During the summer, my friend and fellow artist Angus Carter suggested I submit some artwork to the regional art event, Art Unlocked. The event is really something out of the ordinary, so bear with me to explain. Requests for artwork were open to artists who are local to the area, and or who have ties to various art galleries and organizations- between Charlottesville, and Staunton, VA. A lot of local groups funded this event to outright acquisition artwork from accepted artists. In all, 68 artists had work accepted.
Of these, thirteen artists were picked to be showcased at a walk in gallery. I'm one of the artists picked! Together with visual artists Bolanle Adeboye, Federico Cuatlacuatl, Rose Guterbock, Nancy Wallace, Russell Richards, Jane Skafte, Martin Geiger, Michael Williams; sculptors Laura Allen, Robert Bricker, and Toru Oba; and performance artist Dena Jennings. Hopefully I will get a chance to share about their work individually before the upcoming show from November 4th through the 14th.
The work was paid for outright, and will be auctioned off. Proceeds will go to support the organizers and thus help assure the persistence and development of our contemporary culture. This is an amazing way to connect so many people from an exhaustive swath of the arts community spectrum- patrons, audience, art galleries and venues, students and audiences to the arts.
The organizers are; the Beverley Street Studio in Staunton VA. Lots of history to this little group- I took an etching class with a painter here when I was still in high school. At the time the school was in the Crowle Building- and twenty years later- when I got a studio in Staunton- it took me a while to realize my studio was the same room I took the class in. Weird.. the Crowle Building itself has a lot of history, and mysterious secrets. The BSSS has moved around- and they have a gallery downstairs from my studio, and a building across the street where they house artist studios and offer drawing and figure classes to the community.
The Bridge (PAI) progressive arts initiative- I remember this spot opening in Charlottesville back when the pudhouse (underground music anarchy) was still open, at the turn of the millenium. This place has hosted amazing small treasures of our culture pass by- giving lectures from writers and small performances by indie musicians.
Crozet Arts is another multi faceted resource for their community- offering classes in so many disciplines from Ballet to lessons in Cello!! Wow!
The McGuffey Art Center is an old elementary school, and for many decades it's been home to artist studios in downtown Charlottesville, VA. It's an amazing place- and much better artists than I work there. This building is more of a living and evolving museum the size of a small city; they are open to scheduling of tours!
The Orange Art Center is a productive resource open to all people- it is very much a community arts venue. This place was started in the late 90s with the building itself and all muscle donated by the community.
Also the Shenandoah Valley Art Center, in Waynesboro, VA- I took my first art class in the United States when I was ten years old here, taught by Inga Taylor- who taught art and ceramics to everyone young and old all over the valley.
