Following several years of new research and an extensive conservation campaign, a magnificent pair of sofas in the VMFA collection have emerged with a captivating history and a distinctive look. Produced by the celebrated furniture maker John Henry Belter over 160 years ago, the near-identical sofas graced the homes of powerful American businessmen and socialites alike — including the last private owner of the Hope Diamond. Their story is replete with Gilded Age elegance and Jazz Age intrigue.
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Printing Textiles with Indian Blockprints
Utilizing intricately carved wood blocks to print a set of two 27″ cotton tea towels, participants will learn about pigment, layering colors, composition, and the possibilities for creating stamps at home. This workshop is open to people of all experience levels.
Chinese Seal Printing Workshop
Following a brief discussion about the significance of the Chinese Seal (or chop), participants will translate their names into Chinese characters on paper. The characters will be transferred to soft printmaking blocks (Safety Kut) and cut out using carving tools. The carved blocks will inked and printed on blank greeting cards, with each student creating her/his own set of Chinese Seal cards to frame or send.
Chinese Silk Painting
After painting the background on their silk scarf, participants will examine images found in traditional Chinese art (including bamboo, fish, birds, and Chinese characters) which they will draw on the silk using a liquid resist. Once the resist has dried, students will apply brilliant fabric paint to complete their design. Participants can expect to finish one long scarf.
Bookplates and Bookmarks
After a brief discussion about the history and purpose of bookplates and bookmarks, students will create their own bookplate and bookmark designs on paper. The designs will then be transferred to a soft printmaking block (Safety Kut) and cut out using carving tools. The carved block will be inked and printed on paper and cardstock as each participant creates her/his own set of bookplates to use or bookmarks to give as gifts.
Stenciling and Stamping on Fabric
Want to make your own stamps and stencils for decorating fabric? In this workshop, participants will explore a variety of versatile and easy fabric applications using water-based textile pigments. After first experimenting with direct-application painting, students will then create their own contact paper stencils and stamps using a variety of materials. The pigments provided are ideal for layering color and pattern on fabric. Students may complete pillow covers, gift bags, or fabrics to be used in a larger project. No experience is necessary. Fabrics and pigments are provided.
Screen Printing Workshop
In this workshop, students will explore the expressive potential of screen-printing on fabric and discover ways to create unique patterns on cloth. Transparent textile pigments provide many color options for developing complex surfaces through layering simple shapes and textures. Participants will make crayon-rubbing silkscreen prints, produce simple contact paper stencils, and learn how to continue exploring these techniques at home and in the classroom.
Gesture: Abstract Expressionists
From brushstrokes to drips and palette knives to spray cans, this lecture explores the role of the artist’s mark in several iconic paintings from the Virginia Museum of Fine Art’s 20th- and 21st-century collection. While abstract expressionists such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, whose bold, energetic, and seemingly messy applications of paint are best known, a wider range of artists experimented with similar techniques. From European avant-garde artists experimenting with brutal brushstrokes of German expressionism and the loose, automatist lines of French surrealism, to African American artist Norman Lewis’ explorations of black and gray tones, the marks of all these artists register an array of varied responses that run the gamut from playful to political.
Armchair Adventures: Henri Rousseau and His Fantastical Landscapes
Join Jeffrey Allison, Paul Mellon Collection Educator and Manager, Statewide Programs and Exhibitions, as he explores the unique life and work of the French artist, Henri Rousseau. The essentially self-taught painter created cityscapes and portraits as well as dream-like exotic jungle scenes without stepping out of the city. During his lifetime his work was ridiculed by critics, but now his paintings are among the most popular works produced in the 20th century.
Awaken: Tibetan Buddhist Art at VMFA and Beyond
In his overview of the South Asian and Islamic Art holdings of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, John Henry Rice reviews the history of how one of North America’s finest collections of South Asian and Himalayan art came to richmond.