In Ridderhof Martin Gallery, the University of Mary Washington Galleries is pleased to present Mark and Method: Prints from the Bowman Collection. This exhibition showcases artworks recently donated by longtime art collectors Russell and Barbara Bowman. Barbara Bowman is an alumna of Mary Washington College and graduated in 1969. The artwork on display includes many examples from the Chicago Imagist movement, an important part of the Chicago art scene in the late 20th century, often characterized by vibrant colors, bold lines, and frequently distorted depictions of the human body. Connecting the many unique styles and subject matters on display is a willingness to push boundaries and break established “rules” of art.

This exhibition will be on view from March 31 until May 31, 2026.

Mark and Method: Prints from the Bowman Collection was curated by the students of UMW’s Art History 317 course, Laboratory in Art Museum Studies, with guidance from Dr. Tracy Stonestreet.

The Origins series highlights the work of UMW Art alumni and the UMW Galleries are thrilled to host Samantha Van Heest (UMW Class of 2020). Van Heest utilizes still life, found objects, and textiles to explore our relationships and rituals with the seemingly mundane, navigating patterns of collecting and preserving through unconventional means of presentation. Her hyperrealistic renderings of everyday domestic objects memorializes ephemeral discards and invites conversation around the politics of consumerism.
The exhibition will be on view from January 20 – March 15, 2026, in the duPont Gallery, with an opening reception on Tuesday, January 20th from 5-7pm.
A gallery talk with Samantha Van Heest will be held on March 12th at 5pm in duPont Gallery.

Carolyn Marks Johnson: Woman, The Spirit of the Universe features twenty-three collars, hand-stitched and cast in bronze, created by Texas artist and judicial judge Carolyn Marks Johnson. Each collar honors the lifelong achievements of brave women who contributed to equality for all women. In addition to the exquisite collars, this traveling exhibition includes ephemera and paintings that invite further exploration and conversation about the achievements of women such as Margaret Brent, Dorothea Lange, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Harriet Tubman, among others.
The exhibition will be on view from January 20 – March 15, 2026, in the Ridderhof Martin Gallery, with an opening talk with Carolyn Marks Johnson, artist, and Tracy Stonestreet, Gallery Director, in Seacobeck 145 at 4-5pm and an opening reception from 5-7pm on Tuesday, January 20th. The Galleries will host “20 Women in 40 Minutes,” a Lunch and Learn on March 11th at noon.

Over the centuries Patawomecks have come together to celebrate, work, build, play, and worship, always as a distinct and bounded community with deep ties to one another and to their homeland around Potomac Creek. The objects in this exhibition represent the full spectrum from tools, to crafts, to fine art, and have a distinct connection to place – a powerful theme within the Patawomeck community because it provides sustenance to its people economically, culturally, and spiritually. Patawomeck art is strongly tied to the homeland through material, subject, community interaction, and use – reinforced through daily practice. This exhibition represents a people coming together to support one another, share, and create. A community where identity is perpetuated, knowledge is passed down, traditions are maintained, and connections are renewed.

This exhibition is organized by Dr. Brad Hatch and supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250).
Adaptation, Innovation, and Tradition: Art from the Patawomeck Community will be on view from October 30 – December 7, 2025 in the Ridderhof Martin Gallery with an opening reception taking place on October 30 from 5-7pm.
An artists’ round table will be held on November 6th from 5-6pm in Seacobeck Hall, 145.