First Friday Artist: Russ Eanes

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 21, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, December 1st from 5:00 – 7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a special Holiday Celebration/First Friday event at the Depot and host author Russ Eanes. Russ will be signing and selling copies of his latest book, Pilgrim Paths to Assisi: 300 Miles on the Way of St. Francis. Join us to welcome him, enjoy refreshments, and celebrate the holidays with the community. Also don’t miss our other featured artists and vendors, Randy Harman, Wood and Wool, and David Sutton with music by Red Wing Academy. Read more about Russ and his books below. RSVP for the event here.

Bio:

Russ Eanes is a writer, walker, and cyclist from Harrisonburg. Formerly the Publisher and Executive Director for MennoMedia, he has written and published two books about his pilgrimage experiences in recent years.

His latest book, published this year, is Pilgrim Paths to Assisi: 300 Miles on the Way of St. Francis. He is also author of the bestselling The Walk of a Lifetime: 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago. In addition to writing, he works as a publishing consultant and tour host and guide, specializing in active travel for older adults.

He and his wife Jane have six children and eight grandchildren.

This event is free and open to everyone. Refreshments will be served and there will be opportunities to take photos with Santa himself. We look forward to seeing you there, and you can RSVP at our event page 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). This month, artwork by our featured artist, Randy Harman, 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: Randy Harman

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 20, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, December 1st from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening and special Holiday Party at The Depot which will feature the talented artist Randy Harman! Join us to view Randy’s exhibition, a bold pop of color of poured painting, and to enjoy refreshments and community. Get to know more about Randy and his art below, and RSVP on Facebook here.

Also, don’t miss our other featured artists and vendors with their work for sale, Russ Eanes, Wood and Wool, and David Sutton with music by Red Wing Academy.

Bio:

Randy Harman is a native of Harrisonburg and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Randy has worked in the real estate industry since 1996—first as a Realtor, then three years later obtaining his Principal Brokers license and founding Harman Realty, Inc.

Mirroring his own colorful personality, he birthed a lively and family-focused corporate culture while maintaining a strict dedication to the personal and career development of each of his employees. It was this combination of ingredients, coupled with a technology-forward approach, that would prove to be Harman Realty’s special recipe—fueling its sustained growth for decades to come.

Outside of the office, Mr. Harman has many hobbies; but the greatest of these has been his love of art. He has an eye for color usage, as evidenced by his most recent passion for, and the subject of this display, the abstract method of painting called poured or fluid painting using the highest quality of acrylic paint. Randy has been an artist in many areas of his life including palette knife painting with heavy body paints, silk painting using alcohol paints and inks, as well as the art of Shibori which is an ancient method of silk dying and forming colorful permanent pleats in the fabric. Randy also enjoys working in several aspects of art within the use of various textiles, ie fabrics, strings, cords, etc. Randy continues to evolve and expand his artistic ventures but has found much joy and satisfaction in his most recent conquest, the poured or fluid method of painting.

Randy lives in Harrisonburg with his husband Kyle, travels often to visit his daughter attending college in Miami, all while running his business and exceling and expanding in his art! Randy can be reached at his email which is [email protected] or his mobile phone which is 540-246-4300. Randy also has an Etsy store where he displays many of his latest paintings, so feel free to find him there. The address for his Etsy shop is www.etsy.com/shop/RandyHarmanArt .

This event is free and open to everyone. 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!

The Importance of Mentorship

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 27, 2023 | Leadership, Local Leaders

On today, National Mentoring Day, Aliyah shares about the importance of mentorship and her experience.

When I was in high school, my mom convinced me to join a dual-enrollment vocational program that would allow me to spend half of the school day learning drafting skills. I spent my junior year in engineering design as a prerequisite for the architectural design class I took in my senior year. Both classes were taught by a Black architect. It was the first and last time I had a Black teacher in my architectural education. At the time I did not take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the road ahead of me, and though I am not one for regrets, I do wish that I had.

I did not make meaningful connections with Black mentors or professors until my final year of undergrad at UVA. I ran into some difficulty with my undergraduate design thesis, which aimed to design a Black student center for the school. I was in desperate need of extra opinions on my work from people who understood where I came from. Fortunately, there were three Black faculty members at the time that I could talk to outside of class.

I am not the best when it comes to networking. However, this is not because I am not good at talking to and connecting with people. It’s because I generally prefer to be on my own, so my people skills often only come out when they must. Learning to depend on others has been an important part of my journey and takes work every day. The time I spent talking to those people in school affirmed my experiences and encouraged me to continue doing my best despite the obstacles I was facing. They helped equip me with tools to defend myself and the conditions I set for my project.

When I finally had the opportunity to talk with Black advisors, I realized how much easier my time in undergrad could have been. It changed my outlook on my future as a designer and storyteller for the better. Finding people who have gained wisdom from being in the positions that you want to be in is invaluable. They can point you in the right direction for ideas, inspiration, and solutions. Mentorship is a major key to success and using the knowledge of those who came before you can prevent a lot of heartache and headaches.

Aliyah with her teacher in highschool. She holds a poster while winning third in a high school design competition.

Pictured, Aliyah with her high school teacher after she placed 3rd in a regional design competition during her senior year.

First Friday Artist: Joe Fitzgerald

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 24, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, November 3rd from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring the talented photographer Joe Fitzgerald! Join us to view Joe’s exhibition, “Sense of Place,” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community. Get to know more about Joe and his art below and RSVP on Facebook here.

Biography:

I’ve been a newspaper editor, Harrisonburg mayor, political hack, reporter, writer, programmer, photographer, webmaster, tech writer, and a night clerk in a 7-Eleven. Not all at the same time. I’m retired now, so I’m only doing two of those – photos and writing – and only when I want to. Like everybody else, I’m trying to keep my cool while the world doesn’t. I’m married to Deb, economics professor at BRCC and the only person I know of to chair both the city’s School Board and its Planning Commission. She spots photos for me, tells me when I’ve processed one too much, suggests which ones to print, and helps me hang them. I do the rest, including pointing the camera, choosing the f-stop, and taking the credit.

Artist Statement:

“Sense of Place,” photos by Joe Fitzgerald. “We travel, and Deb says, “Look over there,” and I have a camera with me. Beyond that, the photos have to speak for themselves, even if I’m never sure what they’re saying.”

photograph of mountains by Joe Fitzgerald

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!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon 2023: “It Takes Little to Be Big”

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 23, 2023 | citizen architect, community, Local Leaders

Last Thursday our Harrisonburg team attended the Big Brothers Big Sisters luncheon, “Bigger Together: A Community Celebration of Mentoring.” It was a wonderful time to meet other leaders in the community and hear from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) mentors. Speakers shared about their time mentoring youth in the community, and a theme that came through was that mentors were pleasantly surprised to be greatly impacted by the youth that they were paired with. Often, their relationships last past the program with a great respect for each other and a want to continue making meaningful connections.

Harrisonburg team members at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon.

Big Brothers Big Sisters sponsorship sign at the luncheon.

A central theme of the luncheon was “It Takes Little to Be Big.” This simple fact was a good reminder and impactful to our team members. The speaker emphasized that it’s often not the grandiose or “big” moments that are impactful, but the seemingly small actions. A high-five, laugh together, 15 minutes supporting studying, cheering each other on, providing a listening ear, and the list goes on. Asha reflected, “I am often surprised to be going about my day and have a little voice of something someone said once go through my head. These small things impact me greatly, sometimes in negative ways, but often in positive ways. Or at least they provide me with a laugh. I was glad to be reminded of all the small things that we do that we may never know positively impact each other.”

It is always a pleasure to support such an incredible organization, and we are so grateful for all that they do to bring the community together and support youth. Consider joining the mentorship program or volunteering in other ways. Remember that you don’t have to commit to doing something huge, because sometimes it only takes a little to be big. To read more about the programs through BBBS, visit: https://www.bbbshr.org/programs/.

2023 Rotary Golf Tournament

by Charles Hendricks | Sep 29, 2023 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Empathy, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary, team

‘Tis the season of golf tournaments! On Saturday, Paul participated in the 2023 Rotary Golf Tournament at Heritage Oaks Golf Course to benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Charlottesville. It was a beautiful day to compete together and support an amazing organization.

For those that are unfamiliar with the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville, their “primary mission… is to provide lodging for the families of pediatric patients while the children are receiving medical treatment at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital. The House offers an affordable, calm, comfortable haven – a home away from home – for its guests. For exhausted parents, who are already stressed by the illness of their child, it is a place where families can relax, eat together, and find support from other parents who are in similar situations.” We thank them for everything that they do.

Pictured below from left to right: Mike Wolfe of Simpson Strong-Tie, Paul (Principal of our Charlottesville location), Blake Gordon of Titan America Roanoke Cement Company, Eli Strauss of Strauss Construction.