THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603010064
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERESA ANNAS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
AS GALLERY dealers go, Wayne Potrafka is more ambitious and wide-ranging than most.
In his new commercial gallery space, which opens this weekend in downtown Portsmouth, Potrafka plans to show dozens of artists' works, establish a sub-gallery of wearable art, schedule art classes, stage solo exhibits and bring in art by civic groups. He's even setting up a performance space.
Potrafka's planned level of activity rivals the nonprofit arts centers with a dozen staff members.
Grand opening festivities at The Potrafka Gallery take place today from noon to 6 p.m., featuring ongoing art demonstrations. From noon to 2, Diane Dunbar of Virginia Beach will be making clay spirit rattles. From 2 to 4, Kathy Garrenton of Norfolk will be making mixed-media prints.
A year ago, Potrafka opened his first gallery at Tower Mall in Portsmouth. His new location in the former Bank of Virginia building at 600 Washington St. is nearly six times larger.
Housed in a 20,000-square-foot structure, the gallery is now ``the largest commercial fine arts gallery in Virginia,'' proclaimed Potrafka, a 47-year-old raku sculptor.
At Tower Mall, he showed works by about 50 artists and fine-arts craftspeople from the region and elsewhere. In the new space, he has expanded his offerings. Besides the more traditional art media of watercolors, paintings, prints and pottery, he has established a section for wearable art and for one-person exhibits. Also, being space-rich, he has set aside a gallery where local groups and organizations can display their members' art.
Art classes also will be held, starting this month with 20 courses for children and adults. There's even room left over that could be rented as studio space by area artists.
In the coming months, Potrafka also hopes to prepare a stage area for acoustic music acts, poetry readings and comedy shows.
For more information, call Potrafka at 488-4013. OUR FRIENDS THE ANIMALS
Down the street from Potrafka Gallery, the Arts Center of the Portsmouth Museums is opening two shows on Friday about the mythic side of beasts.
The main gallery will house ``Bestial Angels,'' a touring show organized by the William King Regional Arts Center in Abingdon. The exhibit contains both antique animal figures and work by 14 contemporary artists, including Norfolk artists Virginia Van Horn, Federico Correa and Ragan Reaves Freeman.
The show examines various cultures' attitudes toward animals through the ages. It's a painting and sculpture exhibit, with the focus on cats, birds, horses, dogs and lions.
Tidewater Artists Association pulled together a juried exhibit to complement ``Bestial Angels.'' And the show, called ``Messengers, Harbingers and Guardians,'' has a similar theme.
The TAA show's juror is Gayle Paul, a conceptual sculptor. Paul's dramatic installation called ``Herstory,'' exploring women's history, is on view next door at Tidewater Community College's Visual Arts Center.
A preview reception for both shows will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. The event is for center members, but non-members may attend for a $3 donation. At 10 a.m. Friday, artist Correa will give a free gallery talk.
The museum is at Court and High streets. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $1. Call 393-8543 for more information. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
BAYLY ART MUSEUM
A Nigerian wood and cloth headdress is among items in the ``Bestial
Angels'' exhibit.
by CNB