Hamilton Glass: The Artist and Architect behind RVA Community Makers

Artist Hamilton Glass, also known as “Ham,” is a Philadelphia-born, Hampton University graduate, who has proudly called Richmond home since 2007. And it’s here in RVA where he has also made his name as a painter and muralist with a genuine concern for building community and bridging divides. His relationship with VMFA has always involved…

Celebrating African American Community Leaders Through Public Art

This video was created by Field Studio and was made possible in part by Virginia Humanities. In February 2019, VMFA unveiled RVA Community Makers, a public art project featuring portraits of eight African American community leaders. The initiative is one example of VMFA’s commitment to opening our doors to a more diverse audience. Local artist…

VMFA mourns the recent passing of Richmond-born artist Benjamin Leroy Wigfall

VMFA mourns the recent passing of Richmond-born artist Benjamin Leroy Wigfall (1930-2017). When the museum purchased his painting Chimneys in 1951, Wigfall was only 21, the youngest artist to have a work enter VMFA’s permanent collection. Wigfall was interviewed by the museum in 2003 and 2016 and was the subject of a program held at…

Fellowship Winner Greig Leach’s Art Gains Momentum with UCI Road World Championships

When painter Greig Leach won his Fellowship in 1986, it gave him a great deal of credibility in the art world. The honor landed him representation with a gallery in New York City’s Greenwich Village, led to multiple exhibitions throughout Virginia, and helped place his work in a number of private and corporations. “It was…

VMFA Hosts Go Bike! Display

With the UCI World Road Cycling Championships coming in September, Richmond is gearing up for an influx of bike enthusiasts . . . and local artists are now on board. As part of the Go Bike! local art project, a collaboration between the City of Richmond and the Greater Richmond Chamber to commemorate the big…

Printmaker and Educator Kris Iden: VMFA Fellowship Took Her Career to New Levels

The second in a series of stories about the impact of the VMFA Visual Arts Fellowship program. These stories are in celebration of the 75th anniversary of this valuable program. Please watch this blog for future stories. Most Fellowship recipients feel the impact of their Fellowships for years, perhaps even throughout their careers. However, few…

Alyssa Salomon: Winning Two Fellowships Took Her Work to New Levels

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the VMFA Visual Arts Fellowship program, we will be running a series of stories about the impact of these Fellowships on select recipients over the past 15 years. Please watch this blog for future stories. Alyssa Salomon: Winning Two Fellowships Took Her Work to New Levels Winning VMFA…

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Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan: humor, humility, and staying true to your roots

“If I could go back in time and talk to my fifteen-year-old self, I would say ‘Smile a little, talk to people, and don’t be such a sheltered little nerd’.” Usually you don’t hear such honest self-reflection from anyone, let alone a world famous Hollywood producer, director, and writer! But Vince Gilligan is no ordinary…

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VMFA 2013 Fellowship Awards

Marking the highest number of applicants in the program’s history! The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts awarded 28 fellowships to Virginia art students and professional artists in 2013-14 for a total of $168,000. VMFA received 771 applications for the 2013-14 cycle, the highest number since the program’s inception. During the Fellowship Program’s 73 years, the…