Swift Creek Mill Theatre to Present The Artwork Of Mary Jane Zander

Swift Creek Mill Theatre is pleased to present Mary Jane Zander as our Featured Artist during the production of Dames At Sea running March 10th through May 5th, 2018. All are welcome to enjoy Mary Jane's work in The Mill Room during dinner/lunch or during intermission of each performance.

Drop in almost any time at her studio and you will find Mary Jane Zander painting. While still representational, Zander's most recent art moves away from representation towards abstraction. The precision of her earlier botanical work influences her recent paintings but a desire to draw more freely and expressively fueled her move to more abstract work.

Her water series was inspired during a recent cruise and reflects the mesmerizing patterns of the sea. The first paintings in this series have focused on waves and movement, and the series is evolving into a study of color and light.

It is said that watercolor is one of the most difficult mediums with which to paint, but Zander says,"All painting is challenging. Using small brushes to carefully paint flowers is nice but applying large, bold washes is a lot more fun." Sketches, color studies, and carefully designed compositions are just a few things the artist has to do before even starting to paint, but the unpredictable flow of water color challenges the artist to use that spontaneity to it's best advantage. It gives the artist the opportunity to respond, not necessarily to the literal appearance of the subject matter, but to patterns, movement, and color.

Dr. Zander received a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois. She has advanced degrees in both Art and Education and has taught at University of Illinois, University of Mississippi and Virginia Commonwealth University. Her work is in private collections throughout the U.S. and Canada.

See more of her work at www.zanderfineart.com.

Swift Creek Mill Theatre has been a Richmond and Tri-Cities institution for 52 years. We've come a long way since three local families took a 355-year-old gristmill and turned it into an intimate space for the production of so many splendid theatrical experiences. Producing six mainstage shows and five youth theatre productions each year, including world-premiere musicals and one-of-a-kind children's shows developed and written in-house. The playhouse also hosts a youth summer theatre camp.

For questions regarding the Featured Artist program at Swift Creek Mill Theatre please contact us at (804) 748-5203 or visit the Art Exhibition page of our website at http://www.swiftcreekmill.com/featured-artists .