June 20 – July 9
TAG is located in Gallery 311; Torpedo Factory Art Center
Opening reception on June 20 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm.
Mercreatures & Jewels by Veronica Barker-Barzel and Paulette Warwick Opens in TAG; The Associates Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Art Center
Mercreatures & Jewels will open in TAG (The Associates Gallery) on June 20. An exhibition of prints and jewelry by Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association members Veronica Barker-Barzel and Paulette Warwick , the show pairs the fantastical world of Mercreatures created by printmaker Barker-Barzel, with the industrial couture jewelry formed with balance, strength, and movement by Warwick. The show will be on display in TAG from June 20 – July 9.
Printmaker
Veronica Barker-Barzel often describes her work as Urban Surrealism and the theme of her show is nature based with fantasy type scenes such as trees becoming one with bird homes. Veronica celebrates the outdoors with images of boats and the depiction of magical Mercreatures. These Mercreatures are hybrids such as turning cows into sea fellows or merchickens, because after, must a mermaid only eat fish?
Barker-Barzel discovered etching and found herself. Transferring her ideas or sketches right onto a plate: from etchings, relief, or collagraph, she loves the feeling of pulling the first print and the anticipation of what the image will look like. In creating art, it is not just the final product but the process that makes her. Barker-Barzel lives in Alexandria, VA and is a member of Printmakers Inc. (Studio 325) at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. She was juried into the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association in April 2017.
Jewelry
Jewelry artist Paulette Warwick designs and fabricates wearable pieces of art that are constructed primarily in sterling silver and semi-precious stone. Juried into the Torpedo Factory in April of 2010, she originally worked with fiber, constructing large, intricately pieced wall hangings studded with beaded embroidery. In June of 2013 she met Anthony Camargo, a jewelry designer and part of the design powerhouse of Anthony Nak. He saw her fiber work, and asked her to assist him with some leather pieces he was constructing. Leather morphed into silver and gold and a line of luxury jewelry was born. The brand Anthony by Anthony Camargo was retired in 2015.
Warwick continued to experiment with creating pieces using a framework of silver and steel rings with additions of the same small stones that had been used in the fiber embroideries. This current collection bears the same love of detail and passion for slow craft as in her previous medium and she is once again collaborating with Anthony on a new leather collection that he has recently designed. Warwick lives and works in Frederick, MD and is represented by the Muse , located in downtown Frederick.
Mercreatures & Jewels will be in Gallery 311 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center from June 10 – July 9. There will be an opening reception on June 22 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. A partial gallery show with pieces from all 14 members of TAG is also on display. TAG is located in Gallery 311; Torpedo Factory Art Center; 105 N Union St, Alexandria, VA
22314.
Open Daily
Friday – Tuesday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
