Bannerman Island Art Gallery

The Bannerman Castle Trust Inc. presents

New Art Exhibition featuring Painter, Virginia Donovan and Photographer, Mary Ann Glass at Bannerman Island Gallery in Beacon, NY

December 10, 2022 – February 5, 2023

The Bannerman Island Gallery located at 150 Main Street in Beacon, is pleased to present a beautiful exhibition of Hudson River Valley Paintings and photographs by painter, Virginia Donovan and photographer Mary Ann Glass. Many works feature the Hudson Highlands region and Bannerman’s Island. A public opening reception for the show will be held on Saturday, December 10^th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the gallery. The show will continue through Sunday, February 5^th, 2023. Gallery hours are Sat. & Sun. from 12:00noon – 5:00 pm and weekday afternoons and evenings by chance and appointment by calling 845-416-8342.

Painter Virginia Donovan began painting in New York’s Hudson Valley where she continues to work in watercolor, pastel, acrylic, and oils. In the early 1990s, while still working a full-time career, she enrolled in drawing and watercolor classes and her new passion for art grew from there. Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, one of Virginia’s passions is supporting the Bannerman Castle Trust, a non-profit in Beacon, NY, dedicated to the preservation of historic Bannerman’s Island and Castle on the Hudson River. As a young girl, her mother lived on the historic island and it has always held a special fascination for Virginia. As a working artist, she has participated in numerous art shows, benefits, and Plein Air events on Bannerman’s Island.

In 2003 Virginia co-founded RiverWinds Gallery in Beacon, NY, with four other artist friends. RiverWinds was a multi-faceted art space offering traditional and contemporary paintings, photography, jewelry, ceramics, and fiber arts. The gallery closed in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, and since then Virginia has concentrated on painting full-time. Virginia’s talents as a working artist have taken her beyond the Hudson Valley. In 2007, she was one of only two Ameri- cans invited to participate in the Jean-Paul LaPointe International Symposium in Chicoutimi, Quebec, along with 41 other artists. From 2001 – 2019 she participated in many workshops, residencies, and events in the USA, New Zealand, and Europe. Currently, Virginia serves on two gallery jury committees.

Photographer Mary Ann Glass’s work has been described as spiritual, sensual, serious, and elegant. She enjoys experimenting with a range of mediums from acrylic to watercolor, digital to infrared photography, manipulated Polaroids, solarized etching plates, encaustics, cyanotypes, and other mixed media. Her new focus is on iPhoneography, and she has been teaching phone apps to students for several years. Mary Ann was also a co-owner of RiverWinds Gallery in Beacon, NY.

Originally from Ohio, Mary Ann attended Ohio State University and the American Graduate School of International Management. After a corporate career in Manhattan, she took a leave of absence and attended a summer intensive program at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Mon- tana. In 1999, she left her corporate job and settled in the Hudson Valley as a professional photographer.

Mary Ann has studied with photographers Eric Lindbloom, Dan McCormack, Joel Meyerowitz, Joyce Tenneson, and Arlene Collins. Her works have been exhibited in several juried groups shows selected by curators from major museums including; the Guggenheim Museum of Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Dia: Beacon. She has participated in International Artist Residencies in Myslenice, Poland, and in Beacon, NY, and has exhibited in many galleries in NYC and throughout New York State. She recently won a Red Ribbon at the Front Gallery in Patterson, NY. She has also taught photography at Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, and at other galleries, and has led workshops in Italy and photo tours of the Hudson Valley.   She has now judged and curated more than 130 exhibitions!

A remarkable exhibition featuring smaller fine artworks, all works in this show will be available for purchase. Artwork sales benefit restoration projects on Bannerman’s Island.

Contact:  Exhibition Coordinator, Laurie Clark, 845-416-8342 or Executive Director, Neil Caplan, 845-831-6346