ARTfactory Presents Auguster D Williams Jr: A Solo Exhibition of Resilience, Healing, and Transformation

On display: March 13, 2026 – April 19, 2026ARTfactory, 9419 Battle St, Manassas, VA
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 14, 2026, 6–8 PM

Artist Talk: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 2-4 PM
Exhibition programming sponsored by UVA Health.

In this solo exhibition, mixed-media collage artist Auguster D Williams Jr presents a compelling
body of two- and three-dimensional works created from discarded and salvaged materials. Drawing
from wood, glass, cardboard, metal, plastic, and textiles—often recovered from dumpsters or
curbside castoffs, the exhibition explores themes of resilience, healing, and transformation through
richly layered, evocative compositions.
Rooted in sustainability and personal renewal, Williams’s practice reimagines overlooked materials
into cohesive works that blur the boundaries between fine art and functional design. Mirrors, room
dividers, connectors, and windmills appear alongside wall-based collages, challenging traditional
notions of utility while emphasizing the poetic potential of reuse.
The artist’s creative journey began in 2017 while participating in art therapy through the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs’ substance abuse and mental health program. A U.S. Navy veteran
living with PTSD, Williams discovered art as both a therapeutic outlet and a powerful form of selfexpression. In 2018, the collage Love (Thyself) and Resilience received First Place in its category at
the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival—an achievement that marked a pivotal moment and
solidified a lifelong commitment to artistic practice.
Since then, Williams has exhibited work in Washington, D.C. and New York, continuing to expand a
portfolio that centers on repurposing—not only of physical materials, but of personal identity. Often
describing themselves as a “repurposed human being,” the artist transforms what was once
discarded into objects of meaning and beauty, offering a broader reflection on recovery and the
resilience of the human spirit.
Williams’s solo exhibit ultimately encourages audiences to recognize beauty in the unexpected and
to consider creative engagement as a powerful path toward wellness, connection, and community.

Press Inquiries:
Jordan Exum, Gallery Director
ARTfactory | Caton Merchant Gallery
703.330.2787 | jexum@virginiaARTfactory.org

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Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm, Sunday, 12-5 pm