PWAS Art Show at the ARTfactory Member Art July 10-August 9, 2026 Part 1
The Prince William Art Society artist members will be at the ARTfactory for a show called "Nostalgia" July 10 - August 9, 2026. We'll be featuring various member's art that was juried into this show. The art reception will be on July 11 between 6-8pm and we hope you will plan to be there. The show is called "Nostalgia" so its a walk back in time for each art piece.
Twenty-five artists were selected to show in Nostalgia and included in this Part 1 post is:
Mark Murphy, Bettie Sperty, Donna Liguria, Sheri Herrick, L Palladino, Mandy Powell, Staci Blanchard, Katie Keller Dugan, Michelle Evans, Sandra McClelland Lewin, Doreen Dauer, Zee Berrios
I've asked each artist to send me one piece of art that was juried into this show and to give me the story about the artwork. Every artist has a different view or a remembrance of what makes the art they do as nostalgic and many of the works will probably trigger a memory for you as well. Here are some of the artworks that will be on display, and for sale, at the ARTfactory starting on July 10. Many artists have several pieces in the show so you'll need to come see the show to see everything.
What do you think of when you hear Nostalgia as a theme for an art show?
Click on a image to enlarge.
PWAS Member Mark Murphy
"Woody" by Mark Murphy 11x14 framed to 18x24 Watercolor PWAS Member Donna Liguria
For this artwork, living here in the Lake Ridge area, during the summer last year I heard the music playing outside..and you just KNOW. You absolutely know what it is, who it is, and what it means. It reminded me of those days as a child living in Alexandria, when I would hear the music playing...
Growing up in the suburbs as a kid, during those very hot summer evenings while out playing, the tinkling of music was heard which announced the very soon to arrive - Ice Cream Man! All of the children would all rush to their homes, calling out to their own moms if we could get ice cream. And if she said yes, the coinage was dispensed or the allowances were pillaged, then the rush to get in line and make our selection had to be made. Then the commencement of operations began. The frozen treat would be adoringly devoured before it could dribble down your hand. There was an art to it. And all was right with the world while holding an ice cream cone.
The fond memory of ice cream delivered almost to your doorstep is an ongoing memory each summer when that tinkling music plays to this day.
PWAS Member Bettie Sperty
This painting was inspired by a trip to Virginia Beach in November during the early COVID years. An artist friend invited me to ride along while she picked up work from a gallery show in the area, and I never turn down a trip to the beach!
The weather was cold, the beaches nearly empty, and our hotel seemed almost abandoned — we saw only one other guest during our stay. On our first day there, after a passing rain storm, we bundled up and took a walk along the beach. The quietness of that time, combined with the muted colors of late autumn, the seagulls soaring above, created a feeling of stillness and reflection. I took the photo to remember the peaceful feeling of the day.
Fortunately for us, the weather got warmer and sunnier each day of our visit and we had a spectacular little vacation. Fond memories. With this painting I hope to share that calm, peaceful feeling.
PWAS Member Sheri Herrick
Mixed media entry into the "Nostalgia" show at the ARTfactory.
Some of the crochet work was done by my mother's great Aunt who visited us from time to time during my childhood. She taught me basic crochet stitches and how to make various types of Granny squares. I learned enough to make baby blankets for my kids and grandkids, but never got close to the beautiful lace-work that my Aunt Cora did!
PWAS Member L Palladino
Pool Party depicts a simple afternoon of a baby sitting in her pink plastic pool. What started as a way to explore the water turned into an adventure filled with oceanic friends in her very own floral paradise.
PWAS Member Staci Blanchard
The vivid blue door, framed by weathered red brick and draped in cascading wisteria, feels like a portal to another time. It’s a reminder of childhood afternoons spent wandering familiar streets, where every doorway holds a story. The flowers spill across the wall like treasured memories. Bathed in warm light and surrounded by lush greenery, the scene captures the comforting feeling of returning to a place that has remained unchanged in your heart, even as the years have passed.
PWAS Member Michelle Evans
For “All Roads Lead to Italy” By Artist Michelle Evans was juried into ARTfactory’s “nostalgia” Show in July. Based on a Photo taken by the artist on a trip in 2005. Tuscany’s beautiful landscape evokes a timeless elegance. Cypress trees and Italian villas dot the landscape with a path that moves through the painting, inviting you in. The artist used an Impressionistic technique to enhance the painting’s dreamy effect. 14x18 oil on linen. Come see it for yourself at the opening reception July 11th 6-8pm!
PWAS Member Katie Keller Dugan
The pointe shoes in the photograph show both the beauty and the grit of growing up in dance. They’re worn and broken in, a reminder of long hours, sore feet, and constant practice. At the same time, they still hold the elegance and beauty of dance. Looking at them brings back a mix of pride and nostalgia for a big part of my childhood.
PWAS Member Mandy Powell
"Tiny Dancer" 16x20 Layered Mixed Media and Oils. A Tiny Dancer spinning to tiny music can evoke big emotions. Opening a trinket pulls you back into the past as the music resonates with a memory that hugs you tight. She's kept that tempo after all these years, never missing a note. A rose is placed at her feet for a performance well done.
PWAS Member Sandra McClelland Lewin
Checkmate
I learned to play chess when I was in college, at the same time that the women’s movement was gathering speed. The fallen king piece hints at old hierarchies being challenged, and the upright queen stands strong, representing resilience, agency, and the growing recognition of women’s power. Even in its stillness, the scene carries a sense of progress—the kind that builds over time, move by move, as women claim their place and reshape the rules that once confined them.
Another interpretation:
The raven is often seen as an omen. The painting suggests that it is time to topple anyone who would seek to be king in a democracy.
PWAS Member Doreen Dauer
“Manteo Light” 12x16 oil. Framed 13x17” $500
"The mid-morning sky frames the small lighthouse on the island of Manteo, NC. It brings to mind memories of a clear day after a half-marathon. These are reflections of a nostalgic time to relax and breathe in the joy of accomplishment."
PWAS Member Zee Berrios
One of the paintings that was accepted for the Nostalgia ARTfactory Show was the "Entra lleno de tristeza." It is an acrylic on canvas 24" X 40". It is based on a trip I took to a city in Cuba during the early 1990's. It portrays a vendor going to the city to sell or repair a refrigerator carried on a "wagon" pulled by a donkey. Parked next to it you can see a 1950's American car.
PWAS Members - if you are in the show, send me one photo and the story, description of that piece.
So which ones are your favorites? Drop a comment below.
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
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