terado’s inspiration comes from the recent rise in generative AI and the staggering use of mobile devices and virtual reality. The artwork is produced in graphite, ink, and watercolor.
Welcome to the Menagerie of Horrible Darlings by Ginny Loving
Using porcelain, clay, mixed media, and repurposed fabrics, Ginny Loving transforms lumps of clay into an idea–from the macabre and humorous to the darkly beautiful and evocative. Through meticulous work and forged in fire, a sculpture is born. Each exquisitely handcrafted piece is completely unique–like a bone fragment, there will never be another like it.
Deliciously creepy, from our haunt to yours, welcome to the MENAGERIE.
Abstract Expressionism by Ray Sutton
We are delighted to share a message from Ray Sutton, who sees abstract expressionism as a unique voice of freedom and unencumbered joy. During his visits to museums and galleries, Ray is always captivated by this art form, which urges the viewer to stop and spend time contemplating the color, line, and forms in each painting. As we celebrate the beauty and power of abstract expressionism, we join Ray in appreciating the unique voice of this art form.
Let’s Rescue the Environment by Nancy Bruce
Nancy Bruce is a mixed media artist working primarily with recycled materials, things she has found, saved, and things that people have given her. Her artwork is on canvas or panels. Nancy is very much concerned with the condition of the climate. She says:
For me it is the most important of our many messes. Whatever else you may believe if we screw up the earth badly enough, we are all done for. I wonder where and how we will live if relentless wildfires and rising ocean levels consume the land that we are accustomed to living on. It may become impossible to have a fixed place to call home. The larger pieces in this show represent homes that we may one day find ourselves living in if we allow the environment to continue to deteriorate. The dark colors that I have used for most of the smaller ones represent the baked earth that may be in our future. At its birth our earth went through so much to become a place that we could call home. Why are we not doing a better job of taking care of it?
July 2024 All Media Show
This exhibit is a focal point of all Art Works’ openings. The juror for the exhibit was Amelia Rafle, an American printmaker from Richmond, Virginia. She received her BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2021 and her MFA in Art and Ecology from the Burren College of Art in 2023, and is currently teaching drawing and printmaking at Virginia State University. This exhibit will be in the Skylight Gallery.
- 1st Place – John Latell, Method, Madness, Sanity, Desire (1), Steel, 25×49, $850
- 2nd Place – Carrie Lensch, Fancy Flamingo, Acrylic, 36×36 $2999
- 3rd Place – Virginia McConnell, Each New Universe, Textile: Art Quilt, 19.5×19, $2500
- Honorable Mention – Evelyn DeVere, Sumud, Linocut Print, 9×12, $45