PastForward, offered as part of MINDS WIDE OPEN: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts

Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Target Gallery has scheduled an exhibit PastForward from February 27-March 28 as part of Virginia’s 2010 statewide celebration featuring women in the arts.

PastForward will feature work of four former resident Torpedo Factory artists - Kathleen Dustin, Barbara Rachko, Anne Laddon and Joyce Zipperer. This exhibition kicks off the gallery’s participation in Minds Wide Open. The artists will exhibit their latest works, from Rachko’s pastel paintings, Zipperer’s sculptures, Dustin’s polymer clay works to Laddon’s oil paintings.

The Target Gallery Committee invited these four women to be a part of this special exhibition because of their continued success and critical acclaim after leaving the Torpedo Factory. The exhibition will display their latest work. Please click here to learn more about the artists.


MINDS WIDE OPEN: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts will include thousands of special events and programs offered between March and June of 2010. Events include plays, choreography, compositions, and exhibitions of paintings, photography or films that have been created by women or feature women as the primary focus. This celebration is an unprecedented collaboration of hundreds of participating artists and cultural organizations and is a demonstration of the breadth and diversity of arts and culture across the Commonwealth. It is the first of what the cultural community hopes will be an ongoing series of statewide collaborations shedding light on topics of interest to the people of Virginia.

Imprint Reception

Here are a few snapshots of the wonderful reception last night. Also included are a few photos of the printmaking demonstration in Studio 325 by Printmakers INC.

IMPRINT RECEPTION RESCHEDULED!!

Due to a second round of Blizzard 2010, we have postponed the Imprint reception. We will be honoring the artists next Thursday, February 18th from 6-8pm. Candy and flowers will be given out to the first 150 guests that arrive to the Torpedo Factory. Live music and refreshments. Please join us!

IMPRINT RECEPTION RESCHEDULED for February 18, 6-8pm

A passion for line and process is evident in Target Gallery’s latest exhibition Imprint.


“Imprint is an excellent example of the widespread diversification and combination of printmaking techniques with almost every other art medium known. The quality of works submitted to Imprint is extraordinary and proves that there is a LOT of good art being made in the USA today." - Jane Haslem

What: Imprint- a contemporary printmaking exhibition

When: Exhibition – January 21- February 21
Opening Reception - Second Thursday Art Night, February 11, 6-9pm

7:30 Printmaking demonstration by Printmakers’ Inc. located in the Torpedo Factory, Studio 325

Where: Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Target Gallery, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria,VA

Admission: Free and open to the public

Hours: Open daily from 10-6pm and until 9pm on Thursdays
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The Torpedo Factory’s Target Gallery opens Imprint, an exhibition that examines contemporary printmaking. Thirty-seven artists from across the country are a part of this exhibition united by one common theme and that is the printmaking process. Eight of the artists in the exhibition are from the DC Metro area. The public is invited to visit Printmakers’ Inc. located on the third floor of the Torpedo Factory in studio 325 for a printmaking demonstration at 7:30pm.

Jane Haslem, juror and print expert, chose a variety of work that serves as a testament to the vast array of techniques that printmakers across the country are using in their work today. The printmaking processes in Imprint include mezzotints, etchings, lithographs, woodblock and linocuts, silkscreen, monotypes, collagraphs, cyanotypes, and digital prints.

The entire exhibition is online at www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/target_current.htm. The gallery is open daily from 10-6 and until 9pm on Thursdays.

Juror Bio:
Jane Haslem Gallery was established in 1960 and specializes in American Art of the last half of the 20th Century. Inventory includes paintings, prints, drawings, and other works on paper. The gallery is known for its in-depth collection of prints by those artists responsible for reviving printmaking in the US after World War II

Remembering Nancy Reinke

Please feel free to make comments to this blog about things you remember most about Nancy Reinke. She will be greatly missed!

This is an excerpt that her studio mate Kim Jones had to say about Nancy and I felt it needed to be shared here:

Nancy was very wise. She told Lane Palmisano when she was a new artist here, “usually anything worth doing is difficult and takes time.” And Lane listens to that advice all the time to this day. She also called her “walking Zen”

Her subject matter in her prints and paintings was vast; thoughtful portraits of women, unique character paintings of animals and often she showed her great sense of humor. A good example of her whimsy is her print “Lap Cat.” An image of a giant cat with a child in its lap made many people laugh out loud year after year. Another piece that garnered many laughs was a typeset print of an 18th century warning to those who steal library books.

Nancy was a strong advocate for animal rights owning over 50 cats in her lifetime. She was a member of many animal welfare groups such as Jane Goodall Institute, ASPCA, Washington Animal Rescue league and numerous other organizations. Her passion for animals was also very apparent in her ability to capture animals and their inner personalities in both her etching and paintings.

People from all over the world have said that they specifically come to Studio 5 to be within the space that was completely Nancy Reinke. With Chinese Tea Boxes, a faux piano and fireplace, bird cage and vintage printing signs, her entire aesthetic, from the warm studio to her tremendous body of work, made every visitor feel welcomed, at home and enlightened.


Memorial Reception to Celebrate Nancy Reinke will be held at the Target Gallery on Sunday, January 17, 2-4pm.