“For 80 years, VMFA has supported over 1,600 artists through our Fellowship Program. From now famous artists such as Sally Mann and Cy Twombly to many others like me, the museum has made an indelible contribution to artist’s careers,” says Jeffrey Allison, Director of Statewide Programs and Exhibitions and the Paul Mellon Collection Educator. Jeffrey, an award-winning photographer, has received two VMFA Fellowships for his work.
“We were thrilled to share more about the program at the Canvas event this past May,” adds Jeffrey, who moderated a wonderfully informative program. “Our Fellowship artists presented inspiring stories about how the Fellowships have impacted their lives and we loved being able to interact with everyone there.”
Sayaka Suzuki
Sayaka Suzuki is a mixed media artist whose 2018 Fellowship was a turning point in her career. From 2005 until 2017, Sayaka taught art classes at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. The Fellowship arrived at the perfect time in her life, giving her the freedom to focus on her own body of work. She recalls, “I went to my mailbox and noticed that the envelope from VMFA was big, so I ripped it open to find my acceptance. I was so excited!”
In her project, Height of Cultural Disparity, Sayaka wanted to explore her Japanese heritage. She says, “I am an immigrant. I wanted to really harness what this identity meant and how I see the world.” Sayaka explains, “In this piece, I am standing on wooden slippers to get my eye level to match those of fellow artists. In many ways, I was trying to find an even playing field as I explored my horizon versus yours. It’s a simple piece on how we all navigate the world.” As an artist, Sayaka has a long history of working with glass which, in her opinion, represents a duality of fragility and resilience, transparency and ambiguity.
“The best thing about the Fellowship,” she says, “is that it gives artists like me permission to try something new. It takes the fear and risk away. I felt like I could take a leap and try a different process. The money translated into a leap of faith in taking my work to the next level.”
Height of Cultural Disparity by Sayaka Suzuki
Sharon Shapiro
Sharon Shapiro is a painter who explores the intricacies of the female identity and the multi-faceted experience of growing up in the American South. Sharon received two Fellowships in 2002 and 2017. She recalls, “Both of the Fellowships were amazing. Receiving that letter in the mail is so special. The envelope was big which meant good news. It’s such a feeling of validation that I can’t put a price on.”
Her recent oil painting, Soft Conjuring (2024), highlights the psychological conflicts that occur between mother and daughter. Framed between two bed posts, the mother sends a passive message of disapproval next to the defiance on the young woman’s face. In a sea of melancholy blue, Sharon wanted a pop of color and chose a shocking pink for the rabbit. There is an air of quiet discomfort thanks to a lack of pillows on the bed and stiff collars on the clothing, creating a stifling atmosphere. She explains, “I want to cause a response in the viewer. I want women and girls to be seen and understood so they are less alone in this world. Ultimately, I want my work to raise more questions than it answers to create a shared dialogue.”
In a May exhibition, The American South in Vivid Color, Sharon showcased large-scale paintings and images of girls and women through vivid neon bands of emotion. Her body of work includes a series of collages that delves into memory, nostalgia, and womanhood. Sharon concludes, “The VMFA is a great museum. To be validated as an artist by this institution is huge.”
Soft Conjuring (2024) by Sharon Shapiro