If you grew up watching cartoons from the 1960s to 1990s, you probably were exposed to the colorful and talented animation work of Ron Campbell.
Campbell, a native of Australia who passed away two years ago after a 50-year career in animation, was involved with a virtual who’s who of children’s programming, including Beetle Bailey, Sesame Street, The Smurfs, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Captain Caveman, Scooby Doo and The Rugrats. He also directed The Beatles cartoon series, and his Hollywood studio, Ron Campbell Films, Inc., produced and directed the animation for The Big Blue Marble television series.
Now, thanks to an arrangement between Campbell’s longtime business partner Scott Segelbaum and the owner of Fort Hunt-based Nepenthe Gallery, Carrie Garland, a special pop-up art show and sale featuring Campbell’s paintings is coming to Alexandria. The exhibition and sale will take place Thursday, Jan. 19 through Saturday Jan. 21, with a preview reception on opening day from 5 to 6 p.m. and Nepenthe Gallery’s traditional ART + WINE + CHEESE event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All of Campbell’s works will be available for purchase.
According to Segelbaum, while doing research on potential galleries for the exhibition, he was impressed with Nepenthe Gallery, which opened early last year in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center.
“The staff has been incredible as well,” he said.
Following the art show’s brief stint in Alexandria, it will move on to Salem, New Jersey and Akron, Ohio.
Nepenthe Gallery is located at 7918 Fort Hunt Road. Through the end of January, the gallery also is featuring a curated show, Winter Solstice 2023, by seven local artists.
