Alexandria, VA – Beloved artist, Torpedo Factory Art Center (TFAC) founder, and Alexandria representative for the 45th District of the Virginia House of Delegates for 24 years, Marian Van Landingham passed away April 4 at 88 years old in her Old Town home. She leaves behind a legacy of indomitable civil service, dedicated arts advocacy, and the eternal admiration of all fortunate to have known her.
Famous for large, brilliant acrylic landscapes and abstractions, Marian could frequently be found holding court in her third-floor TFAC studio, enjoying expansive views of the Potomac. Rarely seen over the years without her devoted dachshunds, Spike, Skipper, Fife, Alex (for Alexandria) and Chester (named for President Chester A. Arthur who officially dedicated the Washington Monument in 1886), she was inducted as a Living Legend of Alexandria in 2008.
Left to right: Dorothea Peters, Marian Van Landingham, former Alexandria Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, Virginia State Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, and artist Guy Jones in back. Photo Kelly MacConomy
In September 2019, Marian celebrated the 45th anniversary of the 1974 founding of the art center with a solo show at the Torpedo Factory Artists Association third-floor gallery space, rebranded as the Van Landingham Gallery in her honor. Revival was the aptly named retrospective of her artistic vision.
Marian was present for the 50th anniversary gala at the TFAC in 2024. Shortly before the pARTy she gave up the coveted studio where she worked as an artist for half a century. Given her indefatigable goal of creating a viable working-studio artist attraction, redeveloped from an abandoned, dilapidated munitions factory in time for the Bicentennial celebration in 1976, it’s remarkable that Marian should pass from this earth on the eve of America’s semiquincentennial.
The Torpedo Factory Art Center is a monument to Marian Van Landingham’s legacy. In tribute to her memory let us please make it worthy of her benefaction to the City of Alexandria, the place she called home. There will be a celebration of life for Marian on Sunday, May 17, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory.
Alexandria Arts Alliance Collaboration Auction Fundraiser Goes Online
Get ready to bid and raise your bid on some amazing artwork. The Symphony Orchestra League of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) presents Pictures at an Alexandria Exhibition in concert with the Symphony Orchestra League of Alexandria (SOLA) and Del Ray Artisans (DRA).
Artwork juried by curators Kelly MacConomy, DRA Director of Outreach, and Margaret Slipek, DRA Secretary, were inspired by musical excerpts selected by SONOVA Artistic Director Ethan Lolley. There will be a performance by SONOVA of the musical muse on Saturday, May 30, 2026, 3-5 p.m. at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria Campus.
Ararity Auctions of Alexandria is auctioning the music-inspired artwork in all mediums online from May 4-31, 2026. Non-profits SONOVA and DRA will share the sale commissions, using the funds to advance arts participation in our community via outreach and creating equal opportunities for all to engage in the arts.
The inextricable relationship between music and art is timeless – a dynamic, harmonious exchange that transcends differences in the modes of expression. Del Ray Artisans shares SONOVA’s and SOLA’s vision for this inaugural fundraiser: celebrating and empowering creative collaboration through partnerships across the arts. Supported by a grant from the City of Alexandria Office of the Arts, the event is the first of its kind for both SONOVA and DRA.
Tickets for the concert are available at www.sonovamusic.org Advance tickets, including fees, are $31.87 Adult, $26.65 Senior, $16.20 Student, and children 10 and under admitted free. Ticket prices rise $5 at the door.
For auction information and to register for the online auction go to www.ararityauctions.com.
