Urge Winter 2008

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Author SHAWN DECKER AND GWENN BARRINGER

SONGFEST ON STAGE

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE:

THE RICHMOND BALLET’S WINTRY VOYAGE

KINGS OF BELMONT TEREU TEREU 11TH HOUSE

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‘CLAW’ THE MOVIE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LADIES ARM WRESTLING

CHANGE YOUR MIND

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SERIOUS FUN is just around the corner.

Hypnosis is a safe and effective intervention for life change. It is recognized and accepted as a complementary treatment for many conditions, often requiring only a few sessions.

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When it opens next year, Richmond CenterStage will have three incredible performing arts venues, an education center and visualarts gallery wrapped into a single city block. Within walking distance of downtown’s awesome nightlife, get ready to make Richmond CenterStage part of your evening out on the town.

Grand Opening Fall 2009

I richmondcenterstage.com

URgE ‘Try Something Different.’

Staff Executive Publisher Ted Randler

Publisher|Senior Editor David Smitherman

--Bright Ideas: People | Products | Pizzazz ..............................................6

gLITZ & gLAM

Managing Editor

DESIgN

Trendy Flashbacks; Hutchison, Ltd; Angelo; Aurea ........37

Rebecca Jones

Advertising Sales David Smitherman

Gallery Editor Rebecca Jones

Contributing Writers Zac Bardou Stephen Barling Copeland Casati Susannah Clark Gina Cavallo Collins Joan Davis Sally Fretwell Amy George Jenn Henderson Becky Lambert Megan Marconyak Julie McGuire Jeffrey Pillow Ginny Ross Marshe Wyche

Sitting Pretty: The VCA Showcases the Interior Art of Architect Eero Saarinen..................................................9 Strangely Beautiful: At V [for the home], East meets West, past meets future, and art meets design. ......................10 Mid-Century Marvels: Sally & David Ramert have been gathering artifacts from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s for over 30 years and now have a retail gallery at 1919 W. Cary Street in Richmond. ..........................................................11 A Sense of Place: Petersburg’s Third Work Places & Living Spaces Tour ........................................................12 Palette Savvy: Showcasing Artwork ................................13

IMAgINE

Now You See It. . . . What Liz Kellinger’s paintings reveal —and conceal ....................................................................14 ‘Re-Visioning’ the Arts Council: The community has spoken, and the Arts Council is responding; The Other Side of Glenn Gibson .................................... 16 WORK

IN

PROGRESS

Elaine Tucker Haviland: A Richmond artist is turning the cupola of Hampden-Sydney College’s new library into a portal to the stars—and to the past. ................................18

Photographers

Matt Lively: Happy-Go-Lucky Little Critters ....................20

Stephen Barling Wayne Dementi Jen Fariello Jenn Henderson Shervin Lainez Becky Lambert Don Mears Amie Oliver Mel Talley Marshe Wyche James Young

‘Inspired by...’: University of Mary Washington’s mosaic show; Dan Finnegan, at Liberty ......................................22

Interns Atosa Dabney Rachel Gregory

URGE MEDIA LLP is located at The Work Factory 1113 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 URgE ‘Try Something Different’

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Gallery Reviews Brian Kreydatus at Red Door Gallery ..............................24 Sascha Pflaeging & Laura Browder at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond ............................26 Tommy White at Main Art ................................................26 The Divas and Iron Chefs of Encaustic at the Anderson Gallery, VCU ..........................................26 Duane Cregger, Jan Hodges & Chase Decker at Crossroads Art Center ..................................................27 Briefly Noted: Bill Kinsey, Mark Kettlewell at Uptown Gallery..............................................................27

ENTERTAININg

Alternative Holiday Entertainment; Get the Latest Kitchen Gadgets; Experiment with European Beers; A Kitchen Dweller’s Dream Come True .......................................... 28 ‘Real Life’ Apparel; Fall Stylishly; Perfect Party Frocks; Snacks Made to Share ....................................................29

SPLURgE

Fun with Science; Black Cat Keeps You Rollin’; FashionForward Men’s Skivies ; Embrace Your Inner Girly Girl; Shopping Spree ................................................................30 The Empire Strikes Back: Identifying and Evaluating Examples of America’s First Truly Great Furniture Style; Grabbable Gifts; A New Home for Rivers’ Edge; Accessorize at e.e. smith..................................................32

Fearless Fashion: Laurianda Jenkins ............................33 Street Fashion ..................................................................38

SONgFEST

Nether Regents: The Kings of Belmont inject jam rock with a well-deserved dose of funny ................................39 Tereu Tereu @ The Loft; 11th House ..............................40 Dean Fields; 29th Division; Richmond Folk Festival; The Itals Shine at the RFF ................................................41

SCREENINg ROOM

‘CLAW’: a documentary film about Charlottesville Ladies Arm Wrestling ....................................................................42

ONSTAgE

Beauty Begins Backstage: The Virginia Opera’s James McGough creates looks that hit the high notes; Side by Side: For Richmond actors Robyn O’Neill and Angie Shipley, success in Side Show was all about making that connection ..............................................43 WORK

IN

PROGRESS

In step with Allison LaNeave, the Spirit of the Poinsettia ..............................................44 From Russia (and Django), with Love: the Richmond Ballet takes audiences on a wintry voyage to old Russia; Dance Notes .................................................................... 44

PAgES

Rebels With A Cause: Gwenn Barringer and Shawn Decker’s story is unique, full of purpose, driven by the love of one another, and the love of educating others about the truths and misconceptions of HIV/AIDS ........................45 Book Reviews Under the Clock: The Story of Miller & Rhodes; Journey Within: A Healing Playbook; Creative Careers in Museums ........................................50 The Browser..........................................................................50

gALLERIES

Richmond Broad Street Area ....................................16 Shockoe Slip; South of the James River & Manchester, Fan ........................17 Uptown ......................................................18 Carytown; Museum District ....................19 Northside; Staples Mill & Broad Street; Libbie & Grove Avenues; Short Pump Town Center ........................21 Petersburg ............................................21 Fredericksburg ....................................23 Charlottesville ......................................25 ISSUE

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Antique Mall, 211 William St Art First Gallery, 824 Caroline St e.e.smith, 824 Caroline St Fburg. Athenaeum/Wounded Bookshop, 109 Amelia St Kenmore Inn, 1200 Princess Anne St LibertyTown Arts Workshop, 916 Liberty St Sammy T’s, 801 Caroline St Sophia Street Studios, 1104 Sophia Street The VA Wine Experience, 826 Caroline St Wegner Wildlife Gallery, 314 William St

PETERSBURG

Java Mio Coffeehouse & Bistro, 322 N Sycamore St Petersburg Art League, 7 Old St Petersburg Visitor Center, 15 West Bank St Purple Passion, 29 W Bank St Siege Museum, 15 W Bank St

1708 Gallery 319 W Broad St City Hall (Padow's) 900 E Broad St Common Groundz Cafe 734 W Broad St Elegba 101 East Broad Ghostprint Gallery 220 W Broad St Henry 212 West Broad St Lift Coffee Shop 218 W Broad St Metro Sound, Music & Recording 117 W Broad St Perly's 111 E. Grace St Quirk Gallery 311 W Broad St Richmond Marriott 500 East Broad St The Jefferson Hotel 101 W Franklin St Turnstyle 102 W Broad St Visual Art Studio 208 W Broad St

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Online & in Print

Strawberry Fields Flowers & Gifts 423 Strawberry St The Common Cup 1211 W Main St VCU Student Commons 907 Floyd Ave. Visual Arts Center of Richmond 1812 W Main St

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PEOPLE | PRODUCTS | PIZZAZZ Live Theater, Concerts, and More at the Four County Players The Four County Players (4CP), the oldest continually operating community theater in Central Virginia, offers a variety of opportunities to explore the arts.

This non-profit organization serves as a cultural and educational center, providing hands-on theatrical experience for children, amateurs, and professionals through musicals, plays, and concerts.

Under their apprenticeship program, individuals of all ages can learn about all

areas of acting, directing, stage managing, costumes, makeup, set design and construction, lighting, sound and publicity.

The Four County Players 36th season includes A Christmas Carol (Dec 5-20) and Oliver (March 6-15). You can also see Doug Schneider and Friends in Concert at the Four County Players on January 31. 4CP is located just 20 miles outside of Charlottesville in Barboursville, VA. For directions and 4CP ticket information visit www.fourcp.org.

The Daily Find

INLIGHT PHOTO: AMIE OLIVER

Eco Aesthetics

Copeland Casati

One permanent legacy of 1708 Gallery’s InLight event last September is Scott Kyle’s InLight Walk, which pierces the night with friendly beams. It’s an example of eco-friendly public art that adds beauty and function to our city’s landscape.

Kyle, who recently started Full Scale Architecture, designed the green, award-winning Greenwood and Colonial Trail Elementary Schools for Henrico County, and the Mary and Frances Youth Tennis Center for VCU while at BCWH Architects. He was surprised at the amount of public interest in this “little project. Much more than I've ever received for my architectural projects.”

Kyle created the sidewalk according to green design principles. It uses two Kyocera 65 Watt PV Modules, 24V Solar Lighting Control, and two 12V Concorde SunXtender Deep Cell Batteries.

“These are state-of-the-art illuminators with very high light output and very low current draw, ideal for photovoltaics,” says Kyle. “If we had used halogen, which is standard for fiber optic illuminators, we would have had to add four more PV modules.”

Kyle’s goal was to light the sidewalk with solar power and thus promote power independence and interest in green design. His work with Stan Webb of Concrete Ideas further enhanced the project.

“I remembered that Stan had done some fiber optic lighting work with concrete countertops. So instead of the untested translucent concrete that I was planning, I'd be able to use a tested product, keep electricity out of the sidewalk and be able to fabricate the panels off-site in Stan's shop,” says Kyle.

To do this, fiber optic bundles are brought to each of the eight concrete panels in metal conduits.

They are then covered in sidewalk cement. The 24V DC was wired from the roof, into 1708 Gallery (where 25W LED Fiber Optic Illuminators are kept), then on to the outside panels.

Kyle thinks the InLight Walk will have a lasting impact on the city’s approach to future projects.

“As a strategy it has great promise on a citylevel scale,” says Kyle. “Beyond its value as public art, it also serves an intentional role as educator. It is meant as a model for greening the city and as an amenity to the public.”

COPELAND CASATI IS THE FOUNDER OF GREEN MODERN KITS, A RICHMOND-BASED PROVIDER OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

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Still writing your novel? Has your sculpture been in-progress for months? Or maybe your dissertation advisers are now saying, “Just put your name on it and turn it in.” If this sounds familiar, take inspiration from Duane Keiser, a Richmond painter who masters the art of completion every day. Four years ago, Keiser devised a cigar-box easel and resolved to start —and finish—a painting every day. Keiser’s A Painting a Day project and website sparked an

international movement, but he saw it as a daily meditation on the beauty of the ordinary.

His new project, Oddments, will result in 1000 paintings. Each will be an Oddment, defined by the artist as “a remnant or part of something, typically leftover from a larger piece.”

Keiser’s Oddment paintings are small (typically 3"x2.5”), but their jewel-like luminosity and presence prove that a little inspiration often makes for a big finish.

Soundworks…Men Who Sing

Soundworks brings award-winning music home for the holidays. This intergenerational, all male a cappella group has no director and considers themselves an artistic team.

They will be taking the stage for a number of gigs, including the Virginia Association of Society Executives on Friday, December 5 at the Downtown Marriot. Soundworks will also sing in Mechanicsville, Danville, and Williamsburg. Their main performance of the year will be a benefit concert for the youth program of Christ the King Lutheran Church. For more details about Soundworks performances, visit www.soundworkschorus.org.

Look for a Soundworks CD release in the near future.

Facts and Legends of the Hills of Richmond Facts and Legends of the Hills of Richmond celebrates the stories, landmarks, and people of the city. The book is co-authored by Brooks Smith and Wayne Dementi with a foreword by Dr. Charles Bryan, President and CEO of the Virginia Historical Society, and a preface by Wayne Farrar, News Director of WCVE Public Radio. Facts and Legends features engaging essays that first aired on WCVE Public Radio as part of Smith's commentary series, Rediscovering Richmond. In addition to these essays, it includes new, vintage and several never-before-published photographs

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

of the city collected or personally captured by the Dementi family. This colorful book is a must read for anyone enchanted by Richmond’s epic history and distinctive citizenry.

Facts and Legends of the Hills of Richmond retails for $14.95 and can be purchased at area museums and bookstores or directly from the publisher. Proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to WCVE Public Radio to support their mission to strengthen communities, empower families and inform citizens throughout central Virginia.

All’s Fare SPARC Presents Really Rosie at Main Street Market Stephen Barling

MAIN STREET MARKET PHOTOS: STEPHEN BARLING

Foodies finding themselves in Charlottesville should not miss Main Street Market’s array of Europe-inspired culinary curiosities.

With a fishmonger, a butcher, a chocolatier, a gourmet cheese/ food shop, a florist, a bakery, and even an excellent kitchen supply store, this mid-century car dealership turned comprehensive eater’s haven houses all a food lover needs to throw a fantastic fete.

From Feast’s award-winning cheese counter and fresh local produce to prime regional meats and hand-packed sausage at the Organic Butcher, to baguettes, sweets and daily loaves at Albemarle Baking Company, there’s always something exotic, local, in season and fresh from the farm, stream or oven. Seafood@West Main’s counter regularly runs with sumptuous pink Carolina mountain trout, while Gearhart’s Fine Chocolates hand-dips varieties (in house!) you won't find elsewhere, like their Maya, a cinnamon, ancho chili, orange and bittersweet chocolate meditation—a favorite with customers.

Those wishing to hone their skills would do well to stop by the Seasonal Chef—a cookware shop with a full gourmet kitchen—for one of their regular courses. In addition to Guest Chef and Seasonal Classes, their popular “Behind The Scenes” series affords participants close-up pow-wows with Main Street Market’s

vendors. Behind the Scenes with Seafood@ West Main proceeds from a lesson on cleaning whole fish to the preparation of a seafood feast at the Seasonal Chef. At another, the Organic Butcher demonstrates sausagemaking and the proper dismantling of a side of pork, followed by a class in southern pulled pork BBQ and pork belly with pickled red onion salad.

Those less inclined to dirty their pots can always pick up one of the Feast Cafe’s fresh sandwiches or take in some Mediterranean bistro fare at Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar, an intimate retreat for a Main Street rendezvous. Follow that with a hand-dipped tequila lime confection from Gearhart’s, and you’re in gastro-heaven.

The School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC) presents Really Rosie at ComedySportz Improv Theatre November 15-23. The cast includes actors ages 7-10 under the direction of Debra Clinton

with musical direction by Jason Marks. Written by Maurice Sendak with music by Carole King, Really Rosie is the story of a daring moppet who makes a movie of her super cool life, taking the audience on a delightful

Photography in Virginia at the Historical Society The Virginia Historical Society (VHS) presents Photography in Virginia, a major presentation of over 300 photos made in the commonwealth. The exhibition begins in the 1840’s with photographs printed on glass and paper and ends with digital photography of the twenty-first century. In addition to these photographic media, the exhibition also features ambrotypes, stereographs, prints, and slides.

“Although its subject is photography, the exhibition also offers a fresh look at Virginia history because it tells the story of the commonwealth and its inhabitants in a way no document with just words could,” says VHS Prints and Photographs Curator Jeffrey Ruggles.

Photography in Virginia pulls from a wide range of artists and subjects. Photographers featured in the exhibition include residents, visitors, professionals, and amateurs with special attention paid to African Americans, women, and Confederates. The exhibition covers such topics as photo albums, disasters, panoramas, mug shots, aerial photography, and more.

It even displays Virginia’s earliest camera, from 1839.

“I would hope that everyone who sees the exhibit will find something that strikes a chord or evokes a feeling,” says Ruggles.

The exhibition runs through May 3. The VHS offers a companion catalog and books that display many images that have never been published before. Books may be purchased in the VHS museum shop, or online at www.shopvahistorical.org.

adventure along with her friends Kathy, Alligator, Chicken Soup, Johnny, Pierre and Jacques.

SPARC is the state’s premiere training program for youth, so this is sure to be a thrilling performance perfect for the whole family.

Do you speak snapshot?

Here are some of the archaic photography processes that will be on display in Photography in Virginia Ambrotype: Introduced in the 1850s, this process produced images on glass plates. Mounted in a case like a daguerreotype, an ambrotype places a glass negative over a black backing that causes the image to reverse and look positive.

Daguerreotype: A photograph made on a copper plate that has been coated with silver. The image is mounted in a case under glass. The daguerreotype is a negative, but the mirrored surface of the metal plate reflects the image and makes it appear positive in the proper light.

Monochrome Process: Any image process that produces a range of light-to-dark tones in one color: daguerreotypes, black and white photographs, cyanotypes.

Stereograph: A card with two identical photos taken from slightly offset positions.

The two images are viewed through a stereoscope to create a 3-D effect. The stereoscope was a binocular vision device popular from 1860 - 1920.

Tintype: A process introduced in 1856, the tintype was produced using photographic emulsion on an iron plate painted black.

The negative image was reversed (like the ambrotype) by the black backing, but with no additional parts.

Live Arts Presents Visit to a Small Planet Live Arts, located at 123 E. Water Street in Charlottesville, presents Visit to a Small Planet. Originally produced as a television play, this comedy by Gore Vidal follows the adventures of Kreton,

an alien who lands on earth hoping to observe the American Civil War. However, his machine breaks and he ends up in midtwentieth century Manassas, VA. This outrageous plot leaves

ample room for Vidal to poke fun at American culture, the Red Scare, and the rising importance of television in America.

Visit to a Small Planet runs from February 6-21.

WINTER 2008 | www.URg Eonline.com |

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Creativity & the Law Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s SOHO gives area youth a Space for Her Own

Breasia Jennings with Vreni Michelini & Vania Michelini

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s A Space of Her Own (SOHO) is in full swing. SOHO is an art-based mentorship program that pairs 14 pre-teen girls with adult female mentors and other volunteers. The girls, who are served by the Friends Association for Children in the Gilpin community, work with their mentors to build life skills, self-confidence, and healthy habits. Activities include making and sharing nutritious meals and creating art and planning a bedroom make-over.

“SOHO is really tapping into a creative, resourceful community. It is about fun and possibilities—all with a supportive, encouraging friend,” says Sally Kemp, VACR’s Director of Community Outreach.

SOHO has already found much success in Alexandria and expects to find the same in the Richmond area.

Lighten Up!

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s annual GardenFest of Lights has become a holiday tradition. This year’s display features flamboyant peacocks, luminous ten-foot dragonflies and larger-than-life butterflies—all created from more than half a million lights.

GardenFest begins with a Grand Illumination on November 28 and takes place nightly through January 12. Related events include Musical Thursdays throughout the month of December and special GardenFest dinners in the Tea House. On January 8, bring your leashed pet to the GardenFest for Fido’s.

This year’s theme is “Nature's Beautiful Web,” inspired by Shirley Climo’s children's book Cobweb Christmas. It recounts an old German folktale in which humble spider webs on a holiday tree magically change into gleaming gold and silver threads. Visitors of all ages will enjoy seeing how many spiders and tinseled webs they can spot throughout the garden. The gigantic, shimmering spider web that will lace across the Sunken Garden pool is not to be missed!

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Everything Found on the Web Isn’t Free Joan Davis

Question: Am I allowed to use images found online without crediting the source?

With today’s technology there are few things easier than copying images found online. Prior to examining the legal issues involved, I must begin by citing the Golden Rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

If you are an artist of any genre, including photographs and other digital art, you are fully aware of the sweat and tears that go into creating a piece of work. In addition, the fact that the average artist is not making a ton of money makes copying their work without seeking their permission and giving them credit just plain “mean.” Attribution and promotion mean a great deal to an artist, so if you give them credit and promote their work, not only will it be beneficial to the artist , it will save you much trouble in the long run.

Remember, the moment an original image is fixed in a tangible medium it is protected by copyright law. Copying the image without permission is an infringement, however copyright owners give their consent automatically to the “fair use” of their work by others. Recall from an earlier column, the factors to be considered include: (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for 17 U.S.C. Section 107.

Richard Anderson Photograph v.

Brown, 1990 U.S. District Lexis 19846 (D. Va. April 16, 1990).

These factors also apply to digital images found online. So, the short answer to your question: if your use is deemed “fair use,” you can copy the images without crediting the source.

With that said, let’s examine the ramifications of copying images

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

other than photographs and digital art. There are many online sites that advertise free clip art and simply give users permission to use their images. Many popular software pro-

grams include clip art libraries that license their images to the purchaser of the software. I would strongly recommend that you read user agreements very carefully.

Many of us get in the habit of clicking through the agreement without really reading it. Many agreements prohibit the user from altering the image and also from using the images for commercial gain. You must read through the actual agreement before you click the checked box that says “I have read and understood this agreement.” I have a client who once copied thousands of images into an educational CD from a site that offered “free images.”

She was certain that use of the images was legal because they were advertised as “free.” When we actually read the user agreement, we found it specifically stated users had permission to use the images as long as the images were not altered and were in no way used for commercial gain.

So read carefully those End Use Agreements and save yourself the time and money my client spent in recreating those images she had carelessly (not maliciously) included in her CD. g

Remember, the moment an original image is fixed in a tangible medium it is protected by copyright law.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE "COFFEE WITH AN ART LAWYER" PROGRAM OR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT CONTACT JOAN AT SCHRODER FIDLOW & TILEY, PLC AT 804-225-0505 OR EMAIL JOAN JDAVIS@SCHRODERFIDLOW.COM

Sitting Pretty

THE VCA SHOWCASES THE INTERIOR ART OF ARCHITECT EERO SAARINEN

The Virginia Center for Architecture explores a different side of design---the interior. This exhibition highlights furniture and other elements of interior design and explores their impact on architecture in the larger sense. This relationship was of great interest to Saarinen.

“Saarinen had a holistic approach to architecture,” explains Rhea George, the VCA’s director of marketing and communications.

To this architect, the inside of a building and its décor were just as important as the exterior appearance. The VCA reflects Saarinen’s view by showcasing his chairs, tables, and settees along with the drapery of Ross Littel that often accompanied Saarinen’s work.

In association with the Knoll Furniture Company, Saarinen produced staple furniture of the 1960s and 70s such as the Tulip, Executive, Womb, and Grasshopper chairs. The Womb chair was considered the “little black dress of decorating” in its day, and Saarinen explained the Grasshopper chair as a “response to a more relaxed style of life in postwar America.”

Though criticized in his time for not having a

distinct style, the Finnish American architect designed for comfort and had a minimalist approach to furniture. Progressive for his use of commercial plastic and innovative textiles, Saanrinen’s pieces were found in homes, offices, and even on television.

Besides constructing furniture, Saarinen is also famous for designing the “Gateway Arch” in St. Louis and the TWA terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The traveling exhibit will be at the VCA through January 25 and houses reproductions as well as original Saarinen furnishings. The exhibit also features a timeline of Saarinen’s life and career and offers a child-friendly gallery activity book. The Virginia Center for Architecture is located at 2501 Monument Avenue in Richmond. g

WINTER 2008 | www.URg Eonline.com |

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Strangely Beautiful AT V [FOR THE HOME], EAST MEETS WEST, PAST MEETS FUTURE, AND ART MEETS DESIGN. THE NEXUS IS FRESH, MODERN DECOR THAT IS JUST RIGHT FOR RICHMOND’S CHANGING AESTHETIC. Situated on Historic Broad Street’s Gallery Row, it is owner Deborah Valentine’s second shop. The original opened two years ago on Patterson and Granite in the near West End. A native of New Orleans, Valentine came to Richmond in 1984. She has watched Richmond’s style take a modern shift in recent years.

“The industry underestimated Richmond.

People weren’t challenged like they should have been,” says Valentine. She finds that the Richmond market, when challenged, rises to the occasion in unexpected ways.

“So often,” she notes, “The strangest pieces are the first ones to sell.”

Take, for example, the perforated metal footstool. The industrial-chic accessory reads like a contemporary sculpture and is shockingly comfortable. It sold before the downtown store’s opening.

Coinciding with 1708’s InLight arts festival, the opening featured a front-window installation by sculptor Miriam Ellen Ewers. Comprising a contemporary-Baroque headboard, parquet-plywood flooring, and sumptuous white linens lit

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from within by an enormous light-box “mattress,” it perfectly communicated the store’s crisp sophistication.

V [for the home]’s furniture selections rotate frequently. On any given day, you’ll see sleek mid-century vintage, antiques, and ultra-contemporary artist-made pieces.

“Accessories are an experiment for me,” says Valentine. Thus far, it has paid off, particularly on First Fridays.

“It’s hard to walk out with a Barcelona chair on First Friday,” she says. The accessories that they do walk out with are unique.

“I usually don’t buy more than three of an item,” says Valentine. “Once I’ve sold it, I’m not as excited about replacing it. I am always ready for the next thing.”

“I know I’m sticking my neck out,” says Valentine of her decision to open the downtown store. But public response, and the encouragement of other shop, restaurant, and gallery owners, has been encouraging.

“It really reinforced my feeling early on that ‘If I build it, they will come,’” says Valentine. g

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

Mid-Century Marvels Rachel Gregory

“Collecting mid-century pieces is like a treasure hunt,” says Sally Ramert, coowner of Richmond’s Metro Modern. “People will travel 2,000 miles on the rumor that a Zenith rocker has been spotted.”

She and her husband David have been gathering artifacts from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s for over 30 years and now have a retail gallery at 1919 W. Cary Street in the historic Fan district.

After considering several other cities for their gallery, they decided on Richmond because it “has history and a nice mix of ages and people,” says Sally. Contemporary dealers were finding success in the community, so they felt that Richmond was ready for something quirky yet familiar like Metro Modern.

“Modern furniture is sexy, and people get addicted to it,” says David. With a vast inventory of European and American Modernist antique furniture, lighting, fine art, jewelry, ceramics, glass and metalwork, there is plenty for customers to become addicted to.

“You would not believe how many interesting people come in here,” says Sally.

From museum curators to movie producers looking to rent pieces for sets, Metro Modern attracts customers from Central Virginia and around the world. The owners attribute much of their success to giving personal attention to each client and keeping clients abreast of what’s new at Metro Modern. Sally and David even photograph some of their customers with their purchases and post them on their website “We want to show that mid-century furniture is appealing to all types of people,” says Sally.

Beyond just collecting and dealing mid-century pieces, Sally and David wanted to make a serious commitment to educating people about artifacts from this period.

In partnership with the Graphic Design Society, Metro Modern offers classes and lectures on the visual and decorative arts.

“The more people know,” says Sally, “the more appealing mid-century becomes.” g

Circa Style!

Circa (1700 Allied Street) is creatively bridging the gap between low-end thrift shops and overpriced antique stores around Charlottesville. With an ever-changing inventory, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.

“In these economic times, it makes sense to buy second-hand. It’s the ultimate in ‘green’ buying.” says owner Jackie Binder. From quality furniture to artwork by unknown artists, Circa makes furnishing your home a creative experience that’s truly expressive of your individual style. g

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Works-In-Progress: One of the highlights of the Workplaces & Living Spaces tour was seeing newly-exposed beams, old bricks, and other bare bones of historic buildings. The nine spaces featured on the tour included newly begun projects as well as completed renovations. Instead of covering over vestiges of the past, the finished restorations use elements of the past as forward-thinking focal points and design elements.

A Sense of Place

PETERSBURG’S THIRD ‘WORK PLACES & LIVING SPACES’ TOUR

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www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

MEL TALLEY

Kinney Shoe Store, Thomas Moore Hats, Petersburg Dry Goods, and the Globe Department Store, visitors also got to see what the future holds for these properties. Innovative restoration projects are turning these spaces into vibrant residential and commercial spaces, all with a sense of history and an eye toward the future.

This year’s tour benefited Pathways, a private non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of community restoration, spiritual health and economic growth in Petersburg. g

PHOTOS:

If you like a building with a past, you will love the Petersburg Work Places & Living Spaces tours. Now in its third year, the tour has garnered much publicity for Petersburg, including a segment on HGTV. This past fall’s tour turned Sycamore, Bank and Fourth Streets into memory lane for longtime Petersburg residents and visitors. In addition to remembering good times at Petersburg institutions including Rose’s Drug Store, Barr Brothers Jewelry Store,

Palette Savvy WORDS BY

SALLY FRETWELL

SHOWCASING ARTWORK Many art dealers and collectors are of the opinion that works of art are best showcased by very monotoned, gray, off-white colors. I am not one to disagree with art collectors of the world, but I believe that the color of the wall on which a painting is placed can make or break the impression that one has

photography and frame colors can take on a whole new life when coordinated with wall colors. Black and white photos can be a focal point of a room or wall when the right color tones set them off. Do not be afraid to experiment with wall colors to get the distinct or defining feel that you want expressed with your valued piece of art.

I have seen absolutely beautiful pieces of artwork look dull and lifeless in one setting and totally full of life and expression in another. of that art piece.

I have seen absolutely beautiful pieces of artwork look dull and lifeless in one setting and totally full of life and expression in another. In an art gallery, how a piece is showcased can affect how quickly art pieces can sell. As with living spaces, I believe that colors can inject life and passion in a work of art either in your home or at a gallery.

Many times I have picked a wall color for a home or business based on the art pieces of the owner. The art is the focus of the consultation.

Often a piece has multiple colors that are subtle, but are less obvious until a wall color brings them out. Background wall colors can cause artwork to change in tone, feeling and even texture. Artistic

Bold colors can often be exactly what is needed, getting the right tone is important with bold colors. If it is a stark, bold, strong color, you will know it is not right, it will be over powering and harsh in tone.

Experimentation is not out of the question when working to find the right color to showcase your artwork. If you have a wall to be used as a backdrop for a favorite painting, use small samples that many paint stores offer to paint a small section of your wall to see how it works with your art. To get the perfect combination may take a little bit of work.

Finding the right color is not always a quick trip, but is sometimes a journey. g

F OR 25 YEARS , S ALLY F RETWELL HAS WORKED AS AN ARCHITECTURAL PSYCHOLOGIST, CONSULTING WITH CLIENTS ON HOW TO MAKE THEIR HOME AND BUSINESS SPACES MORE FUNCTIONAL THROUGH EFFECTIVE USE OF COLOR . H ER BOOK T HE P OWER OF C OLOR , DETAILS HOW COLOR CHOICES AFFECT THE MOOD AND EFFEC TIVENESS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES .

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“Reflections Upon My Imbalances” Oil on Canvas, 72x84"

“Princess Warrior” Oil on Linen, 48"x60"

“Precipice” Oil on Canvas, 54 x96"

“Amazing Grace” Oil on Linen, 72x48"

Now You See It. . . .

WHAT LIZ KELLINGER’S PAINTINGS REVEAL—AND CONCEAL E. B. Kellinger’s paintings have a complicated relationship to photography.

“I use photography as the basis for every painting I create,” she says. “However, photography of the finished product doesn’t really do it justice.”

Nowhere was this more evident than in Kellinger’s fall 2008 exhibition, Reveal/Conceal at Plant Zero’s Project Space Gallery. Friends and strangers were asked to submit photographic self-portraits on the theme. Kellinger then reinterpreted them as large-scale, strongly colored oil paintings.

“I recognized almost immediately that my preconceived notions of what would actually be a ‘reveal’ or a ‘conceal’ were all garbage.

After that realization, each submission was a lovely surprise,” says Kellinger.

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Print and web images from the show have a hard-edged stylishness reminiscent of silkscreens or halftone photography. This belies their monumental sizes, strong palettes, and dazzling, painterly surfaces. The disparity is no surprise to Kellinger.

“Viewing my paintings in person is multifaceted,” she says. “There is an almost photo-realism to the paintings from a distance, but as you move closer they become far more abstract and textural. And, unfortunately, you really can’t translate that via the web or in print.”

The concept for Reveal/Conceal originated with the artist’s reflection on her own personal and professional journey.

“The face I have shown to the world has changed considerably. After many discussions with fellow artists and friends, it became

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

A member of C3 (The Creative Change Center) and Plant Zero, Kellinger is also connected to the Washington, DC arts community. Next spring you will find her at Artomatic, Washington’s month-long multimedia arts event. In addition to showing new work Kellinger will also spread the word about her hometown’s evolving art scene.

patently obvious to me that each one of us is on a similar journey,” she says.

Kellinger sees Reveal/Conceal as a collaborative and personal exploration of that idea and plans to expand it on a national level, with new photos and paintings in multiple locations.

“You can bet there are people outside our region who have no idea what a dynamic and vibrant art scene we have,” says Kellinger. “This needs to change.” g

gALLERIES

Downtown Galleries: Broad Street Area

Be

lvid e

re St.

5 5 blocks west of Belvidere

17 10

319 West Broad Street: 804.643.1708 Tue–Fri 11am–5pm; Sat 1pm–5pm.

Other hours by appointment only.

October 17 - November 22 MEDIA X Curated by Vaughn Whitney Garland. This exhibition features nine international artists whose work explores the issues and current events that may not be covered at all or enough by existing news media outlets.

January 9 - February 28 Christopher Quirk and Justin Thompson feature paintings by Christopher Quirk and sculptures by Justin Thompson. Quirk's compelling disjunctions of drips and marks in an unresolved space offers a new perspective on painting. "Palms," the sculpture by Justin Thompson, from Florence, Italy, are made from old quilts, thread and steel creating a forest in the gallery.

[2]

312 Gallery

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

228 West Broad Street: 804.644.0100 Mon–Tue by appointment only; Wed–Sat 12pm–6pm.

November Paintings and Drawings by Bruce Wilhelm Video art and animation by Motomichi Nakamura, a Japanese artist living in Brooklyn.

December 3 - 7 Group Show Scope Miami

21 blocks east of

all

3

16 1st Street & 3 blocks south of Broad St.

20 8 20 blocks

east of 1st Street on Broad St.

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13

1 block east of 1st St. on Broad St.

2

4 blocks south of Broad on Cary Street

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18

9

4 7

Fo u

Broad Street Area Noah Scalin

Richmond artist Noah Scalin's latest work entitled "Skulls" can be seen locally at Chop Suey Books on Cary Street. In a small room on the second floor of this new-and-used bookstore is a stark, unframed display of ten ink prints. This is a result of the artist's project to create one skull a day for a year. A more comprehensive view can be found in Scalin's book of the same name.

The displayed images are nicely detailed and varied enough to provide a glimpse of the entire collection.

See exhibit details on page 19.

[5]

Astra Design

3110 West Marshall Street: 804.257.5467 Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, or by appointment.

Features handmade contemporary furniture, lighting, sculpture, & jewelry.

[8]

Eric Schindler Gallery

2305 East Broad Street: 804.644. 5005 Tue–Fri 10am–3pm; Sat 11am–4pm.

Other hours by appointment.

November 14 -December 19 how to enter a room new work

by R. Sawan White January Neighbors Mixed media group show of established and emerging artists.

February Works on canvas, globes, books, and sculptures by New York artist Tracey St. Peter.

[6] Corporate & Museum Frame, Inc

301 West Broad Street: 804.643.6858 Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat by appointment.

Showcases emerging Virginia artists with an emphasis on photography.

[4]

ADA

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312 Brook Road: 804.339.2535 Thurs– Sat 1pm–7pm; Sun–Wed by appointment.

November Graphite drawings by Robert Foster

[3]

rsh

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December 5 - 19 Not So Silent Night: Holiday in a Box This exhibition of petite art works by some of the region's most prominent and new artists culminates in a grand silent-auction gala,determining who will take home some of the most sought-after works of art including limited-edition Art Boxes created by six distinguished contemporary artists.

Ma

1s tS tre et

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Art6

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

6 East Broad Street: 804.343.1406 Wed–Sun 12pm–4pm.

November 7 - 30 What Women Have Told Me recent works by Myron Helfgott ; Virtual Fantasy: New Paintings by John Walters December 5 - 28 Art in a Box Members Invitational Exhibition January 2 - February 1 Korean American Artist Exchange Exhibition Curated by Heeja Sung February 6 - March 1 Design and the American Vote Initiatives from AIGA Design for Democracy, presented by AIGA; Richmond Photographs by Lloyd Chaser

[9]

[7]

Elegba Folklore Society

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

101 East Broad Street: 804.644.3900 Mon–Fri 10am–6 pm; Sat 12pm–4 pm.

International Art Warehouse: Experience an array of arts and crafts from across the globe. Find imported treasures such as textiles, instruments, jewlery, sculpture, wearable art, & much more.

ForInstance Gallery|Museum

107 East Cary Street: A FIRST 757.574.4111 FRIDAYS Studio visits arranged GALLERY by appointment only.

First Fridays hours: 7–10 pm The ForInstance Gallery / Museum is an ongoing Experiment in the outlandish oeuvre of visionary-conceptual artist Marty Johnson. Housed in a 1850 restored home, there are 4 Floors of gallery and studio space featuring 35 years of multimedia works by the artist.

Many of these works have been exhibited in NYC and Museums around the country.

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continued on next page

1708 Gallery

15

2 blocks north of Marshall 14 on 1st Street

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A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

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‘Re-Visioning’ the Arts Council THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN, AND THE ARTS COUNCIL IS RESPONDING.

Through one-on-one meetings with individual leaders of Richmond’s arts and cultural organizations, President John Bryan has developed priorities to enhance the Arts Council’s service to Richmond.

“We began with a simple question,” says Bryan, who became president in September. “’What does the Arts Council do, and what should it be doing?’”

The answers gave a clear picture of the community’s priorities: strong advocacy and effective fundraising. Leaders also voiced a desire for the Arts Council to be a catalyst for collaboration among arts organizations. As a result, the Arts Council is now in what Bryan calls “a 36-month re-visioning project” during which they will implement these mandates.

Bryan is committed to strong financial support of the arts through the ArtsFund and its workplace campaigns. Established in 2003, the ArtsFund is a collaborative appeal to raise

unrestricted money on behalf of Richmond’s cultural organizations. Bryan and his colleagues are enlisting more corporate sponsors, expanding the distribution processes, encouraging more employee giving.

“I want everyone who has a fulltime job to know about the ArtsFund,” says Bryan. “Our best hope for the future is an ArtsFund workplace campaign that is like a United Way for the arts.”

The Arts Council also administers the Arts Consortium, which collects and distributes municipal monies earmarked for the arts. Bryan and his colleagues plan to strengthen this program by educating municipal governments about the value of their participation.

Through these initiatives, as well as increased resource development and more active public discourse, Bryan envisions an even higher level of community service for the Arts Council. The Arts Council recognizes the importance of working with other arts organizations and plans to make use of their energies, members, and constituents in addressing these priorities. Throughout this process, Bryan welcomes the community’s input. g

The Other Side of Glenn Gibson

“THE MIRROR CAN EITHER SHOW OUR FLAWS OR HIDE THEM. YOU NEVER KNOW IF YOU’RE IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE MIRROR,” SAYS GLENN GIBSON. During his more than 20 years of experience behind the mirror as a master stylist and professional colorist, Gibson (owner of Charlottesville salon West Main Design Co.) has learned the power and importance of color.

His understanding of the power of color to add depth and drama is now helping him as a painter, as well. Drawing inspiration from black and white photographs, Gibson sets out to bring the images to life in swirls of colors like electric blues and luminescent greens.

Thematic elements present in many of his pieces are the atonement and transformation that come from one of earth’s most abundant substances.

“I tend to like water.

There’s something soothing and exciting about it. Water can wash things away,” says Gibson.

For him, painting has much the same effect. Both have a way of being cleansing, cathartic, and endless in depth and possibility.

Says Gibson, “I feel that all of us are artists, as long as we don’t put our own limitations on what we can or cannot do.” g PHOTO: JENN

HENDERSON

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Jenn Henderson www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY [10]

Gallery5

200 West Marshall Street: 804.644.0005 Tue–Sat 11am–4pm. All other hours by appointment only.

November 7 - 28 NOT Fit for Human Consumption An All-Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition December 5 - January 15 Sleight of Hand February 6 - February 27 Non-Profit Showcase

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY [11]

Ghostprint Gallery

220 West Broad Street: 804.344.1557 Wed-Sat 1-7pm or by appointment November 7 - 29 PARIS: Fragments of Urban Reality: Photographic Explorations by Chuck Scalin December 5 - January 3 Oil Paintings by Amanda Wachob

[12]

Ingalls Gallery

209 W Broad Street: 804.399.9333 Mon - Fri 12pm–7pm First Fridays: 12pm–10pm A lifetime of works by master painter Bill Kendrick Watercolors, oils, inks, and drawings that encompass 60+ years of the artist’s work from around the world.

[13]

Metro Space Gallery

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

119 West Broad Street: 804.643.7125 Monday-Saturday 11am–6pm First Fridays hours: 6pm–10pm Metro Space Gallery provides a new gathering place for lovers of good art, music, film, and performance in Downtown Richmond.

November Metro Market December Lily Lambreta: Museum of Mounted Heads sculpture and puppets from trash, discarded cardboard,and material. Opening: December 5th 6-10pm.

January Closed TBA February Closed Top Secret March Chris Bolduc and Others

gALLERIES South of the James River & Manchester

Propaganda Gallery & Studio

101 East Leigh Street: 804.253.4053

By Appointment First Fridays hours: 6:00pm – 10:00 pm The Propaganda Gallery & Studio seeks to elevate the arts in the Historic Jackson Ward area while providing a relaxed atmosphere for patrons.

[17]

Quirk Gallery

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

311 West Broad Street: 804.644.5450 Mon–Sat 10am–6pm.

November 7 - December 23 Sparkle Plenty 4: Annual Art Jewelry Show Features work by Allyson Bone, Helen Carnac, Timothy Information Limited, Jim Cotter, Lisa Crowder, Linda Darty, Robert Ebendorf, Pat Flynn, Susie Ganch, Katy Hackney, Charity Hall, Tom Hill, Rob Jackson, Hongsock Lee, C. James Meyer, Marion Sak, Helen Shirk, Susanna Speirs, Elizabeth Turrell, Jessica Turrell and Kiwon Wang.

January 9 - February 21 Birth of a Notion The Cub Creek Foundation is the youngest residency program in the United States dedicated strictly to Ceramic Art. Birth of a Notion is an exhibition which focuses on the results of Cub Creek's first six years, 2002 - present. The show will highlight the work of ceramic artists such as Val Cushing, Jack Troy and Ron Meyers who have been workshop presenters at Cub Creek.

The Vault Nov. 6-Nov.29: Robert Ebendorf; Dec. 5 -Dec. 27 : Anna Tomczak; Jan. 9 - Feb. 14: Diana Detamore; Feb 23 - March 28: Susanne Arnold; Shop Shows November 7 - Novemeber 28: Mary Holland; Dec.r 5 - Dec. 23: Robert Walz;Jan. 2 - Jan. 30: Mark Valega; Feb. 6 - Feb. 27: Kristin Polich

Studio/Gallery 6

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

6 East Broad Street: 252.207.4677 Hours: By appointment only; First Fridays 7pm-12am November Alex Johnson / Todd S. Hale

Second Glances Photography

2104 East Main Street: 804.783.6121 Tue–Sat 10am–3pm; extended viewing hours by appointment.

Richmond’s first and only gallery specializing in fine art photography. Fine portraiture by photographer Nicholas K. Corey.

January 2 - February 8 The Timbre of Silence Works by Charles Philip Brooks; Thresholds Works by Christine Carr February 13 - March 22 Gallery East: Krishanna Spencer Gallery Centre: Chris Semtner Gallery West: Anca Dobrian & Chuck Coutnik Gallery West: Thresholds Christine Carr

[25]

The Birdland Sculpture Studio & Gardens

4094 Old River Trail Powhatan, Virginia 23139: 804.598.7512 Saturday and Sunday 9am-4pm Located in the historic area of Michaux in Powhatan County, Virginia, Birdland is a work-in-progress venue of magical sculpture gardens, meandering pathways, and a working art studio.

Fan District

[19]

Transmission

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

*This gallery will close in December.

321 Brook Road: 804.200.9985 Tues, Thr, Fri 11am-6pm. Sat 12pm-5pm or call for an appoinment.

November 7 - 29 Taxonomic intoxication: New work by Ryan McLennan and Amy Ross

[22]

43rd Street Gallery

1412 West 43rd Street: 804.233.1758 Tue–Thurs 10am–6pm; Fri–Sat 10am–4pm.

November 28 - December 24 Holiday Open House Affordable artistmade gifts including contemporary crafts, specializing in pottery, rustic furniture, jewelry and home accessories.

[26] Anderson Gallery

907 1/2 West Franklin Street: 804.828.1522 Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat–Sun 1pm–5pm; Summer Hours Tue–Sat 1pm–5pm.

Through December 7 The Divas and Iron Chefs of Encaustic; Landscape without Memory: Photographs by Joan Fontcuberta

Anderson Gallery [continued]

[20]

Visual Art Studio

January 16 - March 1 Embodying the Sacred in Yoruba Art: Featuring the Bernard and Patricia Wagner Collection

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

208 West Broad Street: 804.644.1368 Tue–Fri 12pm–6pm; Sat 12pm–4pm.

Through December 31 Art work by Doug Sutherland November 7 - January 30 Artistic Gifts Artwork perfect for giving by invited artists Jessica Schipp, Peter Thaxton and Floridian Doug SutherlandFirst Fridays Opening features: My Son the Doctor, performing Klezmer, Yiddish and Gypsy Music. Light refreshments to benefit United States Equine Rescue League.

[16]

[21] 12 12 Gallery

12 East 12th Street: 804.233.9957 Thurs–Fri 12pm–4pm; Sat 11am–6pm; Sun 12pm–5pm or by appointment.

November 14 - December 21 Work: The Collective Work by Matthew Lively, Hunter Boxley, Andy Trinko, and Hillary Knause [18]

[15]

Studio 418

418 West Broad Street: 804.225.0020 Hours: By appointment only; First Fridays 7pm-9pm

[23]

Artspace

0 East 4th Street: 804.232.6464 Wed–Sun 12pm–4pm.

October 24 - November 23 Composite Photographs by David Underwood A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That Abstract Acrylics by Jessica L. Sims November 28 - December 21 artspace @ twenty

[27] Locker 50b

December 5 - January 30 Abstractions in Reality Photography

by Peter Thaxton February 6 – March 10 Dream in Black and White Pen and Ink Illustrations by Douglas Lawlor; D’Signs by Terrie Powers Terrie Powers salutes the designers of old Richmond signage in these colorful documentary depictions.

continued on next page

[14]

A FIRST FRIDAYS GALLERY

Rocky Mount, North Carolina is the juror for this show. The exhibit features many artists from Virginia. Submissions are accepted from any artist and any medium. Abstract Truth Works by Roger McClung. Material Things Textiles by Dawn Vass Kelly.

Iterations Paintings and Collages by Linda Winkler.

VCU, 1000 West Broad Street: 804.828.1113; Daily, 9 - 5 November Loaded A group exhibition of work by VCUarts faculty and staff.

[24]

Art Works

320 Hull Street: 804.291.1400 Tue–Sun 12pm–6pm.

November 28 - January 18 All Media Show Charles Brooks from

December - January Burst II A group exhibition of work by high school students.

WINTER 2008 | www.URg Eonline.com |

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Uptown

WORK IN PROGRESS

Elaine Tucker Haviland

A RICHMOND ARTIST IS TURNING THE CUPOLA OF HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE’S NEW LIBRARY INTO A PORTAL TO THE STARS—AND TO THE PAST.

[28] Artemis Gallery

1601 West Main Street: 804. 254.1755 By appointment.

Features fine hand-crafted objects, especially American crafts by nationally recognized artists.

[29] Ginger Levit atelier en ville

at Contract Associates

1519 West Main Street: 804.740.1471 By appointment.

November - December Exotic Destinations: Watercolors

by Carol “Lumière” Baliles Larry Horowitz: Landscapes

Muralist Elaine Tucker Haviland is completing a dazzling planisphere celeste for the cupola’s interior. A planisphere celeste is a map of half or more of the sphere of the heavens that indicates what is visible at a specific time and location.

Using old world cartography, Hampden-Sydney’s new planisphere celeste will represent the night sky as it appeared in Virginia at 9 p.m.on November 10, 1775, the day the college held its first classes.

[Top and left]: Haviland’s planisphere celeste for the Hampden-Sydney library includes full-color illustrations of mythological figures, as well as the stars that make up constellations named for them.

[Above]: Haviland displays part of her preliminary sketch for the mural.

Haviland is no stranger to big projects. Her work is seen in the Governor’s Mansion and the Landmark Theater, and she has been a featured expert on Bob Vila’s Home Again.

Still, she puts her work for Hampden-Sydney in a class by itself. The subject of this mural has required extensive research, which several experts have facilitated by translating and interpreting period scientific documents.

“My favorite aspect of this project has been working with these brilliant minds,” says Haviland.

“It has been such an honor.”

David Hagan, Museum Scientist with the Science Museum of Virginia, helped Haviland fine-tune the positions of the stars and convey their brightness as the human eye perceives them. Bernardo Piciché Ph.D., Italian Program Coordinator at VCU’s School of World Studies,

18 |

translated text on an eighteenth-century map of the Southern Hemisphere that Haviland used for reference.

Hagan explains that since ancient times, astronomical maps have often used size to indicate luminosity—brighter stars were depicted as bigger stars.

“There are a few really bright stars,” says Hagan. “Some of them are bright because they are close, and some are bright because they are huge. But the eye can’t tell whether it is size or closeness.”

Based on her work with Hagan, Haviland developed a color scheme that conveys the brilliance of stars as we see them.

Haviland is completing the mural in her studio, and it will be installed and dedicated this winter. To David Hagan, its lofty position and permanence seem entirely fitting.

“As we say in our business, ‘it’s something that ought to be in a museum,’” says Hagan. g

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

[30] glave kocen gallery

1620 West Main Street: 1.888.358.1990 Tues-Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 11am-4pm November 14 - December 24 Dan Miller Cloud Studies and Landscapes in Oil and Wax on Canvas January 9 - February 3 Size Doesn't Matter: Annual Small Works Art Show 20-Plus artists exhibit their diminutive—but big impact—works of art.

February 6 - March 3 New Artist Exhibit: The glave kocen gallery has taken on so many new artists that we've decided to showcase them in one exhibit! Some familiar artists will be exhibited here, as well as first-time exhibitors in Richmond.

[31]

Main Art Gallery

1537 West Main Street: 804.355.6151 Mon–Fri 9am–6pm; Sat 10am–5pm.

Uptown is located along Main Street in the Fan District 7 blocks south of Broad Street and 5 blocks west of Belvidere Street

37 38 39 40

Uptown

Carytown and the Museum District are 12 blocks (1.6 miles) west of N Lombardy Street.

gALLERIES Carytown

35 [37] Brazier Fine Art

30 32

33

28

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3401 West Cary Street: 804.359.2787 Tue–Sat 10am–5pm.

November 7 - 29 Reality and Dreams: Recent paintings by P.A. Jones

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December 5 - January 3 Miniature Treasures: Annual Holiday Group Exhibit

[38] Chasen Galleries

November 21-23 2008 Craft + Design Show

November 7 - 30 New Work, featuring the paintings of Louis Poole

January 16 - March 22 From Sand: Works in Glass by Ken Daley, Richard Jolley and Joyce J. Scott

December 5 - January 31 Open Road: Mary Watt New

3554 West Cary Street: 804.204.1048 Mon–Tues 10am–6pm; Wed 10am– 4pm; Thurs–Sat 10am–6pm.

November 17 - December 31 The Color of Texture: Works by Samir Sammoun

April 3 – June 14 Turning Wood into Art: The Jane and Arthur Mason Collection

February 6 - 28 Woody Thomas [34] Reynolds Gallery

[32] Page Bond Gallery

1625 West Main Street: 804.359.3633 Tue–Sat 11am–6pm.

November 7 - December 8 Lightly Here: Drawings and Prints and Works on Paper by Tanja Softic and Holly Morrison

1514 West Main Street: 804.355.6553 Tue–Sat 10am–5pm.

Through November 29 New paintings and pastels by Wolf Kahn; Recent acquisitions from: Steve Bickley, Isabel Bigelow, Sally Bowring, Ross Caudill, Richard Crozier, Gerald Donato, Deborah Ellis, Ron Johnson, Ray Kass, Sally Mann, Sarah Mizer, Richard Roth, Robert Stuart, Heidi Trepanier, Nell Blaine, Lois Dodd, Jane Freilicher, Robert DeNiro, and Louisa Matthiasdottir.

December 5 - January 17 Javier Tapia and Isabel Bigelow

[39] Chop Suey Books Gallery

[36] Uptown Gallery

1305 West Main Street: 804.353.8343 Tue–Fri 11am–5pm; Sat 11am–4pm.

November The Colors of Time Featured artists Solange Brown and Anne Via, works in watercolor and oil (runs through Dec. 27); Whimsical Primates Featured artist Arlene DeConti (runs through Dec. 27); State of the Arts Works by students of the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts (runs through Nov. 29).

2913 W. Cary St.: 804.422.8066 Mon– Thurs 10am–6pm; Fri 10am–7pm.

Sat 10-8; Sun 12-6 November SKULLS An exhibition featuring prints from a new book by Richmond artist Noah Scalin—based on Scalin’s book, also titled SKULLS, which came about when Scalin set out to create a skull every day for a year. In the end, he made skulls from materials as diverse as organic vegetables, a bed sheet and holiday lights strung in his yard.

Museum District

December It’s A Small World Small works by artists of the Metropolitan Richmond Artists’ Association (runs through Jan. 31).

Red Door Gallery

1607 West Main Street: 804.291.7728 Wed–Sun 12pm–6pm (open until 9pm on Fridays).

November 7 - December 6 A Foreign Affair: New Work by Mike Guyer; Greetings from Williamsburg: New Work by Brian Kreydatu December 12 - January 17 Harold Edwards and Lenny Campello January 23 - February 28 Clay McGlamory

[35] Visual Arts Center of Richmond

1812 West Main Street: 804.353.0094 Mon-Fri 11am–7pm; Sat 10am–4pm; Sun 1pm–4pm.

Through December 14 When Janey Comes Marching Home: Portraits of Women Combat Veterans A collaboration between author-filmmaker Laura Browder and photojournalist Sascha Pflaeging.

January Arias & Art A musically-themed exhibit by all Uptown Gallery members in a special partnership with the Virginia Opera Company (runs through Feb. 28); Cream of the Crop Geometric works in pen and ink on the theme of crop circles, by Cari Still (runs through Feb. 28).

February Creative Adventures Works in mixed media and acrylics by the Experimental Painters Group (runs through March 28).

[40] VMFA Studio School

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[33]

2911 Grove Avenue: 804.367.0816 Monday - Friday 9 - 5 Through January 9 Drawing in Color: Pastels

January 26 – February 27 Wednesday Morning Painters March 6 – April 10 Photography: Traditional & Alternative Processes

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Lively: Oh geez. I’ll try it in alphabetical order... Andy Warhol, Bonnie Collura, Chuck Close, Dave Naugle, Ethan Coen, Father Guido Sarducci, my grandma, Heide Trepanier, Inka Essenhigh, John Carpenter, Kilgore Trout, little kids, Matthew Barney, Nick Cave, over-achieving students, Paul (Buddy) Terrell, Quay Brothers, Stanley Kubrick, T.L Lange, Uncle Frankie, Gus Van Sant, Wes Anderson.

Urge: You are also involved in Beecycle and Ink Tank. How do those endeavors cross-pollinate with your other work?

“Portal” Oil on Canvas 30 x 40”

Matt Lively HAPPY-GO-LUCKY LITTLE CRITTERS Richmond artist Matt Lively is aptly named. His paintings suggest movement and frequently have a cinematic quality. In 2006, he founded the Ink Tank art collective and has recently begun experimenting in motion pictures. Lively paused long enough to update Urge on his upcoming projects.

Urge: Your paintings have a system of mostly ordinary objects with symbolic meanings. How did this develop? Which do audiences respond to most? Are any misunderstood by audiences?

stood—I think because of technical reasons (meaning: I was painting it wrong) is the open sky strip below my towering cloud piles. The strip of endless space represents a sense of hope, or the belief that “things will get better.” Unfortunately, most people think it’s a creek.

Urge: Which artists have been most influential to you?

Lively: They were introduced slowly as they were needed to fill an empty spot in a painting. Most were stand-ins for other objects that didn't fit into the environment of the imagery or I didn't know how to paint. Most of my audience responds to the characters that represent some living thing (a bee, dog, or rabbit) or a still frame of a moving object (film projector, oscillating fan, flow-y curtains). The Beecycles (bees with the bike wheel) are favorites probably because they are happy-go-lucky little critters that exist to do a job in the painting, but have no important symbolic meaning.

One element that’s misunder-

Lively: Beecycle LLC is a kids’ clothes business that my wife Wendy and her friend Loni run. I supply art when I am asked—they do all of the hard work. A percentage goes to the American Humane so—go get a shirt!! Ink Tank is an art collective: several brains working together to make something better than we could tucked away alone in the studio. In the beginning, we had shirt design shows with big-time artists, ate cake at the openings and broke even. Ink Tank now dabbles in short film production, where we will make short films with good directors, eat cake and probably not break even.

Urge: What are you doing in film these days?

Lively: After helping a local director on a film called Death last spring, I was surprised at how fun it was. I have always thought of ways to make my paintings move in film, but have not been able to because of lack of money, lack of ability to operate the equipment and lack of desire to be a director. I ran an idea by Alexander Germanotta, one of the most imaginative directors that I know of. The idea was The Wind Chill Factory about a boy who lives in a town whose industry is manufacturing cold because of demand caused by global warming. He wanted to make an animated short out of it. Since then, my brain has been occupied with producing the sets and miniatures for the production.

Urge: Where can readers see your work?

“Cloud Factory” Oil on Canvas 60 x 60”

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www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

Lively: The readers of Urge can see my work in November at the 1212 Gallery and The Red Door Gallery in April. They can also look for updates on upcoming children's books, the short animated film, and whatever shows that pop up at either mattlively.com or matthewlively.com. g

gALLERIES Northside

Petersburg is located 28 miles South of Richmond’s Downtown financial district. Take I-95 S and take Exit 52 for Washington St.

Petersburg

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[41]

Jager Gallery

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Exchange

6939 Lakeside Ave: 804.262.2931 Mon - Fri 10am-6 pm; Sat: 10am-4pm Recent works in oil and watercolor by Mary Jager. Opening and Reception Nov. 14, 5pm-9pm. Plus artistry in wood, metal, pottery, glass, jewelry and photography by regional artists.

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[42] Crossroads Art Center

2016 Staples Mill Road: 804.278.8950 Mon–Thurs 10am–6pm; Fri–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun 12pm–6pm.

November 21– December 29 Holiday Show & Sale; All Media Show; Mathew Howell, Photography; Lou Robbins

PRAC is located between Franklin Street & E. Washington Street

Petersburg

January 16 – March 9 Susan Barry; Dave Decker; Nimrod Hall Artists Show

[45]

Friend House Gallery & Atelier

27 Bollingbrook Street: 804.733.8200 Open Wed-Sat 10am-4pm Housed in the Nathaniel Friend House, built in 1816 by the then-mayor of Petersburg, and listed in the National Historic Register.

November New Landscapes by Carol Meese [43] Gallery 5800

Suitable for Framing

5800 Grove Avenue: 804.285.0774 Mon–Fri 10am–5:30pm; Sat 10am-4pm.

Features regular exhibitions of fine art and selected work by regional and national artists.

November 7 - December 3 Still Lifes and Interiors: Oil Paintings by Karen Laurence

Short Pump Town Center

[44]

Andrew’s Gallery

11800 W. Broad Street: 804.364.9377 Andrew’s Gallery in Richmond, Virginia offers an excellent selection of original paintings and hand-embellished limited canvas art from the world’s leading artists.

[46]

Petersburg Area Art League

7 E. Old Street: 804.861-4611 Tue-Sat 10:30 am-2:30 pm; Sun 1-4 pm The Petersburg Area Art League presents monthly exhibitions and classes with resident artists.

[48]

Sol Cooper Gallery

[49]

The Gallery at Enteros Design

306 North Sycamore Street: 804.240.6859; Open by appointment.

November 14– December 5 Dolly Holmes’ New Paintings

Joe DeIulio Next time you are in Petersburg Regional Art Center, be sure to stop by painter and writer Joe DeIulio’s studio. A Master colorist whose scenes of everyday life employ Fauvist hues, DeIulio’s figures often seem to be pondering something just outside the edge of the picture-plane.

His 2003 limited-edition artist book Tales from Eden combines paintings, prose, and poetry to tell a contemporary story of redemption.

[47] Petersburg Regional Art Center

132 N. Sycamore Street: 804.733.8200 After years as Shockoe Bottom Arts Center, this gallery and working studio collective moved to Petersburg in 2003, making it one of the first large galleries in Old Towne. The space features 70 artist studios, and a mezzanine gallery.

The Center hosts eleven juried, allmedia shows a year.

314 Exchange Alley: 804.861.1200 Enteros Design is a full-service architecture firm dedicated to design excellence. Its gallery, open during business hours and on Fridays for the Arts, features rotating exhibitions.

November Juried All Media Show

Galleries should contact Rebecca Jones (rebecca@theworkfactory.com) regarding their listing information.

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Libbie & Grove Avenues

Dan Finnegan, at Liberty DAN FINNEGAN IS THE VISIONARY BEHIND LIBERTYTOWN. AND HE’S STILL SURPRISED AT HOW IT HAPPENED .

Gene Sterud: “Antioch Peacock” porcelain tile, 25 x 28” 2004

Sherrie Warner Hunter: “Motivation” ceramic, concrete, wood72x72x 12” 2008

Conversation Pieces

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON’S MOSAIC SHOW

Matteo Randi: “City Limits” marble, smalti, gold smalti, stone 24x 24” 2006

BRINGS AN ANCIENT ART FORM INTO THE CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE

Glass, tile, asphalt, carved bone, vintage barbed wire, aquarium gravel, staples, and a tea ball; a partial list of the materials in “Inspired By . . .” Contemporary Mosaics and the Historical Tradition reads like the catalog of an archaeological dig.

The exhibition was curated by JeanAnn Dabb, PhD, UMW Chair of Art and Art History. Related educational programs include demonstrations, student-led tours, and an exhibition scavenger hunt.

Dabb sees mosaic as a dynamic medium whose variety often makes it and its practitioners difficult to classify.

“Over its history, mosaic has been part of both the fine art tradition and the craft tradition,” says Dabb. Thus, it has been marginalized at times in the art-versus-craft debate—a mistake, in Dabb’s view.

“Mosaic is a medium of extraordinary diversity, with intriguing links to the historic tradition,” says Dabb.“Let’s bring it back into the discourse.”

Laurie Mika: “Waking the Muse” handmade polymer clay tiles & mixed media 17 x 14” 2007

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“Inspired By. . .” does that. Artists Gene Sterud and Bill Buckingham pay homage to traditional subjects and methods. Meanwhile, Laurel True, Lynne Chinn and Janet Kozachek use abstraction, three-dimensionality, and allusions to Outsider Art to redefine mosaic and mine its expressive potential.

Juror Binnie Fry named Matteo Randi’s “City Limits” Best in Show. Randi, a native of Ravenna, Italy, now lives in Arlington,Virginia. He works in modern and classical styles and adheres to traditional working methods such as cutting tesserae (the individual pieces that form a mosaic) by hand with a hammer.

A two-dimensional mosaic on a sculpted base,“City Limits” uses contrasting color spectra and silhouettes to create interest. Its minute smalti, marble, and stone tesserae add radiance and movement.

The exhibition runs through December 7 at University of Mary Washington’s duPont Gallery. g

Gina Hubler: “Self-Portrait of an Artist” smalti 15 x 15” 2006

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

“It was a bit accidental,” says Finnegan. “I intended something much smaller.”

But some ideas take on a life of their own. This happened when Finnegan, a master potter, began eying an old plumbing supply shop.

“I pressed my nose against the glass to look inside, Finnegan and I got the vision.”

It was a vision others shared. The city had talked for decades about an arts center, but the project was never realized. So Finnegan combined his small idea with “the rest of the city’s idea” and it took off.

LibertyTown’s contribution to the culture and identity of Fredericksburg almost make it seem like a public initiative, but it’s not. LibertyTown began in 2002 with seed money from 23 investors, most of them from Fredericksburg. It remains an independent venture.

Now home to more than 50 artists and a provider of 75 studio art classes, LibertyTown is a force in the Fredericksburg arts scene.

“The artists work independently,” says Finnegan. “But there’s strength and inspiration in having a collective identity.”

That identity extends beyond the former plumbing supply shop. LibertyTown is a fixture on First Fridays. Its impact is also felt on Fredericksburg’s Candlelight Tour as homeowners ask that their collections of local art be highlighted.

Even so, says Finnegan, the last few years have been economically difficult for the arts. A new advisory committee hopes to address the financial pressures that LibertyTown faces. Proposed initiatives include a retail craft emporium, lunchtime artist demonstrations, and more classes. Finnegan hopes that these programs will generate revenue and enhance LibertyTown’s mission.

“When I worked at the Winchcombe Pottery in England, I saw that the satisfaction of beautiful things, combined with the dignity of hard work, create a full, meaningful life in a community,” says Finnegan. It’s what he and the LibertyTown artists are creating—and the kind of community they hope their neighbors will invest in. g

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P. Rose Gallery

709 Caroline Street: 540.371.8499 August 1 - September 20 Sea & Sky Recent Paintings by Elizabeth Pavlansky Butler & Betsy Carter

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[59] Visual Treats [58] UMW Galleries

Ridderhoff-Martin Gallery: College Avenue at Seacobeck Street; Dupont Gallery: College Avenue at Thornton Street; 540.654.1013 Mon. Wed., and Fri., 10am-4pm, Sat.-Sun. 1pm-4pm The University of Mary Washington Galleries present art exhibitions and educational events of interest to the university community and the general public. Exhibitions are brought in from museums around the country, or are drawn from the permanent collection of over 5000 artworks. Mid twentieth-century American and Asian art make up the largest parts of the permanent collection. Exhibitions of works by art faculty, art students, and senior art majors are held annually.

Ridderhof Martin Gallery November 14 - January 25 Corcoran College of Art + Design Print Portfolio February 11 - February 26 Andy Warhol's Athletes: Portraits from the Richard Weisman Collection

[53] Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (FCCA)

813 Sophia Street: 540.373.5646 November 3 - 30 National Exhibit December - January National Exhibit; Color of Money February Regional Art Exhibit

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e.e. smith

824 Caroline street: 540.373.9088 Opened in 1994 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, e.e. smith is a unique and colorful collection of handcrafted furniture, ceramics, glass, textiles, jewelry, & more.

Park

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LibertyTown Arts Workshop

916 Liberty Street: 540.371.7255 Mon-Thur 10am-7pm; Fri-Sat 10am5pm; Sun 12pm-4pm LibertyTown Arts Workshop is the largest art center within a 45 mile radius of Fredericksburg.

November 7-30 Paintings by Mary Anne Warner and Bobbi Pratt; Pottery by Deb Yarrington December 5 - 28 Small Works Diminutive Works by LibetryTown Artists

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December 29 - February 1 All Member Show

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Brush Strokes Gallery

810 Caroline Street: 540.368.0560 Mon,Tues,Thu & Fri: 11am-6pm; Sat: 11am-6pm ; Sun: Noon-4pm.

November 3 - 30 All Member Show in the Ground Floor Atrium & Second Floor Gallery Windows to the World Atrium Exhibition Featured Artist on the Second Floor: Elen Grigg December 1 - 28 All Member Show in Atrium & Second Floor Gallery; Featured Artist on the Second Floor Joseph Wilkinson

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December Square—A Show With Photos; Works by Ryan Poe

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Fredericksburg Athenaeum

109 Amelia Street: 540.373.1311 Thursday 11am-9pm Fri 11am-9pm Sat 10am to 5pm The Fredericksburg Athenaeum exists as a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of the arts, literature, philosophy, sciences and technology through education, formal and informal exchange and dialogue, to the benefit of those living in the Rappahannock River region and the global community of shared interests.

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824 Caroline Street: 540.371.7107 Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun 12pm–6pm.

November Ed King, Brandon Newton December All Member Holiday Gala

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[50] Art First Gallery & Studio

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Fredericksburg

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Fredericksburg is located 59 miles about 1 hour from Richmond’s Downtown financial district. Take I-95 North to exit 130A to Plank Rd. St. Pitt

903 Caroline Street: 540.372.7537 Featuring art, greeting cards, pillows, aromagraphs, postcards and other products designed by Joni Ulman Lewis.

[60]

Wegner Galleries

314 William Street: 540.374.8300;

By Appointment The S.S. Wegner Wildlife Gallery and Wegner Metal Arts present wildlife paintings bronze sculpture and shore landscapes by Stephen and Stewart Wegner.

duPont Gallery January 23 - February 6 Joseph Di Bella: Faculty Solo Exhibition [57]

Sophia Street Studios

1104 Sophia Street: 540.372.3459 A pottery studio with two potters who make functional earthenware pottery as well as Raku decorative pieces.

February 13 - February 22 Senior Exhibitions

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Fredericksburg

gALLERIES

Ridderhoff-Martin & Dupont Galleries are located on the campus of the University of Mary Washington at College Ave & Thornton St. 1.5 miles west of Caroline St.

REVIEWS

Kreydatus: “Angela, 9 months" oil on linen, 60 x 60”

Brian Kreydatus at Red Door Gallery In Brian Kreydatus’ “Christmas in Williamsburg” a zaftig middle-aged nude sits at a table replete with scrambled eggs, a heart-emblazoned coffee mug and a holiday card. A man’s hand, another mug and the plaid sleeve is the only evidence that this is in fact a portrait of a couple in a clunky-rendered space.

In this painting, and throughout his show Greetings from Williamsburg (Nov. 7-Dec.8), Kreydatus misrepresents perspective and accuracy of detail for the entertainment of rich colors and sometimes lush application of pigment that contrast with the deceptively mundane moments of life slightly off kilter. The nude is akin Larry Rivers’ “Double Portrait of Berdie” and similar to River’s treatment, the matter-of-fact rendering of the figure is juxtaposed against the more generalized and painterly-mannered environs of the room.

Kreydatus likes to load up his brush with dense pigment, but he’s not a Lucian Freud where the slathered mix competes for the composition of what it renders—although

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Kreydatus: “Deer Decoy II" oil on linen, 60 x 48”

both artists like to build skin tones and anatomical detail with exaggerated layers of twisting, biomorphic

applications of saturated pinks, reds and yellows until the illusion of flesh is achieved. In fact, there are paint-

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

ings in the show where the execution seems tentative and the rendering a bit generalized. Take for instance his 60x60” “Angela, 9 months” a centralized composition of a very pregnant woman who holds court on a sagging red sofa. The model’s figure is a virtual contoured mass of greens, reds, pinks and oranges. Yellow overhead light bounces off her limbs, face, protruding belly and fuzzy slippers. Perhaps mistaking them for live creatures, a white puppy seems to challenge the slippers. But beyond the grid of the parquet floor and the tonal changes in shadow, the rest of the painting becomes bland expanses of local color.

The compositions are both awkward and elegant. While accurate in proportion, the elements of Kreydatus’ interiors tend to bulge or angle out of verisimilitude into wavering trapezoidal forms. And this, along with Kreydatus’ selection of odd everyday objects, is what gives the work its punch. Beer bottles, deer decoys and unconventionally cropped subjects present vignettes of twisted Raymond Carver short stories.

These are not the cold cerebral nudes of Philip Pearlstein, nor the intentionally awkward perspective of Alfred Leslie. The stylized world of Kreydatus is built intuitively, with a dry wit, the tattered aesthetic of ordinary life caught unaware and yet not without dignity. But the mannered quality of the portraits aren’t quite the psychological caricatures of an Alice Neel either. Maybe narratives closer to Breece Pancake would be more fitting, except for Kreydatus’ sense of humor.

He displays a competent vocabulary of curios and cast of characters, what appears to be at odds is his love of painting and his efforts at rendering the narrative. The artist is at his most intriguing when he creates his Kreydatusian dramas of the mundane moment, psychological portraiture and ironic artifact. And the densely worked sections of his compositions are so much more interesting than the passages that are merely compositional placeholders.

Hopefully, his affinity for painterly techniques will evolve and he will push beyond the more generalized passages of local color. A strategy to follow in upcoming works could be to allow his intuition to guide his execution of the painting as much as he allows it to select the subjects and details of his clever compositions— such that the attention he pays to the creation of focal points would extend to the whole of the work.

Ted Randler

gALLERIES

University of Virginia Art Museum is 71 located 1.6 miles west of the Old Town district.

Charlottesville

Charlottesville is located 73 miles from Richmond’s financial district.

Charlottesville

and culture through an integrated program of collection management, exhibition, education, research & publication.

[61]

Art Upstairs

October 1 - November 3 Yuru-yururla: Women's Painting from Yuendumu This exhibit of colorful acrylic paintings is on loan from the Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Association collection in Australia's Northern Territory.

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112 West Main Street, Suite 4: 434.923.3900; Tues-Sun: 12-5pm Through November 30 Barbara Wachter December 1 - 28 All-Member Show

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[65] Les Yeux du Monde

[62]

BozArt Gallery

211 West Main Street: 434.296.3919 Wed & Thurs: 3pm to 9pm; Fri & Sat: noon to 9pm; Sun: 1-4pm November Randy Sights Baskerville December All Member Show January Art Show for Area Student Artists February Madeleine Watkins

500 West Main Street: 434.973.5566 Tuesday- Saturday 11 to 5 and by appointment November Paintings by Annie Harris Massie December Paintings by Clay Witt

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[63] C'ville Arts: A Cooperative Gallery

118 East Main Street : 434.972.9500 Mon -Thurs: 10am-6pm; Fri: 10am9pm; Sat: 10am-8pm; Sun: 12-6pm C'ville Arts: A Cooperative Gallery is the same group of Virginia artists and craftspeople who have been known as Transient Crafters, with a gallery located on the pedestrian mall in historic, downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.

November Ceramics by Jan Crowther December Group Show

The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative is located near 9th St SE.

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McGuffey Art Center

201 Second Street, NW: 434.295.7973; Tues-Sat: 10am to 6pm; Sun: 1-5pm November Main Gallery: Rose Csorba; Lower Hall 1: Ben Lock; Lower Hall 2: Inmates Show; Upper Hall 1: Michael Clark; Upper Hall 2: Margaret Embree January Main Gallery: Laura Parker; Lower Hall 1: New Members; Lower Hall 2: New Members Show; Upper Hall 1: New Members; Upper Hall 2: New Members

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400 Worrell Drive, Peter Jefferson Place: 434.244.0234 Tues - Sat: 10am to 4pm Sunday 1 - 5pm The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia promotes learning about Australian Aboriginal art

[70] The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative

209 Monticello Road: 434.984.5669 Wed- Sat: Noon-3pm The Bridge hosts regular gallery exhibits throughout the year. These range from solo collections by new-born visionaries to group shows of up-and-comers. Exhibits are open to work of every medium, mode, and process imaginable.

February Main Gallery: John Hancock; Lower Hall 1: Lee Alter; Lower Hall 2: The Bridge; Upper Hall 1: Cville 2D; Upper Hall 2: Cville 2D

[67] Migration: A Gallery

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection

Sage Moon Gallery

420 East Main Street: 434.977.9997:Sun, Mon: 1-5pm Tues, Wed, Thurs: 11 am- 6pm November Paintings by Milenko Katic December A is for Art… Works by young artists, Ages preschool to 17.

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Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection is located 3.2 miles east of the Old Town area.

119 Fifth Street SE: 434.293.2200 Tues - Sat: 11am- 6pm; First Fridays: 11am-8pm; Closed weekdays from 2-3pm; Sun & Mon: by appointment Through December 3 Paintings and sculptures by Tim Taunton January 2-30 Drawings by Brian Mallman and Warren Craghead III

Second Street Gallery

115 Second Street SE: 434.977.7284 Tues-Sat: 11am-6pm November Main Gallery: Dragana Crnjak and Leah Bailis; Dové Gallery: Corey Drieth December Main and Dové Galleries: Steve Keene

[71] University of Virginia

Art Museum

Thomas H. Bayly Building, 155 Rugby Road:434.924.3592; Tues-Sun: 12- 5pm Through December 28 El Lissitzky Futurist Portfolios January 16 – March 8 Leadership: Oliphant Cartoons and Sculpture from the Bush Years January 30 - April 24 Matisse, Picasso, and Modern Art in Paris The T. Catesby Jones Collections at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the University of Virginia Art Museum; Co-organized by VMFA and the UVA Art Museum.

February 6 - April 19 The Hand and the Soul: LeWitt, Slutzky, Iliescu

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Sascha Pflaeging & Laura Browder at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond Photographer Sascha Pflaeging and author Laura Browder combine their respective talents on When Janey Comes Marching Home: Portraits of Women Combat Veterans exhibited at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The works are beautifully displayed in a clean, crisp environment that helps to focus the eye where it should be, on the powerful images. While the subject matter is moving, it benefits from a built-in emotional impact. No matter what anyone tells you, everyone supports the troops regardless of their opinions on global conflicts.

So in that regard, military photos have a readymade acceptance and appreciation (even the show's title is somewhat uninspired).

Fortunately, Pflaeging doesn't rely solely on patriotic appeal. The images, for the most part, are wellconstructed and strong in composition and visual impact, with the subject and background working in tandem to maximum effect. Certain photographs, such as those of Lance Corporal Layla Martinez and Sergeant First Class Diedre Coley, are particularly moving in part because of the stark, minimal composition. Each of their faces conveys raw emotion and seemingly endless determination.

Working in conjunction with the photos are interviews of the veterans in their own words. The text is beautifully displayed alongside each photograph and captures the distinct voice of the woman interviewed. Heavy use of acronyms and military lingo (usually with no elaboration) adds to the theme and cohesion of the exhibit. Some of the

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refers instead to White’s childhood, when the cake pan held the construction paper and crayons used to consume time before breakfast. White would occupy hours as a child with the coveted contents of the cake pan.

Dialogue & Optimism is a vehicle for sharing White’s childhood experiences and dreams. Simplistic shapes trigger a regression back to youthful themes. “Fireworks Barge” recalls the July 4th fireworks of his youth. The left top corner of the picture has a pyrotechnic display in green tones which light up the night.

Pflaeging: “Captain Gabriela Ordone” “Under-Sea World” is writing could benefit from a bit of a tribute to Jacques Cousteau and editing--a few of them tend to ram- his voyages of the deep. For eight ble--but that's a minor detail in an years spanning the late 1960’s and otherwise well-executed project. So 1970’s Cousteau brought the once while the exhibit may have some uncharted world of ocean life into our slight opportunities for improve- living rooms. Blue dominates this picment, its strong visual impact and ture full of colors and shapes from a compelling subjects mean this is an world made possible from the disevent that has to be seen one-on- coveries aboard the Calypso. one to be appreciated. When the Cousteau’s explorations revealed a viewer experiences a show like this civilization made visible by underwaand wants more, that's always a ter cameras and technology. White good sign. further explores this cultural event David Smitherman and interprets it for the viewer.

White communicates through abstract shapes and forms. From childhood memories to present-day realties, these are what shape our thoughts, views, ideas and expressions. For an artist, it is their projection to the outside world. A voice with no words, but merely representations and imagery leave a lasting impression which cause a reaction and give rise to a suppressed consciousness in our present lives.

Ginny Ross

GINNY ROSS HOLDS A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ART HISTORY FROM VCU WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN WEST AFRICAN ART. SHE IS CURWhite: “Under-Sea World” (Detail) RENTLY EMPLOYED AS A MORTGAGE BANKER WITH SOUTHERN TRUST IN THE FAN.

Tommy White at Main Art From the ground-floor retail space of Richmond’s Main Art Supply, one ascends the curved staircase to enter the shop’s gallery where painter Tommy White’s Dialogue & Optimism was on view in October. “Cake Pan Morning’s” yellow hues, vivid and vibrant, command our attention.

Large grey areas resemble construction paper and add depth to the piece. Immediately we are drawn to this focal point of the exhibition.

Despite the title, the composition has no relevance to baking. It

The Divas and Iron Chefs of Encaustic at the Anderson Gallery, VCU Though inedible, there is a tempting lusciousness to encaustic wax. The depth and texture the wax gives a painting illicit touch more vehemently than any other medium, which is why it took all my concentration and years of museum experience to resist stroking the works in the Anderson Gallery exhibition The Divas and Iron Chefs of Encaustic.

Organized by VCU painting professor Reni Gower, whose jewel-like pieces are included, the exhibition

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features 25 works by 8 artists from around the country who incorporate melting wax with paint.

“Encaustic is a very versatile painting medium and it can be adapted to many different ways of working,” according to Gower.

Some of the artists dig into the thickened material to expose colors beneath, while others take advantage of the nature of the wax to add a matte finish or a visual window to their works.

The best example of the use of encaustic as a surface treatment is seen in Wisconsin artist Kristy Deetz’s elaborate, Northern Renaissance inspired still-life’s. In these pieces, the elegance of the finish enhances the drama of the imagery itself.

Cheryl Goldsleger from Athens, Georgia, lends an architectural air to the medium through three-dimen-

Deetz: “Mocking Desire” 66x44x2” 2003

sional wall sculptures that fuse molded resin forms within painted wood structures coated in encaustic.

The effect is one of stone or concrete elements that become a softer version of construction forms.

Among many strong pieces, Virginia artist Heather Harvey’s work stands out. In addition to an intriguing, though awkwardly-lit, installation in an adjacent room, Harvey has included three small, square works that emphasize the layering affect of encaustic, and two unique Spilled Paintings that play on the flowing nature of the wax.

Evident in all the works exhibited, encaustic provides a sense of ancient elegance and an organic richness like no other medium can.

Gina Cavallo Collins

GINA CAVALLO COLLINS IS AN INDEPENDENT CURATOR AND FREELANCE WRITER WITH

20 YEARS IN THE MUSEUM FIELD. HER SPECIALTY IS CONTEMPORARY ART.

OVER

REVIEWS Duane Cregger, Jan Hodges & Chase Decker at Crossroads Art Center Nestled in a shopping center storefront amid an antiques mall, a pharmacy, and a budget hotel, Crossroads Art Center is the opposite of a gallery-district space. It is, instead, a large, active gallery that defiantly places art where previously there was none. Its mission is similarly democratic, with a strong focus on art instruction and exhibiting the work of more than

Hodges: Chair and small works

Cregger: “Lilac Beneath”

225 emerging artists. Among that number were three whose work exploded with movement and color during a recent visit.

I defy anyone to look at Duane Cregger’s heavily textured abstract oils and not wonder how the effects are achieved. Start envisioning the process that brought them into being, and the paintings take on an auditory quality: scratch . . . scrape . . . knife . . . grate. Cregger’s larger canvasses heap lush mounds of pigment on the canvas, but always with control. Incised designs shimmer on their surfaces and unify the composition. Cregger is most successful in the realm of pure abstraction. One or two paintings work a simplistically-rendered

flower or fish into the composition.

Unfortunately, these images only disrupt the beautifully achieved color statements without adding to the whole. Far more satisfying is the brilliantly colored and vaguely sad “Reverse Alchemy;” so is “Bell Case,” whose rectangles recall the improvised fields of Gee’s Bend quilts. Cregger proves equally skillful with a restricted palette. “Lilac Beneath” is a light-colored, monochromatic canvas whose scratched surface alternates between sensuous curves and soft rectangles that look like nothing so much as vertebrae of a large animal. Its tones are equally alive: warm, glossy white, with touches of lime, orange, and violet that radiate from below, like the fire in a good opal.

Scale changes dramatically in Jan Hodges’ carefully worked textile and mixed-media experiments, a sort of microcosm of abstraction’s ideas and effects. Their impact exceeds their minute 2x3” dimensions. Two-dimensional pieces this small can often read as studies or fragments; Hodges’ works, by contrast, feel integrated and complete.

Painted surfaces are developed with other materials—thread, paper, and metal—used here as pigments.

In the middle of Hodges’ gallery of

framed works is a chair so traditional it could have come from an Ethan Allan showroom. Hodges has gessoed its upholstery and painted it in wild, East Village colors. The chair makes Hodges’ gallery look like an installation sculpture. Its cloth, wood, thread, and metal are a fresh reinterpretation of materials found in her smaller works.

Chase Decker’s still life’s and landscapes are well-executed, but it is his expressionistic female figure studies that steal the show.

Often captured from unusual angles, the women in these portraits are pensive and private. Our relationship to them is more intimate

Decker: “Lady in Blue”

than voyeuristic, owing to the artist’s ability to compose them in a way that draws us into their realm. Although Decker’s paint handling has the earmarks of Expressionism—distorted color, heavy impasto, and strong outlines—it is original and manages to use those conventions in a way that heightens the sensual beauty of his subjects.

His palette of blues and greens shot through with touches of gold achieves beautifully emotional effects.

Rebecca Jones

Briefly Noted: Uptown Gallery

“Catch of the Day” by painter Bill Kinsey manages to present a softedged landscape that retains clarity, form and a strong sense of space. The planes and solid forms of the house that dominates the upper half of the composition is balanced by the abstracted haziness in the foreground. The house appears to grow out of its mists.

Throughout, Kinsey’s use of color is surprising; an assertive palette is handled with control, creating an overall effect that is dreamy, subtle and cohesive.

Painter Mark Kettlewell’s small-format still life’s draw on Old Master traditions. Fine draftsmanship meets expert, liquid color handling; as a result, subjects as venerable as a candle, two glasses, and pieces of fruit become exciting. In “Still Life with Candle,” Kettlewell composes old and new objects in a witty vignette: glasses that would be at home in a Baroque painting

by Jacob Jordaens are placed casually beside a candle straight out of Pier One Imports. Luckily for the viewer, each is rendered masterfully and with great beauty. g

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Alternative Holiday Diversions

SURE WE’RE SAPS FOR IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, “LISTEN DADDY, EVERY TIME A BELL RINGS, AN ANGEL GETS ITS WINGS...” YEAH, YEAH, WE GET TEARY-EYED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT, TOO. BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY CRAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE SAUCEY THAN SWEET, MABYE AN OUTING WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS TO ONE OF THESE MORE IRREVENT SEASONAL PRODUCTIONS IS IN ORDER.

Richmond’s Firehouse Theater presents Kyle Jarrow’s A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant. The OBIE-winning musical satire blends avant-garde performance art and children’s theater. A jubilant cast of children aged 812, directed by Jase Smith, performs this completely unauthorized look at L. Ron Hubbard’s Church of Scientology. A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant runs December 18 – January 18.

What if Mrs. Bob Cratchit weren’t so goodygoody after all? In Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge, Christopher Durang replaces the saintly matriarch of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with an angry, stressed-out modern-day American woman who wants out of harsh London 1840s life.

To make matters worse, the ghost’s magic is off, and Scrooge and the ghost keep showing up at the Cratchit’s house too early. Billy-Christopher Maupin directs this staged reading on December 22 at the Firehouse.

Swift Creek Mill Theater in Colonial Heights is your portal to the fictional town of Tuna, Texas, “the third-smallest town in the state.” A Tuna Christmas is the sequel to Greater Tuna and, like its predecessor, looks at small-town Southern life with quirky satire. This production is no winter break for John Hagadorn and Richard Koch, who portray over twenty eccentric characters of both genders and various ages. A Tuna Christmas runs November 13 through January 10.

Petersburg’s Sycamore Rouge presents Inspecting Carol, a holiday farce that has been called A Christmas Carol meets The Government Inspector meets Noises Off. It tells the story of a man who auditions for A Christmas Carol at a small theatre, but is mistaken for an informer for the National Endowment for the Arts. Everyone caters to the bewildered wannabe actor and everything goes hilariously wrong. Inspecting Carol runs December 4 – 20 at this showpiece of historic Petersburg. g

Experiment with European Beers Next time you’re in European Market (2001.5 W. Main St., Richmond) browse the beer selection. “We have on any given day between 75 and 100 [beers], which rotate seasonally,” owner Jason Savedoff says. “All are available by the bottle…This way, if you’ve never had a given beer before, you are not forced to purchase the entire six-pack.” A shopping bonus: mix and match your own sixpack and receive a 10 percent discount. A case gets 20 percent off.

Two winter brews to try are only made once a year. Austrian Samichlaus, which means Santa Claus and is cellared in the Swiss Alps for an entire year, packs a punch: it’s 14 percent alcohol and the strongest lager in the world. Belgian Gouden Carolus Van de Keize is brewed on Feb. 24, the birthday of Charles V: “Expect flavors of caramel and coffee, with some residual sugars.”

Get the Latest Kitchen Gadgets If you haven’t updated your kitchen gadget collection lately, a trip to Belle & Kitchen Kuisine (3044 Stony Point Road, Richmond) may be in order. They’ve got the latest tools to make culinary experimentation easy. Are you a fan of egg salad?

Check out the new egg slicer from Oxo. “After you’ve cut the egg in one direction, you can swivel the base and slice it in another direction to dice it,” housewares buyer Mary Deitrick says, adding that this makes working with eggs much easier than the old-fashioned slicers that only worked in one direction.

For eco-friendly home cleaning, pick up a pack of three micro-fiber sponges. These babies are designed to shine, clean, dust, polish or dry without leaving dust behind. Plus, once you’re done with them you can throw them in the washing ma-

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chine and then reuse them. You’ll never need another disposable sponge. Bamboo is also an ecofriendly fiber worth experimenting with, and Belle carries bamboo potholders. Deitrick says these potholders are the softest she’s ever touched, and, since bamboo replenishes itself faster than cotton, it’s a more eco-friendly choice.

For cooking, the must-have is a small silicone device: “Normally you try to put the lid on a pot crooked to keep what’s inside from boiling over.

This piece of silicone holds the lid on and lets air in to keep it from boiling over,” Deitrick says.

Lastly, anyone who loves cheese must pick up a specially grooved plastic cheese knife: “Every time we demo it, people buy it,“ Deitrick says. “It cuts cheese so easily, and because of the way its grooves go, the cheese doesn’t stick to it.”

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A Kitchen Dweller’s Dream Come True Modeled after the famous culinary shop in Paris, E. Dehillerin, The Happy Cook (1045 N. Emmet St., Charlottesville) bursts with vibrant colors and reflective shine. Owner Monique Mosier supplies only “tried and true” cookware, refusing the “gimmicky” products you’ll find in large box stores.

Specializing in American and Europeanmade products like Pillivuyt, The Happy Cook frequently performs in-store testing to ensure the ultimate functionality of all products.

Perfect Party Frocks You may think of Bella Rosa (11114 W. Broad St., Richmond) as strictly for wedding gowns, but owner Heather Harton also stocks her shop with a large selection of cocktail and formal dresses featuring lines like Sue Wong, Max and Cleo (a division of BCBG) and Tadashi. Harton says if you want to look chic while hitting the holiday party circuit forego red, green and

black in lieu of jewel tones.

“We’re seeing lots of navy blues and plums,” she says. Baby doll styling remains popular: “It’s comfortable to wear and it’s flattering on everyone,” Harton says.

Other popular must-try-on styles include frocks that are cut like baby doll dresses, but have a band cinching them in at the bottom and bubble hems.

‘Real Life’ Apparel The industrial feel of concrete floors, glass, and metal contained within the four walls of Bittersweet (located in The Glass Building, 313 2nd St. SE, Charlottesville) is beautifully balanced by soft sweaters, cute dresses, unique accessories, and Frye boots.

Bittersweet’s owner, Shannon Iaculli, does not supply a fancy or frilly clothing selection. Instead, her goal is to help her customers keep their clothing costs down by providing “very wearable, affordable, real life, comfortable” women’s apparel.

Snacks Made to Share Sammy Snacks (2130 Barracks Road, Charlottesville) was born through Pamela Peterson’s determination to make a sweet treat for her Labrador Retriever. Although he loved his own treats, Sammy was more interested in the Peterson’s chocolate chip cookies. Together, the Petersons researched & tested recipes made from human grade ingredients and came up with foods they could share with Sammy.

Today, Sammy Snacks provides various all-natural treats, baked goods, dog food, cat food, and accessories for man’s (and woman’s) best friend.

Fall Stylishly Fraiche (304 Libbie Ave., Richmond), the newest home décor store at Libbie and Grove, is filled with tasteful takes on fall colors that add warm accents to the home and table. Fraiche is the only store in the area to carry Le Jacquard Francais linens from France. Owners Vickie Blanchard and Lou Gambill love the elegant, subdued patterns so much they made some of the napkins into throw pillows: “They have a chocolate brown chenille backing,” Blanchard says. “And the napkin is a green and turquoise with a chocolate background with a toneon-tone leaf design.” Le Jacquard for the table comes in lots of au-

tumnal tones. Pair these with antler candlesticks or a rusty wire vase for a look that channels a warm, holiday feeling but will look fresh until spring.

If you’ll be out tailgating this season, you must pick up some melamine plates by Studio G. “They are plastic and dishwasher safe,” Blanchard says. “We have a full range of colors.” There are also melamine serving platters in eyecatching patterns: one looks like a slice of wood and another looks like a peacock. These pair perfectly with upscale Ascot insulated bags that are lighter and more stylish than the traditional coolers.

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Fun with Science

Foster a little scientist with a host of products that are both fun and educational from Jabberwocky Children’s Books & Toys (810 Caroline St., Fredericksburg). A Backyard Safari Talking Bug I.D. magnifying glass helps kids examine and identify bugs: “You put a bug under this magnify-

ing glass and it will ask you questions about it,” co-owner Mona Albertine says. “Then it will tell you what kind of bug it is.” The glass can has 50 different types of bugs programmed into it and it also has a built-in trivia game.

Once you know what kind of bug you’ve got, put in the Big Bad Booming Bugs Electronic Observation Station and listen to the sounds it makes. Once a kid places a bug inside the funky green “bug dome” a magnifying lens on top allows a larger look at the shape, and a special microphone amplifies every sound and move they make.

For kids who’d rather avoid creepy crawlies, go for a build-your-own garden kit. You can choose from cacti or even an exotic garden that comes complete with a Venus Flytrap.

Black Cat Keeps You Rollin’ Whether you skate ramps, bowls, or the streets, Black Cat Sk8 Shop (1325 W. Main St., Charlottesville) is stocked to keep your wheels in motion. Owner Andy Foster has been skating since 1975 and is an excellent resource on selecting the perfect board to suit your needs.

Black Cat carries a wide variety of decks (including long boards), trucks, wheels, and all things ‘skater,’ while giving you three options for creating custom t-shirts.

Fashion-Forward Men’s Skivies When Robert Clark started Skiviez (9415F Atlee Commerce Blvd, Ashland), he was a senior at Virginia Tech who needed a few credits to graduate.

He created a business plan for an online men’s underwear store, but never intended to actually start the company. Then, when he graduated, rather than accept any of the jobs he interviewed for, Clark decided to give Skiviez, or www.skiviez.com, a shot. He officially launched the business in Blacksburg in 2000 and moved the headquarters to Glen Allen in 2008.

“The first year I pretty much went broke doing it,” Clark says, adding that Skiviez focuses

on underwear for the trendier man: “We’re going for the fashion-conscious consumer that likes to spend money on underwear,” he says, adding “We ship all over the world.” Most shipments outside the United States go to Western European countries, although shipmets have gone as far as China and Japan.

Clark attributes the success of Skiviez to forecasting: “We’re pretty good at predicting what people are going to buy,” he says. What’s hot this year? “This is year is the first year colors are taking over,” he says, adding that low-rise briefs are the most popular style.

Affordable gifts for the holidays!

The 43rd Street Gallery begins it Holiday Open House November 28th. You are invited to enjoy refreshments as you browse the large selection of fine crafts made by artisans specializing in jewelry pottery,wood, glass, and mixed media. Shop local and find gifts for everyone on your list.

Open daily for the holidays in December. Hours: 10-6, Mon. - Fri. 10-5, Saturday. 12-4 Sunday.

For more information, call 804-233-1758 or go to www.43rdstgallery.com

Consider the Lily is Richmond’s unique “feel Good” gift store and best kept secret! Faith-filled and located in the heart of Lakeside, CONSIDER THE LILY inspires the spirit and nourishes the soul. Whether it's an uplifting quote, a cute gift for baby, a special scent or candle from The Thymes collection, or a “just for you”Vera Bradley handbag from our Vera Bradley boutique; you’ll always find something special and heartfelt. Come in and be refreshed! 6943 Lakeside Ave. (804) 262-3200 www.considerthelily.com

Embrace Your Inner Girly Girl Winter goodies like bath products by Lollia at Simply Lilly (710 Caroline St., Fredericksburg) will help you find your inner princess. The combination of quality products and glamorous packaging drew owner Lilly Bullock to Lollia products like foaming bubble bath that comes in a delicate, oldHollywoodish eye-catching glass bottle: “It looks great sitting next to the tub,” she says. “They’re really beautiful packages with wonderful fragrances.”

You’ll find a host of the indulgence-inspiring Lollia goodies including travel-sized hand creams and shower gels. “They make great stocking stuffers, or a great gift put in a bunch together inside a cosmetic bag.” To accompany this wonderfully feminine collection, Simply Lilly also carries bath fizzies that look like replicas of cupcakes: “They’re just a

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lot of fun for all ages,” Bullock says.

If you’re more of a domestic diva, pick up a Gram’s Apron. “They look like dresses,” Bullock says about this line that comes in a range of frilly patterns.

“They’re great not just for cooking, but also for art and gardening.”

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Need a unique gift? Have a hard-to-buy for-person on your list? We look forward to assisting you in purchasing an exceptional piece of art for all your loved ones while staying within your budget. Choose from locally created paintings, mosaics, photography, jewelry, fused glasswork, pottery, woodworking, and much more!! For more Information call (804) 278-8950 or visit www.crossroadsartcenter.com Monday- Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday Noon - 4pm.

Shopping S p r e e

Garry-Lou Upton is an artist who loves to work with bold colors, different mediums and diverse subject matter. I have had some wonderful teachers who have given me permission to do the mundane, to experiment, and to fly. Each has been instrumental in helping me take that next step. Pushing “my” envelope is my way of keeping my paintings fresh, alive and meaningful. See more of Garry-Lou’s works at Crossroads Art Center. www.crossroadsartcenter.com

CREATIONS BY VIENNA Wearable art. One of a kind, handmade jewelry created by Vienna in her Richmond studio. Necklaces may be custom designed for you by calling 804.355.2535 to set an appointment. Beads from her latest trips to Mongolia. Siberia, the Baltic and the Persian Gulf areas are available. Vienna also also just published a beautiful coffee table book of poetry and photography based on her travels around the world.

Discover for Yourself this unique and beautiful collection of hand-tinted historic black and white photos by photographer/artist Susan Bock. The special process of hand-tinting brings new life and vitality to each image. Great for your home or office or for gifts for the holidays. This vast collection includes scenes of Richmond, rural Virginia, A Celebration of Women, the Civil War and much, much more and can be viewed at www.art2die4.net or call for additional information (840) 457-2455.

Dransfield Jewelers-From the moment you step from the cobblestones into Dransfield Jewelers’ intimate setting in Richmond’s Shockoe Slip, it looks and feels different. For seventeen years, owner Don Dransfield and his on-site staff of designer goldmiths have provided not only beautiful hand-crafted jewelry, diamonds, pearls, and gemstones that will last a lifetime, but the kind of hands-on personal service that is as unique as their dazzling creations. Browse our site www.DransfieldJewelers.com visit at 1308 East Cary St. Call (804) 643-0171

Embellish offers an eclectic selection of gift ideas as well as fabulous accessories for your home and garden. The shop mixes different styles and colors to create a unique and individualized look. Offerings include tabletop, wall accessories, lighting, frames, planters, garden art, body care products from Zents and Panier des Sens, and jewelry. Select regional artists enhance the mix.

Visit Richmond’s only Custom Framing Boutique! FRAME NATION is metro Richmond’s source for contemporary and international frame design. Featuring one of our signature “recycle style” frame treatments (as seen above). www.FrameNation.net, 11 South 15th St. River District (804) 643-7263

Gearharts Fine Chocolates is an artisinal chocolate shop located in Charlottesville’s Main Street Market that specializes in handmade confections of uncompromising quality. Chocolatier Tim Gearhart uses intruiging combinations of flavors and textures to create his nationally-acclaimed, signature collection of fine chocolates. Think of Gearharts this season for truly exceptional Holiday Gifts, handmade in Virginia!

Visit us online!: www.gearhartschocolates.com Gearharts Fine Chocolates: 416-C W. Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22903 phone: 434.972.9100

Jager Gallery and Custom Picture Framing Art for the people and places you love. Welcome to a great neighborhood gallery. Works of regional artists will brighten your home with original paintings of the eastern shore, nautical scenes,Virginia wildlife, and photography of historical landmarks. Handcrafted jewelry, pottery, turned wood and stained glass make excellent gifts. Custom picture framing is designed and built on location. The Hub Shopping Center, 6939 Lakeside Ave. 10-6 Mon. - Fri. 10-4 Sat. 804-262-2931

elegant * eclectic * fun * funky * fabulous Located at 5105 Lakeside Ave.

D’ S I G N S Paintings and Prints by Terrie Powers Colorful documentary depictions of the old neonand-iron signs seen up and down Broad St., Jeff Davis and Rt. 60. A salute to the designers of Richmond’s old signage, in vibrant animation. Available now as prints at Crossroads Art Center,Visual Arts Studio, and at myspace.com/terriepowers.

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The Empire Strikes Back IDENTIFYING AND EVALUATING EXAMPLES OF AMERICA’S FIRST TRULY GREAT FURNITURE STYLE Empire Pieces Recently Spotted in Fredericksburg

R and R Antiques 1001 Caroline Street Five-Drawer Empire Dresser in Mahogany Beck’s Antiques 708 Caroline Street Empire Pier Table in Mahogany with Black Marble Top Empire Side Table with Replaced Pulls Empire Sleigh Bed from 1840’s in Mahogany Blue Shark Antiques 904 Caroline Street Large Empire Buffet in Walnut with Three Drawers on Top and Four Drawers on Bottom Empire Chest in Cherry with Drawers in Contrasting Tiger Maple

The Empire style came from France, created by architects Percier and Fontaine for Napoleon. Largely shunned in Britain because of its association with hostile France, it found no such opprobrium in the young United States. Designers such as Charles-Honoré Lannuier transformed the monumental grandeur of the style, and its French origins gave way to distinct American forms.

Its broad, simple shapes were well suited to manufacturing. Local variations arose, such as the stately columns favored in New York, and the elaborate carved decoration often produced in Philadelphia.

Case furniture was commonly made from lightweight woods such as pine or gumwood, and veneered with lavish wide sheets of dark tropical mahogany. Pieces made in smaller, ‘country’ workshops often made proud exhibitions of beautiful American woods, such as wild cherry and tiger maple, often with drawer fronts of solid wood.

The popularity of Empire furniture ended sharply after the Civil War, replaced by the historical ‘revival styles’ of Victorian furniture. Empire remained unpopular until the early 1980’s, when it began to be recognized for what it is: the first truly great

American style of furniture.

The true classic of the style is the famous Empire chest of drawers.

These vary in size, but tend toward the large. The features vary, too; but there is nearly always a wide ‘frieze’ drawer at top, often apparently held aloft by columns or scrolling supports. The most common defect is the loss of a hinged mirror at back.

Drawer pulls, often originally of pressed glass, are sometimes replaced with brass or wooden knobs; this can be detected on the inside of the drawer front. Feet can break off and be replaced, too, and veneers can come away and require reattachment or restoration. Defects such as these should be reflected in the price of a chest, but are more than made up for by the sheer volume of drawer space that an Empire chest provides. Also their simple forms fit well into many interior-decorating schemes; they blend well with most traditional interiors, and can be a stunning centerpiece in a contemporary setting as well. g

OUR ANTIQUES SCOUT IS AN ART DEALER, ART HISTORIAN, AND FORMER AUCTION HOUSE APPRAISER WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE HISTORY OF DECORATIVE ARTS. HIS COLUMNS ARE AN OCCASIONAL FEATURE IN

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In preparation for the holiday season, Benjamin and April Yasmeen Walker, owners of Walker Home (900 Caroline St., Fredericksburg) have focused on complementing their elegant Asian furniture collection with gifts: “We’re working towards the theme of over 500 gifts under $25,” Benjamin says. The two have spent hours seeking out distinctive artisans in America. Look for extraordinary jewelry ranging from handmade oragami-

inspired pieces to complement the store’s Asian feel, to inventive pendants made from vintage maps of Virginia and Paris. The Walkers have also added four new lines of purses and numerous selections of plates and housewares. “I honestly don’t know where we’re going to put all the ornaments we’re getting in,” Walker adds. “For ornaments and decorations we’ve really focused on fun, unique and inexpensive.”

A New Home for Rivers’ Edge If you’re looking for the well-edited selection of antiques and new home decor items at Rivers’ Edge, head to the new location at No. 12 W. Bank St. in Petersburg. Owner Beverly Rivers and her husband Jeff Abugel have had their eyes on their new property for six years: “It’s the building where Edgar Allen Poe spent his honeymoon,” Rivers says. “We’re both writers and we wanted to bring this building back to its original style.”

The new location is packed with reasonably-priced holiday gifts, whether you need stocking stuffers or hostess presents. Shop the se-

lection of vintage-inspired postcards with Paris scenes or birds that are embellished with glitter for a stylish stocking stuffer. In need of something special to tote to a party? Skip the cookies or another bottle of wine and grab some glamorous candlesticks that will remind the host of you for years to come. If you’ve already found an extra special gift, pick up a gift purse that looks like a vintage mitten to hide it in. Or, grab a larger candy box that looks like the Eiffel Tower. You can use it to hold gifts, or as the centerpiece for a European tablescape.

Urge.

Accessorize at e.e. smith You might think of e.e. smith (824 Caroline St., Fredericksburg) as a must-shop for multicolored furniture, but stop in this season for standout accessories. e.e. smith happens to be one of the few stores in the state to carry Harveys handbags that are handmade from seatbelts by a husband and wife in California. Owner Ellen Fortunato

Grabbable Gifts

says there are styles available to suit any personality from small and neutral-toned to big and bright.

As temperatures lower, you’ll want to warm up with Little Journeys limited edition hand-knit scarves and gloves made by women in Peru. “They’re not as thick and chunky as some hand-knit items,” Fortunato says. “And they come in really elegant colors.” There are

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simple styles with combinations of bold, solid colors and subtle patterns, as well as more intricate designs featuring flowers and butterflies.

While you’re shopping, make sure to look up and notice the colorful star-shaped paper lanterns with bohemian-inspired prints: “We sell a lot of red and white ones at Christmas,” Fortunato says.

‘FEARLESS’ FASHION Laurianda Jenkins

Paired with a simple turtleneck shell, Jenkins’ Flower Power skirt in cotton with silk lining makes a splashy statement.

Even in fourth grade, Laurianda Jenkins’ sewing machine was a tool for artistry and practical innovation.

“The school I went to provided home economics, and our assignment was to sew character-shaped pillows. My first pillow was a lightning bug in a jar,” she says. It didn’t take long for experienced seamstresses to notice.

“I took the pillow with me to my grandmother's house, and her neighbor asked if I could pin and cut some patterns for her. I only got paid 12 bucks, but I was one happy kid.”

Jenkins begged her parents for a sewing machine of her own and got one the following Christmas.

“From there, I started purchasing commercial patterns and sewing things. This is how I learned the technical aspects of pattern making. When I couldn't find what I had in mind at the stores, I just created it myself,” says Jenkins.

Now she creates it for others, too. Jenkins’ designs retail at Richmond’s Heidi Story and online at Etsy.com and ThisLittleCity.com. Jenkins also designs couture pieces for individual clients.

“A lot of woman have issues with fit, or they love a particular style but want a longer skirt for work or some other slight change to fit their environment. I love this part of the business,” says Jenkins.

She cites Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld’s Chloe line as influences.

“I call them the ‘dare to win’ designers, because their designs are fearless and confident,” she says. This attitude is reflected in the gingham and lace dress from her current line. With a change of accessories, it can go to the office, a holiday party, or both.

“It’s that creative piece that you will wear when you just want to feel good. I always get a compliment from someone when I wear it in public. Never fails! It's definitely a piece about which you eventually hear yourself say, ‘That’s one of my favorite dresses.’”

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Jenkins’ red cocktail skirt applies touches of equestrian hardware to luscious satin.

Paired with a black lace camisole top, it can take you to cocktails or a holiday party in style.

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A favorite of Jenkins’ is the ultra-versatile and super-elegant gingham and lace dress. Shown here in gold, it is also available in dusty pink or light slate blue.

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A Pleasant Peasant: Jenkins’ silk peasant dress, shown in peach, is also available in plum or black.

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Trendy Flashbacks

BAUBLE FINDER Angelo

An unparalleled collaboration between Richmond’s Valentine Museum and modern downtown retailer, Henry, has spawned a nostalgic new line of limited edition graphic t-shirts. On November 7, First Friday goers got a quick history lesson on timeless Richmond style during the unveiling of the designs inspired by items in the museum’s History Center Collection. If you’re interested in owning your own trendy little flashback, the Valentine

designs are available at Henry, located at 212 West Broad Street, until the last of these one-of-a-kind creations is plucked from the rack. Only twelve of each design exists though, so it won’t be long before they themselves become Richmond history. g

It’s hard to believe that former junior high math teacher Lee Marraccini started his design career on a whim.

In 1972, Marraccini took his very first jewelry-making class as a means to satiate a simple curiosity and desire to create. Since then, he has worked continuously to perfect his skills and gain the respect of the design community.

On a blackboard near his workbench, Marraccini allows his designs the freedom to evolve naturally from conceptual state to work-of-art. His jewelry shows not only his mastery of stone inlays and metal manipulation, but also his ability to read a stone

and know its desired form.

“If things change, let it go,” says Marraccini. This laissez-faire design approach is what enables him to create the style of jewelry he has become known for—pieces with clean, contemporary lines complimented by expertly cut stones.

Lee Marraccini's jewelry is sold at his Charlottesville store, Angelo (an homage to his father, Angelo Marraccini), as well as at craft shows and stores nationwide. He can also be seen from November 21, 2008 to November 23, 2008 at Richmond's Science Museum of Virginia for the 44th Annual Craft+Design Show.

Aurea

Hutchison, Ltd Step into Hutchison, Ltd. on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg’s historic Old Town, and you feel as if you have walked into a big-city boutique. Racks of dresses by international designers line the shop’s lipstick-pink walls. A sleek black grand piano provides a dramatic focal point in the center of the airy, loft-like space.

One of proprietor Glenda Hutchison’s most popular designers is also her favorite: Vivienne Tam. Born in Canton, China, but raised in Hong Kong, Tam’s bi-cultural upbringing in the then-British colony is reflected in her signature East-meets-West fashions.

Tam’s designs are beautifully

set off by a selection of antique Chinese ceramics that Hutchison displays in a vintage Art Deco retail display case. The shop also carries Central Park Cashmere and jewelry

by Alexis Bittar.

“I began carrying Alexis Bittar when he was selling on a card table in SOHO,” says Hutchison.

Wanting to raise her daughter in a smaller city, Glenda Hutchison relocated to Fredericksburg from Washington, DC, and opened the store in 1992.

Hutchison finds that the smaller size and gentler pace that initially attracted her to Fredericksburg does not mean a parochial attitude toward style.

“Fredericksburg is truly wonderful,” she says. “It has its own fashion-forward clientele. But it also has national and international tourists who discover the store, so I ship all over the world.”g

Yee May Chin is the owner of Aurea, a shop in Richmond’s West End. Aurea is as exotic as it sounds.

Aurea means “gold” in Latin and gold is but one of the wonderful things this store offers.

Aurea is a trove of eye-popping baubles captured from faraway places by the expert eye of Yee May Chin, the owner. ” Travel and jewelry are my two great passions,” she says. “I wanted to bring to Richmond the treasures I saw in foreign lands.”

Yee May’s mother, whose name happens to be Jade, had grown up in a village in China located near a large jade mine. When the Communists came into power, her parents fled with her to Hong Kong. From there, she came to the US.

Yee May and her parents traveled to China and were able to find both the village and her ancestral home. A bigger surprise was finding two elderly uncles still residing in the house. They remembered Yee May’s mother as a small child. They also found the jade mine.

Yee May and her parents, shipped back jade bracelets and necklaces of pale to deepest green, rare black and brown, richly striated with slivers of red, gold and black. A lotus flower of white imperial jade hangs on a silken chord. Green jade earrings, faced with silver, dangle… so translucent that pale light passes through them. Her collection of “chicken blood” red jade sold out almost immediately.

Yee May was amazed to see the lifestyle that her mother had experienced. And she found her trove of jade. Aurea is located at Parc Place, next to the Short Pump Town Centre. g

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1. Kelsey Hulveg: Sweater and t-shirt from Diversity Thrift; leggings and pink American Apparel Shoes from Keds; Bag from Chrome. In a sea of art students it not only takes a unique look but also a vibrant personality to stand out from the crowd. Using accessories to balance her color scheme, Kelsey has pieced together a simple yet bold headturning look. 2. Aaron Newsome: Brown tweed hat, green and blue plaid scarf from American Eagle; vest, royal blue and grey sweater from Urban Behaviors; blue skinnies from Hot Topic; blue, cranberry, and chocolate Nike Dunks; grey H&M bag; black nail polish. Ryan Sample: Plaid vest from Goodwill; H&M low-rise blue jeans, plaid shirt and glasses from FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS thrift; white lace-up vans from Dominion Skateboard. Growing up in small towns that didn't offer visual diversity this fashion forward duo learned to combine vintage thrift looks with modern day trends. Harrison Street has become the southern Bleeker Street. Where else other than Richmond can you find Nike Dunks paired with American Eagle vests? 3. Whitney Rainey: Shoes from Urban Outfitters; skirt and sweater from H&M; blouse from Forever 21; coat from her grandmother; hat - vintage. Whitney pulls reference from the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt and Alfred Hitchcock to create a modern day American Amelie. Her vibrant color palette creates a stark contrast against a bleak November sky. 4. John Reeves: Levi’s jeans; Polo jacket; vans Ali Steeby: Entire look is wonderful thrift store finds. November marks a change in seasons allowing stylish individuals to layer and combine materials and textures. Having developed their style through the local music scene, John and Ali hold Richmond dear to their heart. Pairing bright solids with monotone plaids generates a youthful yet timeless look. 5. Danny Reidy: As the colorful autumn leaves fade away and bare tree branches become the season's backdrop, neutral tones replace jewel tones as the favored everyday basic. Danny contrasts shades of brown to depict the essence of comfort and ease. 6. VCU Art Students who were late to class: For some, fashion is making more out of less. By combining solid blacks and grays with dramatically colored shoes, bags or scarves, a struggling art student is able to stretch a wardrobe to create outfits for every evolving mood. These two creative individuPHOTOS & WORDS BY MARSHE WYCHE, CO-OWNER (WITH CASEY LONGYEAR) OF RUMORS BOUTIQUE IN THE FAN. als display the epitome of modern thrift store panache.

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Nether Regents

THE KINGS OF BELMONT INJECT JAM ROCK WITH A WELL-DESERVED DOSE OF FUNNY WORDS & PHOTO BY STEPHEN BARLING Hunkered down in the furrowed hills of Charlottesville's Belmont neighborhood, the self-declared regents of the region, the Kings of Belmont, are brainstorming for their upcoming Halloween show.The “Queens of Belmont” (the boys will be in drag) are plotting a night of “chick tunes.”

Go-Go’s, Breeders, Madonna, definitely some M.I.A. It should be interesting. And, knowing these five ne’er-dowells, hilarious.

Inspired bonehead wit is a cornerstone of the K.O.B. experience—earning them comparisons to Ween or Tenacious D. But the band is no joke, drawing adamant crowds to their big jams, tight arrangements, high musicianship, chant-able party anthems and classic rants. Musically, they may lean slightly toward a certain infamous Vermont-based jam troupe (Phish), but their material is hardly derivative, ranging from garage angst to thoughtful rock to over-the-top hip-hop. Sometimes all at once.

The Kings of Belmont are turning the long corner of just-for-kicks and accelerating into the passing lane of more-than-capable. What started out as an oddball guitar/keyboard duo (Ross van Brocklin and Aaron Ahlbrandt, respectively) mushroomed into a comprehensive rock project when the duo expanded for a series of wildly popular Ween tribute shows.

This hommage project dubbed “Peen” was an easy outlet for the quintet, but their interest in pursuing life as clones was minimal at best. And with guitarist Max Collins on lead, they now had three songwriters and a fiery soloist. The full-on-rock Kings of Belmont was complete with the addition of drummer John Spagnolo and bassist Chris Coleman. While not for the faint-of-heart (or P.C. of spirit), the Kings are accessible even as they stretch out a jam to aggrandize the finer points of partying. The exhilarating extended wallop that follows tells the rest of the story. Long live the Kings! g

[Clockwise from left]: Max Collins Chris Coleman John Spagnolo Aaron Ahlbrandt Ross van Brocklin, and SOUNDMAN (and sixth king) Mike Bullock

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[left to right] Matt Bradshaw Ryan Little Ross Marshall Adam Bray WORDS BY

stead of the usual $5.

“We’ve found that more college students that are 21 come to ’18 and up’ shows because they can hang out with their friends who aren’t old enough to drink,” says Marci Rybitski, bar manager for the Loft.

Tereu Tereu bassist Adam Bray, who is dressed tonight as Elton John circa 1972, is in charge of promoting college nights at the Loft.

“If you asked me to promote to the over 21 crowd, I wouldn’t know where to start,” Bray says. “It’s so much easier to reach college students because of Facebook.com. When people read online that 90 of their friends are going to the Loft on Thursday, they know it’s the place to be.”

11th House

Self-described ex-jamband 11th House played at Richmond’s Capital Ale House on Nov. 20.

They plan to focus their energy on self-recording and producing their second album.

The group began as a genre-jumping jam and groove quartet but now prioritizes songwriting over improvisation and wants to eschew

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SUSANNAH CLARK

Tereu Tereu formed in 2006 when its members were still students at Mary Washington. The progressive-pop quartet now plays shows in the Richmond and DC areas as well.

“We’re a Fredericksburg band at heart,” says Bray.

Dressed in a ghost costume, 18-year-old Steve Demetro says being able to go the Loft once a month has helped him adjust to Mary Washington.

“As a freshman, I’m so happy I discovered this place,” Demetro says. “It’s a great stress reliever to go out and dance in a safe atmosphere.”

Richmonders can catch Tereu Tereu at Highwater on Wednesday, November 26. This free show also features Prabir and the Substitutes.

WORDS BY

ZAC J. BARDOU

the noodling for well-crafted rock and roll.

Their first record, First Light, was recorded at a studio, but this time the band wants to tackle the new project on their own. Besides saving them a great deal of money, self-production will also afford the band exclusive creative control over their work.

TEREU TEREU PHOTO: SHERVIN LAINEZ; DEAN FIELDS PHOTO: DON MEARS; 11TH HOUSE PHOTO: WAYNE DEMENT

Tereu Tereu @ The Loft It’s Halloween Eve and the Loft is full of pirates, witches and Alaskan vice-presidential nominees.

The designated “under 21” section is bumping with costumed co-eds, shaking their hips and waving their X-marked hands to the sounds of Tereu Tereu.

Situated on top of Frederick’s Steak and Seafood on Princess Anne Street in Downtown Fredericksburg, the Loft is a bar and music venue that hosts a variety of local and nationallyrecognized acts.

On the last Thursday of every month, the Loft opens its doors to patrons who are over 18 but under 21. The underage crowd, which consists mainly of University of Mary Washington students, has to pay a higher cover fee—$8 in-

MUSIC MATTERS

WORDS BY

ZACHARY J. BARDOU

Dean Fields On Oct. 17, acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter Dean Fields celebrated the release of his third album, Everything Just Happened the Way that it Happened, at Capital Ale House in downtown Richmond. The folk artist’s music has been featured on MTV’s Real World, Road Rules and Sorority Life and he plans to begin a national tour in January. Fields earned accolades for the soulfulness and honesty of his music while at the University of Miami and cut his first album, Imitations, in 2002. On his second album, Songs on the Mend, Fields focused on solo acoustic music, but his latest effort marks a return to a full band that includes many musicians Fields has known since high school here in Virginia.Catch his Dec. 4 solo show at the Camel in Richmond.

29th Division Funky and experimental jazz-groove trio 29th Division plans to record a new Jason Jarrell album over the holidays and is gearing up for a special New Year’s Eve show at Cary St. Café comDave Klemencic plete with a horns section and other special guests.

Brothers Larry Alen Jarrell and Jason Jarrell, Larry Alen Jarrell the former rhythm section of Seven Pound Star and keyboardist Dave Klemencic of Southside Funk Orchestra formed the band last November and have been cultivating their sound at Cary St. with a regular gig every Wednesday night for the last year. The band is currently focused on expanding their catalogue while finding the time to collaborate with other favorite local musicians.

Richmond Folk Festival The National Folk Festival relocated to Butte, Montana in 2008 after a three-year stint here in the River City, but on Oct. 10-12, the inaugural edition of the Richmond Folk Festival drew even bigger crowds than last year’s National while boasting a completely new line-up.

First presented in 1934 by the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the National Folk Festival is always free to the public and brings together a wide variety of music, artwork and food reflective of the myriad cultural traditions from throughout the world. The annual festival is held in each host city three times.

The NCTA hopes, however, that the inspired host city will continue on with its own regional variation of the celebration after the national festival moves on. With the founding organization’s eager direction and support, Venture Richmond recaptured the river-front magic of last year’s event in 2008.

Over 30 bands from all over the globe

RFF PHOTOS COURTESY OF SKIP ROWLAND/VENTURE RICHMOND

graced seven stages scattered along the waterfront. The Virginia Folklife Area featured arts and crafts of immigrant cultures within the state, including Mongolian masks and costumes from residents of Arlington County and traditional German chocolate-making from Manassas.

Brown’s Island was transformed into a bustling Dionysian village beneath the glowing Richmond skyline, lined with purveyors of food and drink crafted in the traditions of many different worldwide cultures.

The first annual Richmond Folk Festival drew 185,000 people and Public Relations Manager Katie Boyer says work to make the second one a reality has already begun. The first priority, she says, is securing sponsorships from local businesses for 2009. While the festival is free to the public, it costs nearly 1.5 million dollars to put on, so the continued support and generosity of successful companies within the community are crucial to the event’s future.

DEAN FIELDS PHOTO: DON MEARS; 29TH DIVISION PHOTOS: JAMES YOUNG

The Itals Shine at the RFF The downtown waterfront and island network have hosted a slew of reggae bands over the years, from internationally celebrated acts like the Wailers and Eek-A -Mouse to regional bands such as John Brown’s Body. It was therefore appropriate that veteran Jamaican roots group The Itals closed down the second night of the 2008 inaugural Richmond Folk Festival on the Ukrop’s/First Market Bank Stage with a lively, crowd-igniting set of Rastafarian rhythms.

On Brown’s Island, the Dan Tyminski Band plucked and picked at a twangy bluegrass clip while go-go band E.U. pumped out pop covers for the dancing masses. But, after a day of diverse musical performance from all over the world, The Itals brought Saturday The Itals to a close with a bang took the stage on the mainland, and quickly whipped up a dancing frenzy beneath the glowing skyline of downtown Richmond.

Frontman Keith Porter layered his resonant, growling vocals on top of stomping basslines and the tropical trill of the organ danced with the high hats. The seven performers turned in raucously spirited renditions of roots classics like “Rastafari Chariot” and “Ina Dis Time,” urging the crowd to howl along with the refrains.

Even as the festival coordinators turned on the lights to signal the end of the evening, the band pushed ahead and, after paying brief acappella tribute to Bob Marley, capped off the evening with a performance of “Give Me What I Want” that had many in attendance still dancing after the band left the stage.

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Part sporting event, performance art and pure entertainment, CLAW is an affiliation of women arm wrestling each other to raise money for womenrelated causes once a month at Blue Moon Diner in Charlottesville.

‘CLAW’

A DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT CHARLOTTESVILLE LADIES ARM WRESTLING

Introducing herself as Bridezilla, the bride (in virginal white) expressed her hopes for the day—that she, being “40 weeks and a day, ” would be able to make it through the ceremony at the Church of the Last Resort before giving birth.

This is not another Hollywood wedding, but the opening scene of CLAW, a documentary film about Charlottesville Ladies Arm Wrestling. CLAW is an avant-garde, sensory overload that filmmaker Brian Wimer is excited to be a part of.

“I think on one level independent film and

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WORDS BY

projects like CLAW are really bringing entertainment into a more egalitarian place. Everyone has the ability to create and participate in the process,” says Wimer.

Also making a name for himself in the festival circuit, Wimer received the Audience Award in 2006 and 2007, as well as the Jury Award in 2006 for Virginia Film Festival’s Adrenaline Film Project.

He recently won awards for Best Writing, Best Direction, Audience Award Runner-up and Best Film Runner-up for a short film that was completely

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JENN HENDERSON

PHOTOS BY

BRIAN WIMER

shot, edited, and screened in under a weekend for the 48-Hour Film Project.

CLAW,Wimer’s first foray into non-fiction film, will be ready for the festival circuit after premiering at The Bridge in conjunction with a show by photographer Billy Hunt.

For Wimer,there was no better focus for his first documentary than the excitement of CLAW where alter-egos and “paradoxes of femininity” compete.

“You’re on the edge of your seat and that’s what documentary filmmaking is all about.” g

Beauty Begins Backstage WORDS

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Side by Side

FOR RICHMOND ACTORS ROBYN O’NEILL AND ANGIE SHIPLEY, SUCCESS IN SIDE SHOW WAS ALL ABOUT MAKING THAT CONNECTION

AMY GEORGE

THE VIRGINIA OPERA’S JAMES MCGOUGH CREATES LOOKS THAT HIT THE HIGH NOTES

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AMY GEORGE IS A RICHMOND-BASED PERFUMER AND WRITER. HER ARTICLES HAVE APPEARED ON RICHMOND.COM AND SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE PERFUME BLOG THE SCENTED LIFE.

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visual aspects that support the opera and performers.

“There are many ways to play any given character in opera. I try not to paint the performance on the singer. I paint the character on them and let them play out the conflicts and desires of the character,” says McGough.

Conflict and desire abound in the four Italian operas that make up the Virginia Opera’s current Viva la Passione season, which opens with

Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. Set in an 1830’s Italian villa, it tells of simple peasant Nemorino and dashing Sergeant Belcore as they compete for the affections of beautiful landowner, Adina.

The light, natural makeup effects for Elixir complement a comic opera in a bucolic setting. McGough uses stage makeup brands such as RCMA, Kryolan, and Ben Nye (available in Richmond at Premiere Costumes). He supplements with retail products from Clinque, NARS, MAC, and Sephora.

Adina’s 1830’s costume and hairstyle would not translate to a modern wedding, but the “no-makeup look” that McGough creates is a showcase for classic beauty.

False eyelashes and a well-shaped brow bring attention and definition to the eye area without heavy eyeliner or shadow. Tawny blush and lipstick give a hint of color. Between acts the lips get a touch up—just like a bride would, between ceremony and reception.

McGough relishes his role.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing a singer, at the end of our wig and make-up session, look into the mirror with delight and say, ‘Now I really know who my character is!

Thanks, Jim!’” g

by

TOP PHOTO: STEPHEN J. BAKER; BOTTOM PHOTO: ANNE M. PETERSON

It takes more than divas and Heldentenors to put on a great production.

Take, for example, Virginia Opera wig and makeup designer, James P. McGough [shown left in photos above and below]. Our conversation with him revealed how intricately the players coordinate to produce a spectacular performance in just weeks.

McGough has designed wigs and makeup for over 20 years, 11 of them with the Virginia Opera. Director, performers, costumers, and the wig and makeup artists work to craft

Spoiler Alert: If you hate to know how a magical stage effect works, turn the page. But if you saw Swift Creek Mill’s remarkable production of Side Show and asked, “How did they do that?” read on.

A musical based on Depression Era stage and screen stars Violet and Daisy Hilton, Side Show portrays two women literally joined at the hip. Robyn O’Neill and Angie Shipley had worked with many performers before Side Show —but their run at the Mill was a new experience in teamwork.

“We're both such strong-willed women…so it was challenging both in body and in spirit,” says Shipley, who played Violet.

“The physical connection was achieved simply by the two of us pressing our hips against one another, which turned out to be more difficult than we expected,” says O’Neill, who played Daisy. At first, this meant leg and back pain for both actresses.

“And that was just from walking—choreography was a nightmare,” says O‘Neill. “But after a while, it became second nature.”

O’Neill and Shipley masterfully developed separate identities for their characters, and the two occasionally disconnected to illustrate a “mental separation” technique that Harry Houdini taught them. Even so, they developed psychic connections that real twins report.

“One night we both randomly sang the wrong lyrics in one of the big numbers. I knew I was wrong and thought that Angie had realized it and gone along with me. It turned out that she also sang those wrong lyrics on her own. Little things like that happened all the time,” O’Neill explains.

Shipley describes their sisterly love as capturing the essence of Side Show. “The love that…Daisy & Violet, had for each other is the core of what makes their story so compelling, so I was glad that Robyn and I, by fiercely loving each other so much, were able to do that story justice.” g

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May 14-30, 2009

Jan. 15-31, 2009 09 March 12-28, 20

, Sep. 25 - Oct. 18

2008

Info & Tickets call 804.340.0115 www.henleystreettheatre.org

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WORK IN PROGRESS

In step with Allison LaNeave, the Spirit of the Poinsettia

LATIN BALLET OF VIRGINIA TAKES THE STAGE ONCE AGAIN WITH THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA, A BALLET THAT IS AS TRADITIONAL IN LATIN AMERICAN AS THE NUTCRACKER IS IN THE UNITED STATES. ALLISON LANEAVE, A PRINCIPAL DANCER WITH THE LATIN BALLET, DISCUSSES HER ROLE IN THIS PRODUCTION.

URGE: What role will you play in Legend of the Poinsettia?

URGE: What will we see you in after Legend of the Poinsettia?

LaNeave: I am playing the Spirit of the Poinsettia. The Spirit of the Poinsettia is the essence of the plant that comforts Little Maria and urges her to give the green “weeds” to baby Jesus. Because the gift is given in love, the weeds transform into the beautiful red flowers we know as the Poinsettia. My favorite piece to dance in this production is this transformation when the Spirit leads Maria to the stable and dances the miracle of their hearts.

LaNeave: Our next full-length production will be Baile Y Rumba [March 20 and 21 at Swift Creek Mill].

It is a collection of party dances from across Latin culture, along with dances of the 7 African powers. I am also looking forward to an evening of dance with the Richmond Symphony.

It includes all things Tango and should prove to be one of Latin Ballet’s best performances.

URGE: When do you start preparing for this production?

LaNeave: We start working on Legend as soon as our October production is over. This year it was NuYoRican. We have been doing Legend of the Poinsettia for many years as a collective, so for many of us it has become a relaxed time of remembering the years past. We have a new Earth Angel this year, Nadine Azoulay. And I have the pleasure of working with her in a duet between Earth Angel and the Spirit of the Poinsettia.

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URGE: From your perspective as an artist, what makes Latin Ballet of Virginia unique?

LaNeave: [Artistic Director] Ana Ines King takes dancers from all styles of dance and ethnic backgrounds and blends them into the wonderful spirit of the Latin Ballet.

As a dancer, it’s hard to find a home that consists of something other than just other carbon copies of yourself. It’s very refreshing for the artists—and for the audiences—to see this kind of diversity. g

From Russia (and Django), with Love AS TEMPERATURES DROP, THE RICHMOND BALLET TAKES AUDIENCES ON A WINTRY VOYAGE TO OLD RUSSIA. BUT COME SPRING, THE COMPANY HEATS UP THE STAGE WITH A CONTEMPORARY JAZZ BALLET INSPIRED BY THE MUSIC OF DJANGO REINHARDT.

The Nutcracker is one of those eternal favorites that always pack the house. Guaranteed ticket sales might tempt a lesser company to “phone it in.” Not the Richmond Ballet. A recent (and lavish) set and costume overhaul, along with fabulously innovative staging, make this an entrancing Nutcracker that could easily hold its own against counterparts in much larger markets. The magic continues after each performance, as audience members are invited to meet the performers at a treat-filled Sweets Party. (December 12-23 at Richmond's Landmark Theater.)

Themes of magic and childhood continue in Sergei Prokofiev’s Cinderella. Prokofiev explained that he wanted his music to capture “the poetic love of Cinderella and the prince, the birth and flowering of that love, the obstacles in its path and, finally, the dream realized.”

Richmond Ballet Artistic Associate and Ballet Master Malcolm Burn takes inspiration from Prokofiev’s compelling score to choreograph a unique telling of a centuries-old story that still touches hearts today.

February 13-15 at Richmond’s Land-

mark Theater.

Jazz meets ballet in one of the most popular works in Richmond Ballet’s repertory. Inspired by and staged to the music of Django Reinhardt, Djangology combines soulful sizzle and light-hearted fun in a work created for the company by noted contemporary choreographer Val Caniparoli. The dancers let loose in this playful and unpredictable ballet that has them strutting to “Georgia on My Mind,”“Ain’t Misbehavin’“ and many more. The saucy rhythms of Djangology are augmented the world premiere of Texas-based choreographer Gina Patterson. (March 24-29 at Richmond’s Studio Theater. )g

DANCE NOTES

Wendy Wasserstein’s words, and the ideas that they carry, move with the grace and vitality of a dance. A new performance project uses dance and theatre to explore the work of Wasserstein, whose humor has been called “a necessary bulwark against the disappointments of life” and whose most famous heroine, Heidi Holland, has been termed the cultural ancestor of Carrie Bradshaw. The Words of Wendy Wasserstein: A Theatre/Dance Collaboration presents excerpts from several of Wasserstein’s short plays, including Workout, Medea (cowritten with Christopher Durang), and Boy Meets Girl. The production opens at the Firehouse Theatre Project on January 30 (also the third anniversary of the death of this luminary of the American stage) and runs through February 1.

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Dancer, choreographer and educator Gesel Mason conducts a oneweek residency with the University of Virginia’s Department of Drama and the Dance Program in January.

The week includes master classes and group discussions and culminates in a public performance of Mason’s solo work NO BOUNDARIES: Dancing the Visions of Contemporary Black Choreographers on Saturday, January 17. Several of the nation’s leading contemporary African-American choreographers including Bebe Miller, Donald McKayle, Reggie Wilson, Andrea Woods, David Roussève, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar set original and historical works on Mason for the purposes of NO BOUNDARIES. Mason has also been commissioned to create works for this project, thereby encompassing almost seven decades of choreographic vision. g

In addition to his writing, Decker maintains blogs.poz.com/shawn and performs with his band Synthetic Division.

Rebels With A Cause

PHOTO THIS PAGE AND COVER: JEN FARIELLO

IN 1987, AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY FROM WAYNESBORO, VIRGINIA CONTRACTED HIV AND WAS TOLD HE HAD LESS THAN TWO YEARS TO LIVE. THE SOURCE: TAINTED BLOOD SUPPLIES USED TO TREAT HIS GENETICALLY INHERITED HEMOPHILIC BLOOD DISORDER. TWENTY-ONE YEARS LATER, THIS VERY CHILD IS A HAPPILY MARRIED 33-YEAR-OLD WITH A BEAUTIFUL WIFE LIVING IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. WORDS BY JEFFREY PILLOW Gwenn Barringer and Shawn Decker aren’t your average husband and wife living in Charlottesville. They aren’t your average couple from anywhere.

Their story is unique, full of purpose, driven by the love of one another, and the love of educating others about the truths and misconceptions of HIV/AIDS. Published in 2006 by Penguin Group (USA), Decker’s memoir, My Pet Virus: The True Story of a Rebel Without a Cure, is not the book you would expect from someone given a death sentence before he even hit puberty. But reading Decker’s story gives an immediate glimpse into the author’s everlasting character.

“My story is the American story, just injected with HIV,” Decker says.

“I wanted it to be me, to be funny. Not depressing. Here’s this guy who says he was destined for a medical drama from day one. Born in the month of July with a horoscope sign that’s a disease (Cancer), the symbol of Cancer, a crab—a sexually transmitted little critter; and my parents bestowed upon me the name Shawn Timothy Decker, which—you guessed it—is the acronym S.T.D.” Barringer was a grad student at James Madison University, HIV negative, and a volunteer for an AIDS Service Organization.

Decker had recently broken down the door of his “AIDS closet,” as he calls it, speaking out about his condition after creating a website— mypetvirus.com—documenting his experience as an HIV positive heterosexual male.

The two met in Harrisonburg,Virginia, following a speaking engagement by Jeanne White, the mother of Ryan White, who gained national attention after being forced out of school because of his HIV status in the late 1980’s.

As a self-described “thinblood positoid,” Decker’s memoir indulges his “sick sense of humor” and engages

the reader in understanding the ordinary and extraordinary circumstances that surround his life because of and in spite of his HIV diagnosis.

Like any pimply faced highschool kid, Shawn Decker had hormones that raced non-stop. He wanted a girlfriend, love, and wondered how a French kiss felt. Like millions of other boys in the 1980s, he idolized wrestler Ric Flair, and “my dying wish” he says laughing,“ was to meet Depeche Mode.”

The couple tours the nation over talking about the importance of safe sex, health care access, and answers questions about HIV/AIDS. g

WINTER 2008 | www.URg Eonline.com |

45

Book Reviews Let’s Meet Under the Clock Back in the day, Miller & Rhodes was nothing short of an institution in Richmond. Faithful shoppers flocked to the department store for its one-of-a-kind experience. The department store was clever enough to create signature events and local traditions.

Many residents made visiting the Christmas window displays and seeing Legendary Santa a holiday tradition. Add to that the upscale Tea Room, personalized service, and a unique clock, and the result is a store that became an institution among devoted shoppers and loyal employees.

In Under the Clock: The Story of Miller & Rhodes (The History Press, 2008), authors Earle Dunford and George Bryson provide a fast-paced history of the iconic department store along with interesting photos. Interviews with past employees and shoppers help provide personal accounts of a dry goods store that began in 1885 and over the next 100 years became a cherished landmark.

The book chronicles the methods used by the store to cater to its employees and customers. At one time, executives greeted employees as they reported to work, and shoppers were reimbursed for any merchandise that they deemed unsatisfactory. Annual events like the Book and Author dinner brought celebrities like Art Linkletter and Helen Hayes to Richmond.

While the story is intriguing and nostalgic, the authors don’t shy away from presenting the entire picture. Later chapters cover the gradual desegregation of the Tea Room and the eventual changes in management as the store struggles to stay current. Miller & Rhodes finally went bankrupt in 1989 and closed permanently in early 1990. What followed was a liquidation sale and even an auction of fixtures, including Santa’s chair and the famed instore clock.

Earle Dunford, a graduate of the University of Richmond,

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was city editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch for almost 20 years. George Bryson joined Miller & Rhoads in 1950 and managed stores in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Virginia Beach and downtown Richmond. He was VP of fashion and accessories, and later VP of store management and operations.

David Smitherman

The Healing Power of Art Journey Within: A Healing Playbook (paperback, $18.00) explores the ways art can be used to facilitate personal growth, enhanced spirituality, and creative development. The book is divided into two sections. The first includes thirteen original, abstract works, and the second provides explanation of each drawing. Included in this playbook are instructions on how the reader can use the art to explore personal issues, either individually or in a group setting.

The author, Jeannette Drake, is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in “dream and expression work” in a group setting. She is also an artist and writer whose work has been exhibited around Richmond. She has received two awards from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and published poetry, fiction and non-fiction in various journals, magazines and newspapers since 1968.

While the book may be simplistic in design and concept, it could be beneficial in helping readers realize the healing powers that art can provide…if they just learn how to tap into it.

David Smitherman

Life-Experience Perks While honeymooners around the world flock to exotic beaches in foreign countries, my husband and I went museum-hopping. As certified geeks—not the ones who show up in Volkswagen Beetles to fix your computers—we thrive on learning. Jan Burdick has written a book for folks just like us.

While Creative Careers in Museums (Allworth Press,

2008) won’t win the prize for most creative title, it is an interesting, educational, and possibly life-changing book. Burdick explores not only the types of jobs available—there are many more than you’d ever imagine—she gives valuable insight into looking for the right museum job, crafting a resume and cover letter to wow your future employer, and winning them over at the interview.

With case histories from a myriad of museum employees, she humanizes this sometimes misunderstood profession. Jennifer Rothman, Associate Vice President for Children’s and Public Education at The New York Botanical Garden, for example, shares her typical day—which, as you may imagine, isn’t always so typical—and talks of the unexpected benefits. Says Rothman, “Working in museums offers you a lot of perks. Big companies have financial perks, but museums and gardens and zoos have lifeexperience perks.”

Bard Shepherd, Curator of the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences s ay s , “ S o m e days we call ourselves ‘fish janitors.’“ He and his staff of aquatic biologists develop acquisition and breeding plans, tend to the daily needs of the fish and animals and "several times a week, [he] dons his own scuba gear and dives in for an up-close look at one of his favorite collections—the coral reef habitats.”

From oral historians and archivists to actors, writers and animal keepers, Burdick provides a detailed and inside glimpse into the vast array of museum jobs available—and how to land yourself the perfect gig. With twenty years experience in the museum design field, Burdick speaks with authority and passion. Creative Careers in Museums is a quick, interesting, and enlightening read.

Julie McGuire

JULIE MCGUIRE IS A LITIGATION PARALEGAL. HER PERSONAL ESSAYS & POEMS HAVE APPEARED IN THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR & SEVERAL SMALL PERIODICALS. SHE IS ALSO A FICTION EDITOR FOR THE INTERNET REVIEW OF BOOKS.

www.URg Eonline.com | WINTER 2008

The Browser Implied Consent: A Novel

by Cody Fowler Davis Renowned trial lawyer and awardwinning author Cody Fowler Davis follows up his debut novel Green 61 with a new legal suspense tale entitled Implied Consent that once again pits optimistic, good-natured attorney Anderson Parker against the ruthless Justin Cartwright III. This time around, Justin enlists the help of an attractive paralegal named Nicole to infiltrate Anderson's firm and wreak havoc on his personal and professional life.

ISBN: 9781928662136

We're Still Here by Sandra F. Waugaman & Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, Ph.D.

Both authors traveled across the state interviewing members of each tribe as well as Indians from tribes not indigenous to Virginia.

From members of the Monacan Nation in the western part of the state to the Nansemond tribe in the tidewater area, Indians shared their stories of tribal history and cultural traditions.

ISBN: 1-928662-01-3

Entertaining and Informative-Also helps educators teach concepts required by the Virginia Standards of Learning.

The Switch Effect by Mike Gilbert The Switch Effect: A Real-Life Example of How to Become an Entrepreneur by Richmond author Mike Gilbert offers a revolutionary approach in revealing the nuances of how to take a dream and turn it into reality. This book provides a captivating, yet authentic working example of the entrepreneurial process by explaining how to generate an innovative idea and then how to marshal the resources to make it happen.

ISBN: 978-1928662105

Virginia Colleges 101 by Christina Couch The Ultimate Guide for Students of All Ages Business writer Christina Couch makes it easy for students to locate financial aid in this easy-to-use resource that also provides summaries of all colleges in Virginia. .

ISBN: 9781928662112 Visit Palaribooks.com for more information on these and other titles.

Authors and publishers, promote your title in the region’s premier arts quarterly. List your title, ISBN, 75 words of promotional copy with a thumbnail of your cover for $150 per quarter. Additional advertising space is available contact: Dave Perry at 804.252.3519 or email dp@urgeonline.com

Officer Brian Brown, LAPD (deceased) 1999 28”X22” Collection, Dennis Brown Family

“Paint your own hero.”

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