Join us at Second Street Gallery on October 6, 5:30-7:30PM for the First Friday opening reception of two new exciting exhibitions! The visiting artists will be onsite to speak with visitors.

After We Are Gone, a solo exhibition of new paintings by artist Mike Egan, will be on view in the Main Gallery through November 17, 2023. Egan masterfully paints the intersection of life and death. Drawing from a distinctive background as an embalmer, Egan imbues his work with an intimate understanding of mortality. Further influences include The Day of the Dead, Halloween, horror films, Folk Art, religion, and German Expressionism -- all combining to inspire his ethos. Ironically, the somber themes in his artwork stand in stark contrast with the lively, bright colors and stimulating narratives. This unexpected juxtaposition serves as a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

The Dové Gallery will display Tales of Min'umbra, a solo shadow art exhibition for all ages, created by artist and puppeteer Tania L. Yager of Twisted Heart Puppetworks. A 2022 resident Fellow at Virginia Center of Creative Arts, she created the miniature shadow puppetry exhibition Tales of Min’Umbra, which consists of three separate dark-winter narratives based on her cultural heritage. As part of the exhibition’s opening weekend, the artist will present two performances of The Changeling, a one-woman piece of shadow theater set in old Ireland. The artist will also be leading a shadow puppet workshop at the gallery on Saturday, October 7.

Both exhibitions are generously sponsored by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.