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Self-Portrait, Oil on Board, Virginia Terpening. Image courtesy of The Hinge
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Collection of Shonna (Martin) Skalla
It's the Rosseauvian in me, but I almost like to imagine that Virginia Terpening's paintings radiated out some cosmic telegraph, I am here, I am here, and that is how Jason Geisendorfer found them without really looking for them. The truth is, he was hurt and out of work, and when he bought her modest property in his hometown of Lewisville, Mo., he was looking for a return on an investment. But even if my mystical gloss on this story is just that, the purely mundane version of the story is pretty amazing. After purchasing the late Terpening's trailer from her daughter, he went inside, not expecting much. Under beds, stashed in closets, and stacked inside a rusted old bus without windows, Geisendorfer found the life work of one of the few regional female painters of her era to be exhibited internationally. His first impression was that it was just a bunch of "grandma art"—he was going to burn it just to be rid of it. Luckily, on closer look, he realized he had uncovered something remarkable. (Check out the Riverfront Times' excellent reporting on the story; you can read it here, blow by blow. Terpening was a Wash U alum, and you can also read more about her work on the university's site, here.)
When Terpening's estate went up for auction last fall, Eileen G’Sell and Bryan Laughlin Jr. of The Hinge Gallery in the Central West End went in to acquire some of her work—along with nearly 100 other bidders from around the country. They purchased nearly 60 pieces, and this Saturday, January 25 at 7 p.m., St. Louis will get a chance to see some of them in person when Yes, Virginia, There Is…: The Artwork of Virginia Terpening opens. The show includes sketches, drawings, and 12 oil paintings, including the self-portrait above.
G'sell, who curated the show with Laughlin, says that while Terpening's original work will not be for sale, "we will be selling prints of a few of her more iconic images. Our chief goal, however, is to promote her work, life, and legacy, and to draw a crowd diverse in interest and background." The galley is also running an IndieGoGo campaign to help fund its restoration of her work.
Here's a short bit by KHQA in Lewistown, which features some biographical information on Terpening, including some photos of her as a young woman:
And here's a short slideshow, below, to give you a little taste of what will be in the show. There is also a small satellite exhibit, also organized by G'Sell and Laughlin, at the Carl Johann Memorial Library at Culver-Stockton College, which runs through March 1 (more info on that here). And on February 1, The Hinge has scheduled a reading in honor of Yes, Virginia..., featuring three Midwestern women poets, Dora Malech, Monica Berlin, & Rhiannon Dickerson. As always, you can hop over to the The Hinge's website or to their Facebook page for more info.
