Nocturnal: Things that go Bump in the Night
Nocturnal: Things that go Bump in the Night is a group art exhibition exploring the mysterious and dramatic character of nighttime. Presented by Fire On Studio 22, the show brings together pottery, kilnformed glass, painting, prints, jewelry, and sculpture in shadowy colors and forms inspired by nocturnal animals, dark landscapes, uneasy silhouettes, and dusky light.
Works include painted bats and moths, phantom-like botanical imagery, black cats on stoneware, gnarly vases and tealight holders, glass plates with watchful eyes, and sculptural figures shaped by shadow. The exhibition also features original jewelry with skull, cat, and opossum motifs; stoneware tiles, dwelling forms, twisting torsos, face jugs, and other objects that evoke folklore and mystery. Its palette ranges from tinted and luminous glass to smoky stoneware, ash, charcoal, midnight blue, and inky black. Paintings and prints depict subjects including a white deer, a prowling tiger, and glowing fireflies, while wood-fired pottery carries the marks of smoke, ash, and flame.
When: October 1 through October 31, 2026.
Showtimes: The exhibition is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Friday, October 9, it remains open until 10 p.m. for the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Late Night.
Venue: Fire On Studio 22, on the first floor of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314.
Tickets: Price not available.
Artists and works: Featured artists identified on the event page include Elke Seefeldt of Arlington, Virginia; Brianna Camp of Fairfax, Virginia; Tracie Griffith Tso of Reston, Virginia; Brian Grow of Temple Hills, Maryland; and Scott Kaye of Arlington, Virginia. Examples include Seefeldt’s abstract pit-fired figures, evening-light gourd sculpture, and eco-print cards; Camp’s magnetic moth oil painting on copperplate; Griffith Tso’s black-cat stoneware soap dish and limited-edition Chinese brushpainting print; Grow’s wood-fired face jug and shadow basket; and Kaye’s glazed stoneware demi-mugs.
Logistics: The Torpedo Factory Art Center is open daily, and artists maintain their own studio hours, so availability may vary. Visitors are encouraged to confirm access to individual studios or galleries before visiting.
Accessibility and visitor policy: Masks are optional for visitors, artists, and staff, although individual studios or galleries may require them. The center advises visitors to check its current daily-hours information for expanded or changed hours.