Join us at Art Works as we celebrate our 21st anniversary with a month of exciting exhibitions and a program of events including the popular 4th Friday reception, an artist meet-up, drawing classes and an art scavenger hunt.
Can’t make it to an event? No problem, we’re open every day (except Monday) from 11am to 5pm so you can enjoy the new art exhibition. Convenient parking is available in the public garage on East 5th Street and we’ll validate your ticket.
Extend your visit by exploring nearby restaurants such as Stock, Continental, Pig and Brew, Jubilee, Iron Clad Pizza, Café Zata and The Gold Lion for a delicious meal. Join us for a day of creativity, art and delicious food!
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4. Friday, September 27th at Art Works.
We’ll be celebrating our 21st anniversary with cake and champagne – a big celebration of art in the community. Come join us on September 27th from 6-8pm for the opening celebration of the new art exhibits. Meet the artists and enjoy live music, refreshments and drinks sponsored by RVA Thriving Artists.
The fall art scene is awash with creativity and innovation as three talented artists present their solo exhibitions, each exploring unique themes of repetition, simple pleasures, and the ever-changing nature of life. Joshua Leland Yurges tackles the concept of everything that ever was and still is, Rebecca Visger captures the essence of indulgence in everything from snacks to charcuterie, and Crystal James reflects on embracing the present amidst life’s constant evolution.
Meanwhile, RJ Barber takes us on an exciting journey with his exhibition “Alien Arrivals” and offers insights into the interaction with extraterrestrial beings. Three long-time friends and colleagues, Tom Adair-Luke, Jim Brown and Gregg Carbo, present a retrospective of their work. In addition, the monthly All Media Show promises a varied and eclectic mix of topics, styles and media.
The exhibitions run until October 19, 2024, except for the Joshua Leland Yurges show, which runs until November 16, 2024. The event is free and open to the public. Don’t forget, parking is free too. Come and join us for a night of art and celebration, followed by dinner at one of Manchester’s restaurants.
Exhibitions 27 September – 19 October 2024
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What once was, is still, just different by Joshua Leland Yurges
Think about it. Everything that has ever been on Earth is still here – fascinating. The 130-140 million people born every year – all matter changing shape – a constant evolution of the material.
Joshua Leland Yurges asks us to reflect on two stories from his life: as a young man working with his father, learning the carpentry trade every day – the tools, the wood. Then, 20 years later, when he worked at Whole Foods – in the prepared foods department, baking bread in hotel pans and on baking sheets.
One of my coworkers wanted everyone to cut the food in the pans the same way every time. After a few people didn’t follow verbal instructions, she drew a diagram for all the staff to see and sign off on. Three cuts down, seven cuts across. 32 evenly cut pieces each time. This was the start of a “32 pieces of cake” series that I’m still trying to get right 11 years later.
Yurges cites these examples because they both support his desire to create works that repeat. He enjoys the meditative process of pattern in all its many guises: stripes, a series of boxes, the same cut five hundred times in a row.
Life always gives me material and ideas to use and expand on. It’s my job to see the spark, make the connection and explore what could be. Never stop being curious.
The exhibition takes place at the Jane Sandelin Gallery and runs until November 16, 2024.
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Nothing is static. Even the Mona Lisa falls apart by Crystal James
Crystal James’ art deals with the themes of youth and beauty, food and death.
Youth and beauty are often considered synonymous, but beauty goes beyond the surface. In portraying youthful subjects, Crystal captures the essence of the person’s innocence, curiosity and wonder. Crystal celebrates the beauty that comes from living in the present moment, unburdened by the weight of past experiences.
Death becomes a major theme in our lives as we grow older and become aware of our mortality. Food reminds us of this reality; life is sweet but short. Through her art, Crystal explores the bittersweet nature of this cycle, celebrating the joy of food while acknowledging that we will not live forever.
Ultimately, Crystal’s art is a meditation on the transience of life and the beauty to be found in every stage of the journey. Through her depictions of youth, beauty, food and death, she inspires viewers to be present in the moment and appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world around them. This exhibition will be on display at the Centre Gallery.
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Little Pleasures by Rebecca Visger
Rebecca Visger’s Little Pleasures is a series of acrylic still life paintings that celebrate the joys of food and drink. From gas station snacks to artisan cheese platters and charcuterie boards, these paintings depict an array of delicious foods consumed not for practical reasons but for pure enjoyment. The exhibition serves as a light-hearted reminder that sometimes it’s OK to indulge in life’s simple pleasures. The still lifes are mostly realistic in style but feature playful subversions in composition, scale and coloring. We invite you to join us in celebrating food and the joy it brings. The exhibition is held at the Corner Gallery.
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Alien Arrivals by RJ Barber
RJ Barber has always been a Sy-Fy fan and loves the idea of aliens as a cultural phenomenon as much as a scientific reality. When the COVID quarantine came into effect, he started a project, Alien Arrivals cartoons, as a way to stay in touch with his friends. Each year, he sent six original postcard designs to his mailing list. Barber loves the idea of retro artwork as snail mail, and apparently others feel the same way. For this exhibition, there will be an interactive portion where visitors can send postcards. He explains his inspiration and process:
HG Wells was the English author who introduced the idea of an alien invasion into popular culture in his 1896 novel The War of the Worlds. Science fiction took off in America with the Roswell sightings in 1947. The government cover-up probably did more to popularize the genre than any other factor. With the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, everyone had a camera and the number of UFO sightings exploded!
While there was no revelation about the existence of aliens like in The Day the Earth Stood Still, that didn’t end speculation about who or what the aliens might be!
He draws inspiration for his drawings from petroglyphs from all over the world, especially from the Australian outback, which depict the dreamtime of indigenous peoples.
A series of rock paintings in Kimberley, Western Australia spoke to me and I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I drew them obsessively for two months until they turned into my cartoons that you see today. My premise is that the aliens were sent to find out what these crazy homo sapiens are doing! The aliens mean no harm, but they are agents of chaos and wherever they appear, chaos reigns. Through the aliens, I can comment on the human condition as an outside observer. I have always been a storyteller and the artwork and the adventures of the little blue aliens are connected. I love the wry humor of the aliens trying to understand human behavior and I hope you do too!
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Tom Adair-Luke, Jim Brown and Gregg Carbo are friends and colleagues who share a love of art. From August 23 to September 20 they will present a retrospective of their art at Port Gallery II.
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ALL MEDIA ART SHOW
This exhibition is a focal point of all Art Works openings. It is a juried exhibition with cash prizes and is open to all artists and all mediums. The submission period runs from August 15th to September 16th, 2024. Submit your submissions using our online form. For more information on submitting your artwork, visit our website: Submission Period
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More events at Art Works in September
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Figure drawing sessions
Join us for our live drawing classes at Art Works, every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 1:00pm-4:00pm. Hosted by RVA Thriving Artists. Click here for more information.
Monthly meeting of successful artists from RVA
It’s a gathering. Connect with other artists, exchange ideas, have a drink and relax.
Location: Benchtop Brewing
September 19, 6 – 7 p.m.
