Three minutes with Tanya Davis, president of the Artists’ Association at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, a converted military facility that now houses 82 studios with more than 150 artists and draws about 500,000 visitors a year.
How did you first become interested in art?
My father painted watercolors for a hobby, and it always appealed to me to draw and paint. I first worked as a draftsman and technical illustrator, and I haven’t had a real job with a paycheck since 1984.
What has your experience been like as president of the Torpedo Factory since 2005?
I’ve loved every minute of it. I enjoy my art, but it’s nice to have something else to engage other parts of my brain. Painting is nonverbal and singular; being involved in running the Torpedo Factory has been very rewarding.
How do the open studios at the Art Center contribute to the public’s understanding of art?
Every day the public gets a chance to see the artists at work and this takes some of the mystery out of it. People often don’t realize that it is more than putting paint to brush, and this gives them the opportunity to interact with the artists and ask questions.
What sort of impression does the history of the building leave on you?
Having been involved in the military as a spouse — my husband was in the Air Force — it’s interesting to see a munitions plant turned to other uses, not that it isn’t important to have them.
What impact has the center had on the development of the community?
When the Art Center was founded in 1974, the community wasn’t as developed — it was an industrial zone. Here as an anchor, it set the tone for a place that values historic preservation and heritage, and the arts and tourism.
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