OPENING RECEPTION- P A T T E R N S 

by Diego Sanchez

Thursday, July 10 | 5:00 - 8:00pm

Please join us on Thursday, July 10th at 5pm for the opening reception of PATTERNS,

a solo exhibition by local artist Diego Sanchez.

"This body of work began with a paper bag full of vintage dress patterns from the 1940s and ’50s. A friend and colleague, Lynn West, who designs costumes for our theater productions, gave them to me, wondering if I could use them in my artwork or share them with my students.

The delicate, semi-transparent paper immediately drew me in. These old sewing patterns became the first layer in many of my pieces—a fragile blueprint that sparked something deeper.

Over the past seven years, my process has become almost entirely intuitive. I rarely begin with a fixed plan. Instead, I respond to a feeling—something internal and hard to name. That feeling guides every mark, every color, and every decision.

For me, the process is everything. I let the work evolve on its own terms. I listen to what’s happening on the panel and respond with instinct rather than logic. Each piece becomes a kind of conversation between control and surrender, structure and spontaneity.

This way of working allows space for surprise and discovery. It helps me notice the small things—an off-center shape, a subtle shift in tone, a rough edge. These details often carry the emotional weight of the piece.

I don’t paint to illustrate an idea. I paint to uncover something I didn’t know I was looking for.

The process can be frustrating, exhilarating, and deeply rewarding—sometimes all in one day. But that ongoing dialogue with the work, the act of searching and responding, is what keeps me coming back to the studio."

Diego Sanchez was born in Bogotá, Colombia, South America, and arrived in the United States in the summer of 1980. He received an MFA from the Painting and Printmaking Department at Virginia Commonwealth University. For the past thirty years, Diego has taught art classes to people of all ages at institutions including the Virginia Museum, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, VCU, VUU, and currently, St. Catherine’s School. He was the first recipient of the Theresa Pollack Artist of the Year Award and has served as a juror for various art competitions, including the Virginia Museum Fellowship, Scholastic Art Awards, and the Visual Arts Award for the State of Maryland Arts Council. His work has been exhibited throughout Virginia, as well as in Italy, Belgium, Colombia, and France. Notable collections include Sidney and Frances Lewis, Charlotte Minor, Media General, First Market Bank, Capital One, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Markel Corporation, Philip Morris, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. 

PATTERNS by Diego Sanchez will be on view in the Main Gallery from July 10 -September 6, 2025. Diego’s show will be accompanied by a selection of works by Richmond-based artist Brad Birchett, on display in our Pink Gallery.