About Mercury Project: Antonia Richardson, a visual artist and painter, had a long held dream to have a live-work-gallery-studio space. a creative space where artists could work, where art could be shared and experienced featuring artists of all disciplines. a place to grow. She found it in a 1940’s factory warehouse in southtown that would become Mercury Project.

Warren retired following a career as a graphic, environmental, furniture and exhibit designer. He began experimenting with field photography and natural light in 1998. His narrative travel photography was captured in the 2009 exhibit beneath the tropic of cancer. Warren’s photography is also exhibited nationally and part of a corporate collection.

Through Mercury Project, the two artists set forth a mission to bring art and culture to the community and beyond. https://www.mercuryproject.net/about

About the presenters:

Rikkianne Van Kirk – Sketch and subtract, push and pull – I am fascinated by the power of the line. Like the paper that I work with, my hand drawn line isn’t perfect. My goal is to relay a posture, an emotion, a scene in the simplest way possible. Erasing to see where the power lies.I am inspired by the rich past of found materials. My art materials include antique diaries, flash cards, scrapbooks, travel journals – old paper destined for the waste bin. Old paper lasts for decades and ages beautifully. The texture is a delight to draw on. It soaks the ink up. Often there are creases, indentations, or sun faded sections that only add to the scene.

Negative space plays a large role in my work. It allows the viewer to place themselves, their thoughts and expectations, into the piece. I am a fan of the written word and collect quotes and fancy, old timey one-liners. My art honors and reclaims the sentimental. It strives to show the vulnerability, the softness, of personal history.

Roberta “Nina” Hassele – is a Brooklyn-raised, Texas-based curator, arts supporter, and arts organizer. As a child, New York’s museums and galleries were her playgrounds and safe spaces. After moving to Texas, Nina found her joy and refuge in art again, falling in love with San Antonio’s vibrant and inclusive downtown art scene. Nina has spent over 25 years immersed in the arts community, first as a friend, volunteer, collector, and fundraiser, and now curating local and traveling exhibitions and serving as an advisor to art institutions. Her mission is to increase recognition and support for all of San Antonio’s artists. She has been the Executive Director of Contemporary Art Month San Antonio since 2011.

View less