April/May 2022 Exhibitions User Submitted

ARTSPACE EXHIBITIONS INVESTIGATE THE AMBIGUITIES OF HUMAN INTERACTIONS WITH NATURE A solo exhibit of embroidery & mixed media coincides with a joint exhibit of printwork & paintings at the nonprofit gallery in Richmond, VA Artspace, a nonprofit contemporary art gallery, presents two exhibitions investigating the ambiguities of human interactions with nature along with a group exhibition of artwork by Artspace Artist Members. The opening, scheduled for Friday, April 22, 2022, will showcase the embroidery and mixed media work of solo artist Heather Beardsley with joint exhibitors, Mia Brownell’s paintings and Martin Kruck’s printwork. During a 2017 visit to Pripyat, the ghost town closest to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Heather Beardsley saw how nature had begun to retake the environment that had been destroyed over thirty years ago. Beardsley says, “Although presented in a whimsical fashion, using an intimate scale and a 'feminine' craft technique like embroidery, on closer examination the implications of these pieces become more sinister … The resulting works exist in an ambiguous space: a shift in the dynamic has clearly occurred, but nature has fought back and new life has grown from it.” Brownell and Kruck state: "The term Skeptical Realism can be found in some philosophical texts debating the truth and falsehood of things. The artwork of Mia Brownell and Martin Kruck are both visual meditations on perceptions of the artificial and real. Using still life (Brownell) and landscape (Kruck) these artists are reflecting on the current skepticism that has emerged in our political climate and culture by creating altered and ambiguous spaces." During the April-May show, an exhibit of art produced by members of the gallery will also be on display, illustrating the range and diversity of the membership. Artspace is a nonprofit and artist-run organization, populated with experienced professionals as well as emerging artists. These artists work in a variety of mediums including clay, encaustic, interactive installations, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking and more. In addition to the monthly exhibitions Artspace has been known for over the past three decades, the gallery is now providing teaching and meeting space. Artspace welcomes enquiries from artists looking for a teaching venue and individuals or organizations seeking a congenial meeting space. Exhibition Dates: April 22 - May 21, 2022 Opening Reception: Friday, April 22, 6-9pm Artists’ Talks: Saturday, April 23, 2pm Exhibition Dates: April 22 - May 21, 2022 Opening Reception: Friday, April 22, 6-9pm Artists’ Talks: Saturday, April 23, 2pm In addition to the monthly exhibitions Artspace has been known for over the past three decades, the gallery is now providing teaching and meeting space. Artspace welcomes enquiries from artists looking for a teaching venue and individuals or organizations seeking a congenial meeting space.