Get To Know Studio Two Three!

Studio Two Three is an up-and-coming printmakers' group in Richmond- If you haven't heard of them before, you will. They are doing great things for Richmond's artist community, and we recently got the chance to learn more about what they've been up to...

Who are/what is Studio Two Three?

We started S23 in January, 2008 after we graduated from VCU's painting and printmaking department. Initially, we intended it to be a shared studio space for a few printmakers. We noticed that there were no communal printmaking studios outside of the universities, and that our support structure and access to a community had disappeared since graduation. Our plan was for S23 to fill that void. Since then, things have expanded; we are in the process of filing for nonprofit status, we're moving to a much larger space in late summer that can accommodate a lot more artists, and we've started workshops, open studio hours and Monday Funday events – free demos, critiques, group projects open to the public. We keep everything super-cheap to ensure that young artists have access to a studio and a supportive community, and we're committed to giving artists a reason and a way to stay in Richmond and make great work.

Who do you envision participating in Studio Two Three sessions, events, and workshops?

We have a lot of different offerings for different levels of experience. Our Monday Funday events are free and open to the public. We host a variety of demos, informal “show & tell” critiques (and any other concept that fits in the “show” or “tell” category like artist lectures, movie nites, art swaps) and group projects – for instance, last night we made “Cap City Kills It!” a zine on everything awesome and not so awesome about Richmond. Everyone who came to the event made a page, and S23 directors will be creating a book from the resulting pages, available soon for $5 or under! Check out our website for a schedule of events!




We also have equipment for all sorts of printmakers, including equipment for intaglio, relief, screen printing, and in the summer we'll be adding offset and researching waterless lithography. Prices are geared toward younger artists – i.e., as cheap as possible! Disclaimer for older readers: we do not discriminate on the basis of age.

(current awesome space)

Are you still planning to move into the bigger space at Manchester Flats this month? If not, when do you forecast that this will happen?

The new space will – keep your fingers crossed – be complete in late July, and we will be up and running by September. Until then, we'll be operating out of our current – and still super awesome – space at Plant Zero.

What excites you most about your new space?

We got to work directly with the architect and developer on the space, so it's built to be a printmaking studio. The space also comes with a grant of over $30,000 of printmaking and studio equipment – we'll be adding a 3rd etching press, a large vacuum exposure unit for screenprinting, and lots of new flat files and personal storage lockers among other things. The new space is in the Flats Factory, part of the New Manchester Flats development, a socially-green, eco-friendly build that incorporates income-based housing, an alternative care facility for the elderly, a community garden and pool, and artist studios and residency housing. We're really excited to be part of this new space, and to be part of a bigger, art-focused community within the space.

If someone wants to print at Studio Two three, what do they need to do? Can people just walk in off the street or is there paperwork they would need to fill out?

We personally meet with anyone interested in using the studio to get a feel for their interest and experience. We have open studio hours which allow people to walk in off the street and use the facility on Thursday afternoons from 3 to 6. This assumes that they have had previous experience using printmaking equipment; if not, we have low-cost introductory workshops for people new to printing. Artists who want to rent full-time receive a free introductory workshop to orient them to the studio. Everyone who uses the equipment signs a waiver, and renters sign a contract for the term of their rental.

In your vision statement, you talk about “supporting innovation and experimentation.” What are some examples of this already happening at Studio Two Three (techniques, specific artists' works as examples, etc.)?

We are experimenting with DIY substitutes for traditional printmaking materials, such as using Future Floor Polish and ink in place of hard ground. Projects such as the Mixtape Portfolio allow people to explore the idea of the multiple and the combination of art and music in innovative ways. Exhibitions and shows are another way we attempt to innovate; for instance, Ed. 1, The VCU Printmaker's show is installed within the print studio rather than in a formal gallery setting to display product and process side-by-side. We are committed to “awesomeness” for lack of a better term – we have an awesome community of artists working and sharing knowledge in the studio. The Monday Funday lectures, critiques and demos are a way for artists to share ideas and information that can benefit others, and are totally free, allowing access to information that many other organizations treat as a commodity. As a group of artists, we are passionate about contributing to the Richmond community and enabling one another to make more and better work, and Studio Two Three provides a place for this to happen, and a community for young artists to take part in.

Is the next “Mixtape” project already in the works? What other projects or exhibitions should we be on the lookout for?

The Mixtape project is in the works; we are kicking around a number of ideas for the project. We are also open to new ideas – anyone who has an idea to base the Mixtape project around, feel free to contact us! The exhibition will be in October; updates will be on our website.

Images from "Mixtape Two Point Woah":

Within your vision statement, you also mention that Studio Two Three will “encourage artists to make and talk about art by hosting monthly artist critiques.” Have any critiques happened yet? Who may participate in future critiques?

We have started the Monday Funday events, which include “Show & Tell” informal critiques. The schedule for the next two months of Monday Funday's is on our website; the next critique will be on Monday the 24th. The critiques are open to anyone who wants to come!

What else should Richmond know about Studio Two Three?

We are in the process of filing for nonprofit status, and have an incredible group of hardworking people on our Board of Directors; this is shout out time – thanks to John Blatter, Bird Cox, Tyler Dawkins, Emily Gannon, Andy Kozlowski, Jackie Mancini, Andrea Napolowski, Bill Parkhurst, Max Perry and Jake Urbanski for all of your work – most of these people are amazing artists, too – check their work out!

We also have the option of membership for non-artist community members who want to support Studio Two Three; members receive a variety of benefits, from newsletters, to discounts on workshops, to prints. Our website has more information on memberships.






The biggest focus of Studio Two Three is to provide an accessible, affordable studio for young and emerging artists; we are a supportive community enabling Richmond artists to make great things.

Many, many thanks to Sarah Watson and Ashley Hawkins for taking the time to answer all of our questions. And if you didn't click on any of the above links yet, what are you waiting for?!?! Studio Two Three's awesome website provides a wealth of information about what they're all about and how you can get involved in this great RVA creative community.

RVAAB asks some questions of... Reference Gallery

How did “Reference Gallery” happen?

Reference unofficially started in Conor Backman’s apartment on Monument Ave. in November 2008 when he along with friends had the first of two house shows in the eponymously titled “Monumental Gallery”. The four current owners of REFERENCE, Ross Iannatti, James Shaeffer, Conor Backman, and Edward Shenk met through working on these shows.

Check out the website for "Monumental Gallery" here

How did you find and acquire your space?

After several trials and errors with vacant retail spaces on Broad St, including instances of realtors literally laughing our plans off, we finally found a retail space available for cheap with an apartment upstairs.

From your statement: “Our mission is to introduce up-and-coming artists from around the world to Richmond, as well as promote artists in our city.” How are you selecting your artists, both from Richmond and from outside of Richmond?

It is a mixture of us finding and scouting out artists and people approaching us for shows. We are extremely interested in finding artists outside of Richmond to both bring attention locally and showcase a variety of art in our city.

Work by Ryan Crowley- his show "Scouting Foul" was up at Reference from Feb. 12th to March 6th

Has running a gallery changed the way you think about your own work? (Assuming that you are an artist/artists.)

Absolutely! It has given us a chance to realize how our individual pieces would be seen inside of gallery walls. Also, being able to look at a wide variety of work from all over has inspired us to create more.

3.5's drawing night at Reference

If you could work with ANY artist(s), who would it (they) be?

VAN HALEN OR ICE CUBE

What has surprised you in your experience of running a gallery thus far (what advice would you give to others considering starting a gallery)?

Probably getting the business license was the most surprising thing. Getting an official business in the city is tough to do, we talk about how if we would have know how much it would have been how we would have been discouraged from the very beginning. However, it has exposed us to what it’s like to be on the other end of a gallery/artist relationship.

What is unique about Reference within the scope of Richmond’s art scene?

We like to think that we’re showing art that isn’t seen in galleries here in Richmond. Part of our feeling in starting this gallery was that there weren’t enough spaces representing emerging artists.

Michael Muelhaupt's work was part of Reference's inaugural show, "No Promo"

What was the best non-Reference art show you saw in Richmond in the past year? (What made it the best?)

There have been a lot of people organizing independent shows around town this year, which we are excited to see happening, such as ‘taut’ and PDF blast. The Panera Bread in Church Hill also has a really good collection, including but not limited to early work by Matthew Brett. They also have very clean bathrooms.

What is your favorite aspect of Richmond and/or the RVA art scene?

Richmond has been a good place for us to start a gallery because it has a strong art scene that is also accessible. If we were to try doing this in New York it wouldn’t be feasible and the other galleries there would easily overshadow us. The city is also not so small that we’re off the map. It’s a good mix of the two.

What is one aspect of Richmond and/or the RVA art scene you would like to see change?

It would be great if more people could get involved, it’s easy and a great thing to do.

Get involved- sponsor a part of Reference! Click here for more info.

What can we look forward to seeing at Reference in the near future?

We’re hoping to host more music events, movie screenings, and community events in addition to the art shows that will be continuing to present. People can check out our websites for up to date info on everything happening at our space.

Thanks to Reference for taking the time to answer our questions- check out their website and facebook for info on upcoming shows and events at the gallery. And sponsor a part of the gallery! Ice Cube would want you to...

RVAAB asks some questions of... Valerie Molnar

There are a lot of great artists in Richmond! We first saw Valerie Molnar's work on VCU's MFA website several years ago, and since then, we've been keeping an eye on her intriguing combination of knitting, painting, and installation.

How did you learn to knit?

My mom’s mother taught me. She would watch my sister and I when my mom was at work and she would always teach us a craft or have an art project for us. These art and craft days with my Grandmother are not only where I learned to knit, but they definitely shaped my lifetime goals and interests.

Has knitting always been your natural mode of image-making, or was it something that drawing and painting led you to?

In my undergraduate studies as a painting major the pressure of filing a canvas was too much. To have a rectangle, to make a plan for the rectangle, execute the plan, and then edit until satisfied after leaving art history class and learning about and looking at all the great painters in history was too heavy a burden. I could not relax or work abstractly; I painted lots of representational figurative paintings, usually of wrinkly old women.

Knitting allowed me to use colors and keep productively working without being able to see what I was producing at the moment- so I could keep working without being overwhelmed with responsibility. I could work intuitively and spontaneously and experiment without editing. That’s how it started.

After I got more comfortable I eased into having taken more responsibility for the images- that’s where the painting came in. I could knit intuitively then pin it up on the wall and be able to formally visually react to it in a calculating, responsive and responsible way.

Could you talk about the evolution of your work- what it was like five years ago versus now, and where do you think your work might be headed in the future? Also, some of your works seem to reference events- like explosions or dripping. Do you work from visual source material (e.g. images of waterfalls or clouds), or do you knit and react to what is happening in the piece as it evolves?

I think I am a very slow evolver. I was finally able to be prolific with knitting, but my motivations and inspirations seem to change at a snail’s pace.

At first it was a color and material study- I would grab whatever struck me, without thinking how the next patch would interact with the last patch. I made a lot of 3-d forms, used a lot of textures and different stitches.

Then I read Greenberg’s Modernism and I was a changed woman. I realized how important the image was. I am still infatuated with him, that article, and his formula. I made connections to his instructions on how to make a pure painting to my own instructions on how to distill knitting- so it could be that same kind of universal language. I got rid of crazy textured yarn- I only use one kind now, so that the textures do not become a focus. No more three dimensions, and definitely took all functionality out. With those things gone, the pieces can more easily flux between image and object.

After that revelation I was able to concentrate on color interactions within the pieces. Then I was crazy about rainbows and finding ultimate color combinations. Then I started thinking about Joseph Albers and color mixing.

Recently and right now I am interested in making installations that interact with the architecture of a room. At the same time I have been inspired by my houseplants- usually the exploding or falling has something to do with some part of a plant’s growing process.

How do you decide to knit part of a piece and/or paint part of it on the wall? How do you think about the relationship between knitting and painting?

When I started, the painting on the wall was a way to reconnect with the image I made while knitting. When I would cast off and pin the knitting on the wall, it was so uncomfortably foreign to me- since I would have been working on it for so long, only able to see it balled up in my lap. I was always surprised by the outcome. It was a way to identify my sensibilities with the abstract images and a way to be responsible for an end product.

More recently I use photoshop to preplan my ideas. I am now finally able to trust my ideas and execute them. However I don’t use the sketches while I’m making the knitting or installing or painting – I just use it to flesh out my ideas in the beginning.

What kind of role do titles play for your work? I noticed that several of the 2009 pieces on your website have food-related names; how did this come about?

When I am working on the knitting part of the work I watch a lot of series or movies, which is where I extract all of my titles. The majority of the titles come from the book or movie The Princess Bride, the food titles come from the TV reality show Hell’s Kitchen, and one comes from Lord of The Rings.

Although I watch a lot of different things, I only take titles from few. I take from the ones that have some value I want to instill in my work or myself. The Princess Bride is my goldmine. I am most excited about creating a distinct balance of irony and sincerity, which PB captures beautifully. When that balance is acquired the thing becomes neither ironic nor sincere; it transforms into something new. I feel it becomes something that is unable to be questioned, like a hypothesis that has not yet been tested. No one is arguing that it does work, they just believe and have faith and hope that it will work, even if it is the silliest idea on earth. Like the idea that you should coat your miracle pill in chocolate so it can more easily be digested and bring a dead person back to life so he can win his true love and help avenge the death of his friend’s father. Or the idea that you should try to reference nothing by painting large areas of flat color so that it can become a universal visual language for everyone to connect with. That excited unquestioned faith is what I am ultimately after.

But also from PB I want the true love, conviction, friendship, triumph, and commitment. I want Chef Gordon Ramsay’s handsomeness, high standards, and willingness to help. And, Lord Of The Ring’s magic and perseverance.

What makes one of your pieces particularly “successful” for you?

The level of connection I feel with the image after it is finished.

What is your weekly studio practice like?

Right now, my studio is on my couch. I knit at home and when I need to make an installation I either have a physical place I was making it for, or I can create a room in Photoshop. After rearranging my apartment to make a blank wall I can take a photo of what I made, then cut and paste it into my new clean Photoshop room and make the ‘painting’ on that virtual wall.

Who are some artists you are currently interested in?

I love lots of artists- Some of them that inspire me the most are Jim Lambie, Mike Kelley, Polly Apfelbaum- particularly their use of the room- They take them over in a specific way with amazing colors and textures- but instead of transforming them into something they were not, they sublimate and embellish while retaining original integrity.

The critic Clement Greenberg is who shaped my work the most- his essay, ‘Modernism’ made a huge shift in the way I thought about and made my installations and their flatness; he brought me back to painting ideas.

What do you like about living in Richmond?

Richmond has a wonderful art community. There is always something exciting going on, and everyone seems to rally, be genuinely interested and supportive- even if they’re not directly connected with the artists’ community. It is easy to find good people to talk to, studios, shows, equipment, jobs, and a cheap quick JetBlue ticket makes for a lot of nice trips up to NY. Richmond is pretty great.

Where can we see your work in the near future (either in Richmond or elsewhere)?

Right now I am in a group show in Brooklyn at Homestead, I have a few small pieces at Frederieke Taylor Gallery in Chelsea, and so far for the near future in I’ll be in a show in Santa Monica, California, and Pullman, Washington.


Thanks to Valerie for taking the time to answer our questions- check out more of her awesome work on her website here.

Maxwell Perry Asks Some Questions of... Transmission's Bret Payne

When word of a potential new space for Transmission broke last month, we were excited and curious. Who is Bret Payne, what's he been up to, and what's the deal with Transmission past and present? The plot thickened when friend/associate/artist/past RVAAB interviewee Maxwell Perry agreed to ask Bret some questions...


TRANSMISSION first opened in 2007. What was it that inspired you to open a gallery?

I was working for Mrs. Rachel (Bunny) Mellon a few years ago in her private library in Upperville, Virginia, and she had talked to me about building a gallery on her property for her art collection. Her tentative plan was to ask me to be its curator. I made my way back to VCU to get a degree in Museum Studies, thinking that she was going to begin building the actual gallery. At this point, I had six years of experience as an assistant librarian and project manager for Mrs. Mellon's rare book and art collection. When her plans changed, mine did as well. I decided to get a degree in VCU's sculpture program and eventually open my own gallery.


How did you make that happen?

The timing was odd. I was still in school when someone told me about a space that was available to rent in the part of town (near the other "First Friday" galleries) in which I ideally wanted to be. I was in my last semester and knew from past experience that I should just jump in and figure things out on my own. Transmission became a large part of what I started doing in school, and I was making more friends with faculty and students in the painting and printmaking department at VCU.

Transmission's first home at 321 Brook Road

You were able to maintain a strong connection to VCU, and area artists, as well as featuring national/international artists. How did you find them all?

Transmission's mission in its early existence was to mainly host two-person shows. One artist would be local and the other would be from out-of-town. This would potentially make opportunities for both artists to make lasting connections with each other. It would keep things fresh, here in town, and promote our local talent elsewhere. Finding the out-of-town artists is a trade secret, as silly as that may seem. The local artists were friends, colleagues, surprise meetings, etc. I've been fortunate that many of the out-of-town artists were willing to take a gamble on me. They may feel the same about me.

Transmission's first opening featured work by Oura and David Cook in September 2007.

What happened to the old space?

Transmission had operated for a year and a half at that location (321 Brook Road), and I had come to a financial crossroads. I could either starve and try to get through a few winter months and hope that the next spring would be fruitful, or I could do what I decided to do. I closed shop with the intention of opening at a new location when things were supposed to work out for me. I was never really happy with the physical location of the old space, but I loved its size and character. I wanted to find a larger space and get away from the gravity of First Friday. That was no longer as important to me in the end.


How did the new space come to be?

A friend of mine has his studio above where the gallery is temporarily located. He offered to let me use the space for Transmission. I am currently thinking of this as a temporary home for the gallery, and I think there may be at least another before I settle and feel like moving the flat files in.

Transmission's most recent iteration has been located at

517 W 7th St., Richmond, VA 23234

Tell me about the most recent show.

The show I had up in December consisted of artists who had shown at Transmission in the past, as well as a few new artists with whom I will work in the future. The artists included Joe Deroche, Dave Moore, Seth Ganz, Bill Donovan, Jamie Boling, Cece Cole, David Cook, and Travis Robertson. There was no cohesive theme. They are all artists I like personally and appreciate my hunger to continue. Joe Deroche is one artist I am working more closely with. He is allowing me to represent him. I am slowly asking a few others to be a part of Transmission more intimately.

Joe Deroche

Will there be regular hours?

There are currently no regular hours. Hours will be made available for upcoming shows. I work full time right now for a company and put much of my other time into trying to make Transmission what I want it to be.

For more news about Transmission- check out their blog here.

RVAAB Asks Some Questions of... Maxwell Perry

There are a lot of artists in Richmond! We want to spotlight some of the ones you may not have heard of yet, but who we think are great. Our first interview is with Maxwell Perry, who is a drawer, video artist, and all-around awesome guy!

Check out Max's website for images of his drawings, paintings, and animations

RVAAB: How would you describe your work for people who have never seen it?

MP: It uses comic imagery, narrative and counter-cultural visual language to explore real world dialectics. It tends to center itself around the use of advertising. I think that's a fairly accurate, albeit broad description that could be applied to nearly all of my work.


RVAAB: You used to work primarily in drawing, but now you work largely in video/animation. How would you describe the evolution of your work over the past couple (or more) of years?

MP: My transition to working in video and animation is just an extension of my drawing practice. I haven't abandoned traditional painting/drawing altogether. I still pick up a brush from time to time. I try to allow the creative impulse itself to determine the approach I take as a maker. I'm someone who likes to figure things out, and to repurpose things to suit my need for them.

I realized several years ago that technology had reached the point that I could work intuitively using programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects. Working with new media had the added bonus that it seemed to suit certain themes that interested me. Examples of this would be media immersion, commercialism, cult cinema, etc. Another, more obvious advantage of using video was that it allowed the narrative aspect of my work to acquire a temporal setting. The final display is also quite malleable, which I like because it requires less planning before my process begins. Digital media is somewhat more forgiving in that respect.

As I became more comfortable working in time based media, the pieces I made got longer. The narratives gradually became more complex, and I started using sound to push the visual information. When I was working on “Frantic Undead”, I worked more with sound than I had ever done before.

Watch the trailer for "Frantic Undead" here

RVAAB: Why zombies?

MP: There are a ton of reasons, really. I think interest in zombies and zombie subculture is stronger now than it ever has been. I've always been a fan of them, as far as monsters go. They make great metaphors for big, broad reaching ideas. The notion of the walking dead is apocalyptic yet absurdly comical. The direct inspiration for “Frantic Undead” was my participation in the Annual Richmond Zombie Walk, which is a benefit held every October for the American Cancer Society. That was a lot of fun. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday.

Aside from that, its really genre films that interest me. I like storytelling, and I've always enjoyed mythology, allegories, and fables. My next animated short will be called “Giant Squid”, which I'm just starting to work on now. It should be done in the next year.

Richmond, VA Zombie Walk- Max provided us with a link

RVAAB: Who are some artists you are currently looking at- how are they influencing your work?

MP: I've been watching Marc Horowitz and Peter Baldes's virtual road trip across the U.S. On www.googlemapsroadtrip.com. Pete was my advisor at VCU and I think this is an awesome and fun idea with far reaching implications, and it has a great presentation. I'm not sure how it will influence my own work though. I don't really seek out things to influence my work so much as I remember things that later on become influential on their own. I just remember an experience or have a thought, and that seems to trigger that creative impulse I mentioned earlier.

Most of my inspiration tends to come from advertising, popular culture, and my own experience traversing these areas.

Right now, I'm really interested in films by Kathryn Bigelow, and Ralph Bakshi's stuff from the 70's, as well as a 1922 film called “Haxan: Witchcraft through the Ages”. I'm reading the latest issue of “Film International” which has a few good articles in it. These days, when I get a chance to read, I pick up a magazine, book of short fiction, or E.C. Comics re-issues.

Image from the Horowitz/Baldes "road trip"

RVAAB: What is your (daily?) studio practice like?

MP: Usually, I begin working on something art related around 10pm and work for a couple of hours after that. I do this four or five days a week, mostly from home. I have a studio at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, but lately I've primarily been using that as a staging area for the Summer class I've been teaching in ad design. It's a real mess right now. I need to clean it up.

Eliot Glazer reported on Max's VisArts class here

RVAAB: What do you like about living/working in Richmond?

MP: It has aspects of a big city, but is actually more like a small town. I've always liked that. It's intimate.


RVAAB: What would you change about Richmond?

MP: I'd put it in a bubble.


RVAAB: What kinds of shows/events do you have coming up? Where can we see your work?

MP: I have a piece titled “Toddler” in the [work] show at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The closing reception is Friday, August 21, from 6 to 8pm.

“Frantic Undead” will be showing at the Dragon*Con Independent Short Film Festival in Atlanta, GA, September 4th-7th. Be there!You can follow me on twitter @FranticUndead.

Image from Max's piece, "Toddler" in [work] at VisArts until this Friday- Click here to see more images from this show in one of our previous posts

Thanks, Max! We know Richmond is lucky to have you.