January 2024 Exhibits
We are celebrating our 21st year of hosting art shows, providing studio workspace, and embracing Richmond’s thriving art community! This month, we are proud to showcase the Simply Photography exhibit featuring talented artists from all over Virginia. From stunning landscapes to captivating portraits, these artists showcase a variety of subjects and photographic methods that are sure to leave you in impressed.
In addition to the Simply Photography exhibit, we are excited to feature two solo shows by Wendy Nelson and Grace Whitley. And what’s a 4th Friday without our monthly All Media Show? This curated exhibit features all mediums and many topics by Virginia artists.
Come See Me by Grace Whitley
In Come See Me, Grace Whitley shows the core commonalities beneath human diversity. Every face has its own power, with its own story to tell. The paintings are unified by the images being cropped, but the uniqueness to the models’ face is as varied as humanity is itself. We are the same. We are all different. Because people are quick to judge and overlook a person by what we see on the outside, we neglect whom they are within. As Whitley created these portraits, it invoked secret emotions and provided a means to express them. Whitley shares a unique view of the world and hopes the paintings invite others to see this perspective.
Beyond Hocus Pocus: The Artistry of Black Cat by Wendy Nelson
Traditionally considered ill omens, black cats have long borne the burden of an unfortunate reputation. In modern society, this stigma persists, in addition, black cats now contend with the challenges presented by social media. Reports suggest that black cats are being returned to shelters for being less photogenic and harder to photograph. The purpose of this exhibit is to challenge these beliefs. Through Wendy’s exceptional skill and unwavering patience, she has beautifully captured the authentic spirit of these incredible animals.
As you delve into this exhibit, we invite you to look beyond preconceived notions and truly appreciate the captivating essence of these frequently misunderstood creatures
Simply Photography 2024
Each year Art Works host an exhibition that is strictly photography—Simply Photography. We invite photographers to submit their work in an open call-for-entries. All types of photography is allowed including mixed-media as long there is a component of photography in the composition. The juror for this exhibit was J. Molina-Garcia. She/they is a Salvadoran-American media artist, writer, and educator. A citizen of the Global South and an American Dreamer, J.’s work draws on the politics of immigration, philosophies of madness, and nonwestern esoteric traditions to critique the violence of the Global North.
They hold an MFA degree in Photography+Extended Media from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and graduated with dual degrees in Photography and Art History from the University of North Texas. They are an Assistant Professor of Photography and Digital Futures at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.
1st Place: Forgotten Virginia by Stephanie Prokopis, Digital Photography. 11×16, $100
2nd Place: Broken by Mark D’Harlingue, Photography, 20×24, $500
3rd Place: Slayer on High Ground by Shane McFadden, Altered Digital Photography, 18×28, $2250
Honorable Mention: Shark’s Eye by Elise Wojtowicz , Digital Photography, 11×14, $150
January All Media Show
Each month Art Works invites artists to submit their work in an open call-for-entries. These exhibits are a focal point of all Art Works’ openings. There is no theme for this exhibit—so anything goes, any topic and any medium. The juror for this month was Ali Kaeini, an Iranian artist and has exhibited his work from the U.S. to the Middle East, Iran, and Europe, and was a finalist in the Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards in 2022. Kaeini presently lives and works in Richmond, VA, where he serves as an educator at VCU and ODU.
1st Place: Jim Brown, Fetish Offered to All the Gods Who have Deserted Us, Mixed-Media/Assemblage, 50x48x9, $9,600
Jim Brown Obsessed with the Work, Mixed Media/Assemblage, 42x40x4, $8,000
Jim Brown Witness to the Corporate and Cultural Violence Done to Women, Mixed Media/Assemblage, 62x28x4, $14,600
2nd Place: Charlotte Laurance, Wash Behind Your Ears Makeup, Makeup Wipes, 24×32, $450
3rd Place: T Holtslag Imperial Moth, Sculpture Mixed Media, 10×8, $450
T Holtslag Untitled, Clay, 10×8, $450
Honorable Mention: Lew Lott A Frisky Hug, Acrylic & Oil on Aluminum, 30×32, $800