First Friday Artist: John A. Hancock

First Friday Artist: John A. Hancock

by | Aug 23, 2023 | artwork, First Friday

On Friday, September 1st from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring artist John A. Hancock! John is a talented artist who wears many hats, including Studio Artist, Urban & Plein-Air Sketcher, Artist-Teacher/Artist-Mentor, Independent Curator, & Consultant. Join us to view his exhibition opening, “Interrupted Landscapes: Studies & Compositions,” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community. RSVP for this event on Facebook here.

Below, John shares about his work and journey as an artist.

First Friday Artist John a Hancock

To see more of John’s work, check out the links below:

Websites:

https://www.johnahancock.com/

https://visualasides.wordpress.com/

https://sketchingalways.wordpress.com/

 

Instagram:

@hancock_john_a

 

Resume:

Link to PDF attachment

Bio:

 

About the Artist

Born in 1956, I have lived throughout the Southeast and Midwest (from Atlanta to Wichita, from the east coast beaches of Florida to the piedmont and mountains of Virginia). Before moving to Virginia in the fall of 2000, I had begun my career as an artist/professor in eastern North Carolina. Besides making art and teaching, I take an avid interest in walking through old neighborhoods and the countryside. I really enjoy bird watching, reading, and cooking. In my active parenting years, I had a bit less time for bike riding, playing chess, attending concerts and plays, and working on community service projects. Now those are finding their way back into my life.

 

Professional Background and Service

I began my serious study of art as a teen in adult-professional classes. I later received my B.F.A. in Art from Valdosta State University and later completed an M.F.A. in Painting at East Carolina University.

For more than 35 years I worked in both community arts management and as a full-time college art professor. Even before retiring, I had begun to teach adult sketching classes and workshops both locally and within the region. In the past few years, I have had the privilege to be invited to teach sketching workshops in Chicago and San Francisco and around the country.

 

About The Art Work

I work outside often, avidly sketching rural and urban spaces. sometimes the image is a wide vista; other times it a view of an intimate detail of nature. Sketching informs my later work in the studio; I also find that it frequently stands on its own as completed works of art.

Most of my artwork has been created by drawing and/or painting on paper or panels using mixed aqueous and dry media. Over the past decade, I expanded my drawing to the use of installation scale, Mylar. Whether working on Mylar, paper, or panels, I seek to do so with a passion for nuanced and powerful mark-making, color, and design.

 

Recent Exhibitions, Publications, Awards, and Honors

In the past few years (2020-23) I have had several solo exhibitions including one in the Lula B. Rackley Gallery at Barton College (NC) and the Arts Council of the Valley (VA). Other recent exhibitions have included shows at Troy University (AL), Mary Baldwin University (VA), North Carolina Wesleyan College (NC), Elizabethtown College (PA), and the Nichols Gallery (NC).

In the past few years, I have been featured in two publications, 100 Southern Artists, by E. Ashley Rooney, Schiffer Press and The Natural World: A Postmodern Perspective, Mt. Saint Mary’s University.

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!

Casa Cielo: Blending the in-between spaces

Casa Cielo: Blending the in-between spaces

by | Aug 15, 2023 | architecture, artwork, project update

Designing custom homes in the Shenandoah Valley, like Casa Cielo, is a gift. We absolutely love working with our clients to create their dreams in built form. And this project in particular, where the site for the home had deep meaning and purpose even before we began our work, was so much more than just a gift. 

 Casa Cielo is perched at the top of the property, and the views are magical. This home was carefully placed on  the site to blend the inside of the house to the outside and capture nature’s beauty as the seasons pass. Glass walls wrap around the home on three sides from floor to ceiling, creating  blended “in-between” spaces. The warm wood tones, high ceilings, and modest forms allowed us to  celebrate the site and make the home a refuge. A kitchen on one side of the living space anchors the home to the site; the morning views tell the story of the day, while the functional spaces are all allocated to the rear of the building. Our clients have beautifully complemented the architecture with just the right furniture and fabrics. 

 This project and these clients are so dear to us. We are grateful each time we are trusted to help develop a dream for a new home. This one evolved with such grace and beauty that it has exceeded our expectations. Stay tuned for the release of the portfolio showing all the images of this beautiful home.

Photography by Asha and Susan Beck with assistance from Eric.

wide exterior of Casa Cielo during blue hour. The sky rumbles blue with clouds and a golden orange glows from within the window walls. open floor space between kitchen, dining, and living room. View from kitchen. outdoor seating area bedroom deck and view to the mountains
First Friday Artist: Delaney Westwood

First Friday Artist: Delaney Westwood

by | Jul 26, 2023 | artwork, community, First Friday

On Friday, August 4th from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm, we are excited to feature artist Delaney Westwood! Delaney is an experimental fluid acrylic artist who brings depth, meaning, & beauty into homes with her beautiful abstract works. She also works as a Real Estate Agent in Harrisonburg and believes that “when designed with intention and presence, custom pieces can transform a space and foster a sense of peace.” We are looking forward to hosting this talented artist, and we invite everyone to visit the event page to RSVP here. Check out her biography below to get to know more about Delaney before the gallery opening.

Artist Delaney Westwood

Bio:

Born & raised in the Shenandoah Valley, Delaney Westwood is a fluid acrylic artist and member at OASIS Fine Art & Craft in downtown Harrisonburg. She considers herself an “experimental” artist because of her deep reverence for the process and passion for exploring new techniques. It is her mission to create inspiring artwork that brings forth a sense of inner knowing akin to the healing transmission of the natural world.

To see more of Delaney’s art and read more about her mission, visit her website @ paradoxflowart.com.

art by Delaney Westwood
art by Delaney Westwood
art by Delaney Westwood
art by Delaney Westwood
"Shenandoah in Dreams", a piece of art by Delaney Westwood

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!

First Friday Artist: Karen Wangare Leonard

First Friday Artist: Karen Wangare Leonard

by | Jun 30, 2023 | artwork, community, First Friday

On Friday, July 7th from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring artist Karen Wangare Leonard! Karen is a talented artist who specializes in mixed media, poetry, and writing. Join us to view her powerful exhibition entitled “How to Live With it” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community. RSVP for this event on Facebook here.

Below see the statement on accessibility of the event, and Karen shares more about her work and journey as an artist.

Accessibility statement and Content Forecast: 

This gallery showing has themes that may be triggering or uncomfortable to folks. Self harm and violence are a continual theme. You are empowered to take care of yourselves gently as you engage with this work.

When in the gallery and gathering areas, masks are preferred. We want to do our part to protect everyone in the vicinity that are sensitive to the on-going COVID pandemic. Masks will be provided at the door if you do not have any.

There are single person bathrooms available for any gender to use despite the labeled signs on the doors.

This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility needs. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.

Portrait of artist Karen Wangare Leonard. She is posed in a bright yellow jacket with blue sunglasses in front of green leaves on a bush.

Bio:

Karen Wangare Leonard is a young, disabled contemporary mixed media artist born in Kenya. Now currently living in perpetual migration, Leonard draws from a deep well of experiences to explore identity and storytelling through her work. In 2017 she suffered a serious arm injury that left her dominant arm disabled, forcing her to work with her other arm until that arm also became disabled from overuse. Determined to keep creating, Leonard’s style adapted to heavily utilizing her feet and mouth to create, abstracting her work and taking after background in visual journaling. She says, “these days I do not use an eraser on my canvas as much as I used to. I am more concerned with making what I can with what I’ve done rather than attempting to correct the past. Art, as it pertains to life, is full of yesterdays. Every line stays. What a terrifyingly incredible thought. How can I face each action in acceptance and opportunity?”

Mixed media painted self portrait of artist Karen Wangare Leonard. Painted on a mirror with fabric draped around the edges.

“How to Live With it” artist statement:

At its core, this is a story about a body that has been maimed beyond complete repair but remains insistent on creating by any means necessary. This is my story and my disabled body figuring out what happened to us, what we did to ourselves, and how we are meant to heal. In 2017 during a mental health crisis I intentionally harmed myself and unintentionally permanently disabled myself, losing the use of my dominant arm. My art teacher gave me a choice: drop AP Art Studio or ‘embrace the shake’ and create with my other arm. She said no one would blame me if I left the class but I knew I wasn’t finished making art. So I stayed. I cultivated an abstract contemporary style that incorporated mixed media and drew from a visual journaling background. Shortly after finishing the school year I gained an overuse injury in my left hand, making both my hands disabled and threatening my ability to make art.

This gallery is my first large public facing work since I started experimenting with utilizing my feet and mouth to create my pieces. I am discovering that working larger is easier on my body than smaller. And I am learning to let go of what my art used to look like in order to make space for what I can do now. Following in the inspiration of Phil Hansen, I embraced my disabilities and cultivated a practice of accepting them instead of fighting against them. Influenced by Wangechi Mutu, Kara Walker, and Akwaeke Emezi, my art primarily focuses on exploring identity through portraiture and storytelling. I understand art only depicts fragments in time and the artist gets to pick what is seen and what is left out but I also know that each fragment is vital in the grand scheme of things. Everything leads us to now.

This is a body that I am finally bringing to the light. The canvas is a welcoming space on which to put my life. A life which I am committed to staying soft in by creating art as opposed to being constricted. I want people to wrestle and engage with themselves as they encounter this resemblance of embodiment. I don’t want to be praised for “overcoming my disability.” I didn’t overcome anything but rather I live with it daily. After years of embarrassment, I’m choosing to take a hammer to the shield of shame that often results from disabilities born of self-harm. While I hope you all are not able to fully understand what this art means, for those who do, this is for us. Lastly, I want everyone to know that I had a life before this disability and I still have a life now that I’m learning to love.

You are invited in. Welcome.

Stay as long as you want. Leave as freely as you must.

See more of Karen’s work on these platforms:

Website: https://www.karenwangareleonard.com/my-story

Instagram: @karenwangareleonard

Bio site featuring numerous links: https://bio.site/k_leonard

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!

Gaines Group First Friday Celebration: Featuring Music Duo Clymer & Kurtz

Gaines Group First Friday Celebration: Featuring Music Duo Clymer & Kurtz

by | May 25, 2023 | artwork, community, First Friday

Band photo of Clymer & Kurtz

Just ANNOUNCED: The Gaines Group Celebration on June 2nd will now feature music duo Clymer & Kurtz as a third artist at our event! (See blogs for other artists Asha L Beck and Veronica Horst). Their music will fill our outdoor area for the ribbon cutting and celebration, and you can see Asha Beck’s and Veronica Horst’s art galleries upstairs. You do not want to miss these gifted musicians who are lauded by how they weave beauty through their lyrics and unique blend of folk-rock style. Join us for food, drinks, artists, music, and community!

As a reminder, this Gaines Group Celebration and First Fridays gallery openings will be held on Friday, June 2nd from 5:00 – 7:00pm.

About Clymer & Kurtz:

Folk-rock singer-songwriter duo Clymer & Kurtz seamlessly blends intense and gentle melodies textured with harmonies, agile and inventive guitar playing, piano, and sometimes percussion. Based in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Maria Clymer and Christopher Kurtz have collaborated for decades, crafting music that is at once simple and rich, emotive and unique.

Inspired by Over the Rhine, Indigo Girls, The Proclaimers, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Diamond Rio, Alison Krauss, Donna the Buffalo, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, and many others, their music has been called “freshly original” … “outside the usual run” … “subtle and always imaginative. ”They have performed at the Sipe Center, Sing Me High Music Festival, the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival’s Spring into Bach 2021, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg First Night and Best Weekend Ever events, coffee shops, private dinners and parties, farmers markets, house/lawn concerts and various community events. Clymer & Kurtz recordings include Keep Me Around (2022), Coffee & Cake (2021), Here Comes the Moon (2020), and a debut release Clymer & Kurtz (2019). Their former band’s recordings include Snow on Snow on Snow (2018), Rain (2014), and Arms Uncrossed (2012).

Gaines Group Architects Celebration

Poster inviting people to the Gaines Group Architects Corporate Headquarters Ribbon Cutting.

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We have food and drink available year-round!

First Friday Artist: Asha L Beck

First Friday Artist: Asha L Beck

by | May 19, 2023 | artwork, First Friday

Headshot of artist Asha Beck

On Friday, June 2nd from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring artist Asha L Beck! Asha is a talented artist who is also on staff here at The Gaines Group Architects as the Office Manager/Marketing Team Leader. Join us to view her powerful photo exhibition entitled “The Earth On Our Backs” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community. Also don’t miss our other featured artist, Veronica Horst for her own exhibition “Stitched In Place”.

Below Asha shares more about her work and journey as an artist, and you can view the online gallery and expanded artist statement here. Contact her if interested in reading her full length thesis.

A local from the nearby Linville area, Asha L Beck (she/her) is a recent graduate of Eastern Mennonite University with a Bachelor’s in Digital Media & Communications. She also currently works as the Office Manager/Marketing Team Leader for The Gaines Group Architects and spends many of her evenings painting the mural in the EMU Science Center. Asha loves to dabble in a wide range of art forms including watercolor, ink sketches, ceramics, photography, graphic design, and dance. She is drawn to art forms again and again as a way of expression and story-telling.

“The Earth on Our Backs” weaves bodily experience with natural forms to create a definition of beauty that is rooted in inherent power from the earth. It exposes beauty as an interplay between forms that are more similar than we might imagine. Instead of seeing ourselves in nature or seeing nature in us, we can see that nature is us and we are nature.

Instagram: @the_artful_a

Behance: Asha Beck

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!