by Charles Hendricks | Sep 6, 2019 | artwork, community, First Friday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
This month we have a very talented photographer joining us at the Depot and the weather looks PERFECT! Stop by and see his work and support this event. His show is hung and it looks great. Jamara is working on some incredible refreshments to share as well. Hope to see you between 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm tonight!
“Though the Lens” The phototherapy of Tony DiStefano
Media: Photography
Artist: Tony DiStefano
September 6, 2019
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gaines Group Architects, 141 W. Bruce St. Suite 201, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
About the artist:
“All his life, Tony DiStefano has called beautiful places home, from the forests of Western PA to the mountains of southeastern New York State. He’s lived in Harrisonburg, Virginia – an area rich with opportunity for creative souls – for more than half of his adult life.
It was only a matter of time until Tony, an avid hiker and fisherman since childhood, found himself exploring the outdoors with his trusty Nikon at his side. Inspired by his brother’s and uncle’s work in nature and macro photography, Tony began his photographic journey around 2013. A prolific shutterbug, he’s captured and shared hundreds of captivating images, ranging from birds, flowers, and insects to rural landscapes and natural light portraits.”
About First Friday at the Depot:
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 and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
Here is the update from Brandy Somers on places to go in rough walking order:
First Friday, Sept 6:
*5-8| Bowl of Good (831 Mt Clinton Pike) | 10 year Anniversary Celebration of Common Good Market Place with live music from Prince Bellerose + Hatian/Afro Caribbean meal.
*5-8 | Horizon Gifts (111 N Liberty St) | acrylic on canvas by Jamie Peter
*5-8 | The Mark-It’s Look West Gallery (125 W Water St) | Second Annual Koozie Show:screen prints of art by various artists on koozies
*5-8 | The Gaines Group at The Depot (141 W Bruce) | Through the Lens:photography by Toni DiStefano
*5-8 |Artworks Gallery(131 W Grace St)| CMYK:printmaking by JMU students
*5-8 |The Little Gallery Underground (JMU Music Building, 880 S Main St) | Why You Change Chord: printmaking + fiber art by Xue’er Gal
*5-8 | Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St) | Endangered Species Portraits: We Art All At Risk: acrylics by Robert Haynes with jazz music by Bluestone Trio and animal display from Wildlife Center of Virginia
*5:30 | St Stephen’s United Church of Christ (258 S Main St) | First Friday Music
*5-8 | Arts Council of the Valley’s Smith House (311 S Main St) | Not By Accident: art machines by Alden Hough
*5-8 | Virginia Quilt Museum (301 S Main St) | Inspired by Elvis: from the hills and hollars of West Virginia, Child of Civil Wars, Shenandoah Stars
*5-8 | 150 Franklin Street Gallery (150 Franklin St) | Ages: A Retrospective: Photography by Saul Harris
*6-7:30 | Asbury United Methodist Church (205 S Main St) | Balancing Act: folk + jazz by Balancing Act featuring Jim Harrington + Bill Wellington
*5-7 | Ten Thousand Villages (181 S Main St) | Honduran Crafts: hand braided rugs + handmade dolls by Sherri Moyer
*5-8 | Lineage (165 S Main St, Suite 101) | Candle Launch + Open House
*5-8 | The Lady Jane (117 S Main St) | Animals in Ink: works by Charlottesville-based artist, Anna Kelleher
*5-8 | Oasis (103 S Main St) | Slow Cloth: The Joy of the Process: fiber by Edda Duff + Joanna Gray with music by Michele Swan
*5-8 | The Laughing Dog (82 S Main St) | Location, Location, Location: recent photography by Dan O’Brien + Cindy Connors + Danny Brown
*5-8 | Wilson Downtown Gallery at Kline May (83 S Main St) | All in Good Time:acrylic abstracts + landscapes by Doris Martin
*5-8 | Larkin Arts (61 Court Square) | Spitzer Member Show: mixed media works by members of Spitzer Art Center // Trunk Show: watercolors by Brenda Hounshell with cider by Old Hill
*5-8 | Habana Cafe(47 Court Square) | Infatuation of Textures: oil painting, screen prints, fiber art by Sophia Rharfiri
*5-8 | Capital Ale House (41A Court Square) | rotating display of shirts and prints designed by various artists and printed at The Mark-It
*6 | Dancing with Karen (77 E Market St) | free dance lessons: East Coast Swing
*5-8 | Hess Financial (380 E Market St) | The Famous & The Infamous: graphite on paper by Colleen Kively
Live music before heading home?
*6 | Court Square Theater (41 Court Square) | Brent Funkhouser (7), Phil Vassar (8:15), doors open at 6
*6| Brothers Craft Brewing (800 N Main St) | By the Fire Fridays:The Reachers perform acoustic duo, outside, fire pit, BYOchairs if you wis, s’more station, all free
*9 | Clementine (153 S Main St) | Dustin Pence Band, $7
*8 | Pale Fire Brewing (217 S Liberty St #105) | Chris Rattie & The New Rebels, $5
*9 | Golden Pony (181 N Main St) | Petey Pablo + Grayling Skyy + Keynote Illidge, doors at 8, 18+, $22
And more….
Sunday, Sep 8, 2-4 | VMRC’s Park Gables Gallery (1491 Virginia Ave) | 33rd Annual Shenandoah Valley Watercolor Society Juried Art Show (10a-5p daily hours with opening reception on 9/8 from 2-4)
Monday, Set 9, 5-7 | Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art (JMU’s Duke Hall #1022, 820 S. Main St.) | Edge Walkers: exhibit curated by Keenan Rowe (5-6 artist talk, 5-7 reception)
by Charles Hendricks | Jul 31, 2019 | artwork, community, First Friday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Come and see us at the Depot for First Friday at the Depot!
This month we are thrilled to welcome an emerging local artist to our space. Stop by and see his work and support this event as he shares his ideas and vision.
IRIS by Harper Lee
August 2, 2019
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gaines Group Architects
141 W. Bruce St. Suite 201
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
About the Artist:
Harper Lee is a 14-year-old artist who will be starting Turner Ashby High School as a freshman. He has been taking photos for about 4 years and completed an art class at Wilbur Pence. While Harper prefers modern art and all things technology, he does occasionally like to throw in something vintage.
Harper likes to experiment with color and effects. He has taken a strong liking to Airplanes and Seattle, so you will see pieces that represent that. Harper also likes to paint and sketch. He had a sketch on display at the Art Council Building for First Friday this March.
When he takes a photo, he feels like there is a beginning, a middle and end and by the time he gets to the end it feels like it created itself.
About First Friday at the Depot:
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 and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
by Charles Hendricks | Jul 2, 2019 | artwork, community, First Friday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Come and see us at the Depot this Friday.
Hidden Gems by the Valley Art Project
This month we are thrilled to welcome a group of local artists to our space. The artists are all part of Valley Art Project and include the following artists:
Pamela Tittle
Erin Murray
Sharon Strite
Alisha Gangwer
Cheryl Richards
Vik Samoylov
Leah Claire Lawson
Kimberly Juda Souder
Emily Quesenberry
All types of medium
Continue your 4th of July celebrations on the 5th at our office. Stop by for a minute to see the work and cool off or come and stay for a longer conversation with the artists or one of your many friends that will be 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 and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
by Charles Hendricks | May 29, 2019 | artwork, community, First Friday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Come see us at the Depot on June 7, for the First Friday Art Opening.
What a great way to kick off your summer fun – come visit the Depot on First Friday!
June 7, 2019
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gaines Group Architects – The Depot Gallery (second floor)
Laurence Heine is hanging some of his amazing photography and of course we will have a ton of food and drink. Stop by for a minute to see the work and cool off or come and stay for a longer conversation with the artist or one of your many friends that will be 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 and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
ART OPENING INFORMATION
Title of show: Photographs by Laurence Heine
Description of show:
The show features 24 of my favorite photographs covering a variety of subjects including outdoor, wildlife, and architectural scenes.
About the artist: I have been interested in photography since childhood. I remember my first camera was a plastic Kodak box camera. I was a photographer for my high school and college yearbooks and my college newspaper. Over the years I have amassed boxes of slides and photos, many of which have never been looked at. Since switching to digital cameras, I have also taken thousands of digital images (more than 2000 images during an 18 day trip to National Parks in the west in 2015). Although I am primarily interested in photographing nature (landscapes and wildlife), I also enjoy photographing ‘distressed’ (as in abandoned or forlorn) buildings and objects.
I had long desired to be able to display some of my images so others could appreciate them. Recently, I have started mounting and matting my best (or favorite) images and displaying them when an opportunity is available. In the past year I have displayed photos at the Rockingham County Fair, The Smith House Gallery, VMRC, in the offices of Dr. Stacie Dietz, and The Gaines Group.
Because almost every photo has a story, my wife and I started a photo blog (www.blinspirations.com) featuring some of our photos and describing the circumstances which led to the photo being taken, as well as information about the location of the photo and the technical aspects of the photo.
by Charles Hendricks | May 1, 2019 | artwork, community, First Friday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Come see us at the Depot this Friday for the First Friday Art Opening.
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 and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
April 5, 2019
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gaines Group Architects – The Depot Gallery (second floor)
ART OPENING INFORMATION
Show title:
Textures + Textiles
Exploring the contrast of textures and textiles created in nature and by the human hand. The fabric of the elephant’s skin is coarse and rigid, filled with lines and wrinkles, and infinitely detailed. It’s a landscape that reads to the life of the animal. By contrast, the quilt has a unique texture with a palette uniquely its own. The stippling is as purposeful to the quilt as wrinkles to the elephant. In this case, each quilt depicts an abstracted landscape of their own. The purpose of each piece of art is to explore the visual textures that forms the fabric of the subject. Textures and textiles can be more alike than we think, the beauty is when all of it can live in harmony.
Artist:
Meg Carpenter Laughlin
Hi, I’m Meg Laughlin! I’ve filled my studies and my career path with various architecture and construction practices. Having studied architecture at the University of Virginia, taking architectural history and landscape design courses, and working professionally as an architecture intern and currently as a construction project coordinator; the underlying theme of my creative endeavors and pursuits is the exploration of “making.” I’m constantly curious about what invites people and nature to grow and thrive. I’m a hands on learner and producer, feeling a greater connection to my surroundings when I’ve had a hand in making their form and function. I love to dream and explore new ways to study my surroundings and develop a greater connection to it. Drawing and quilting are avenues in which I more deeply explore what makes me curious and becomes a language in which I reflect what I learn. Thank you for taking the time to observe these works and my hope is that it inspires you to delve into your own personal exploration.
Read about our previous First Friday Art Opening shows here:
From the Valley to the Bay: a book in the making
Eastern Mennonite School Artists
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 31, 2019 | artwork, community, First Friday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Come see us at the Depot this Friday for the First Friday Art Opening. We are hosting a group of art teachers from Rockingham County. Their show From the valley to the Bay: a book in the making will look at how our local actions impact the Chesapeake Bay.
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 and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
April 5, 2019
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gaines Group Architects – The Depot Gallery (second floor)
Our building (first floor Marvin Window and Door Showroom) will also be a Chocolate Walk stop this month. This event supports the Collins Center’s mission to eliminate sexual violence and its impact in our community. (4:00 pm – 8:0 pm)
There will also be a huge event in our parking lot – Friendly City Fortune Kick-Off Event! Come out and see The 2019 Friendly City Fortune prize vehicles! (5:00 pm – 8:00 pm)
ART OPENING INFORMATION
Show title:
From the Valley to the Bay: a book in the making.
Description:
After spending a week last summer learning about the impact our lives here in the Valley have on the Chesapeake Bay, five county art teachers have teamed up to illustrate a children’s book. The book follows an osprey’s journey over waterways from Smith Creek in Broadway, Virginia to the Bay in Tylerton on Smith Island. In its final stages the published book will be a collaboration between five art teachers, two music teachers, and two science & ecology teachers. This exhibit will show you the book’s current stage and feature mixed media artworks, reference photography, and preliminary sketches.
Short Bio:
Brandy Somers, Amelia Guido, Christopher Michael, Martha Maddox and Edwina George are art teachers in Rockingham County.
