A Second Look

Membership Associate

2011-12-14T14:36:00.001-08:00

Second Street Gallery, a nonprofit, contemporary gallery,
is seeking a part time Membership & Development Associate.

SSG is a nonprofit contemporary gallery situated in downtown Charlottesville. Founded in 1973, we are one of the oldest surviving nonprofit galleries in the country focused on the art and ideas of our times. SSG serves the community with continuous exhibition and outreach educational programming, and is open and free to the public Tuesday through Saturday. We showcase new work by living contemporary artists, and host over 20 outreach sessions in public schools and with after school clubs each year. We are funded primarily though grants, membership dues, sponsorships, and special events.

Position Description

Primary responsibility is to manage the gallery’s Membership activities. This includes managing the member and donor database; processing new memberships, renewals, solicitations and other mailings; providing grant writing and research support to the gallery director; and some record-keeping and general duties in the office. The position includes occasional physical work.

This is a part time position – 15 hours per week. There is some flexibility in terms of days and times worked. There will also be opportunities for additional hours, especially during exhibition installation, special events and, most importantly, exhibition openings as part of the monthly ‘First Friday’ celebrations.

What we are looking for

• Experience with database and spreadsheet applications
• Experience with Macs
• Good interpersonal skills – on the phone and in person
• Good communication skills
• Discretion – you will be dealing with confidential information

Previous experience in a nonprofit, or in a museum or gallery would be useful, as would a BA in an appropriate field such as art history, arts administration, marketing or business studies. Enthusiasm will get you a long way, too.
A flexible attitude is key to this position. We are a small team in a small office, so chemistry is key. We all have job descriptions, but sometimes we all have to just jump in and help get a huge painting on the wall or collect food for an opening.

How to apply

Please send a letter of interest, resume or CV, and references to Steve Taylor, Director, 115 Second Street SE, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Or to taylor@secondstreetgallery.org

For more information about the gallery, please see our website www.secondstreetgallery.org

2011-05-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

AUCTION!!!

2011-03-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hopefully by now you all know that you can view the works for our upcoming LIVE BENEFIT AUCTION on the website, but we wanted to just whet your appetite for the SILENT AUCTION as well...

Look for works by these artists and more:

George Andrews
Kiki Andrews
Nancy Bass
Lynne Brubaker
Cynthia Burke
Warren Craghead
Trish Crowe
Gabe DeLoach
Aaron Eichorst
Ron Evans
Stacey Evans
Cyndi Gusler
Jennifer Kelley
Michael Kreuger
Corwin Levi
Will May
Judy McLeod
Tim Michel
Steve Miller
Lydia Moyer
Nina Ozbey
Mara Sprafkin
and more...

And just to make sure that everyone is clear on our new format for this year's auction:

The MAIN EVENT will take place on Friday evening, April 8th. You can start the night with a pre-auction three-course dinner at the X Lounge, then move on to cocktails and hors'd'oeuvres at the gallery, followed by the LIVE and SILENT auctions. If you are interested in tickets to any of these, please see the website or call the gallery for info.

In advance of this event, we are offering a few teasers to build the anticipation, and to ensure the democracy of our venture...
on MARCH 24, 5:30 pm in the gallery, our Curator, Rebecca Schoenthal will be in conversation with Philae Knight, Head of Special Projects at Phillips dePury & Co Auction House in New York. The two will discuss how to start, build and grow a collection and the role that auctions can play.

Totally FREE on First Fridays, April 1, you can view all the works in the live auction, but also enjoy the fun of bidding, at our inaugural NEW COLLECTOR'S silent auction. No ticket needed, starting prices on these pieces range from $30 to $300!!!

Mark your calendars: Two Pre-Auction Talks in March

2011-02-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered how the auction world really works - what goes on behind the scenes, how those prices get so high? Ever thought about how to start collecting art yourself or building a collection?

In anticipation of Second Street's New Art Auction on April 8, SSG will host a pairing of talks meant to answer these questions, as well as engage, and inspire you to develop your eye, build your collection, and participate in the excitement of the auction process.

On March 9, Victoria Pouncey will present a talk titled "Demystifying the Auction Process." Pouncey was Senior Vice President and International Head of Proposals at Christie's. During her 17 year career at the auction house, she worked on the sales of important works by 19th and 20th century masters including Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Johns, Rothko and Lichtenstein. She left Christie's in May 2008 to move to Charlottesville with her husband and young daughter.

The evening will begin at 5:30pm with the talk beginning at 6pm. The talk is free to members with a suggested $8 donation for non-members.

On March 24, SSG will host Philae Knight, head of Special Projects at Phillips de Pury and Company, and Rebecca Schoenthal, Curator at Second Street Gallery who will be discussing the mechanics of, and philosophies behind, building an art collection at any level. This event will also promote the New Collectors component of the New Art Auction which showcases unique and affordable contemporary art.

The evening will begin at 5:30pm with the discussion beginning at 6pm.. The talk is free to members with a suggested $8 donation for non-members.

Please RSVP to members@secondstreetgallery.org or call 977-7284.

We look forward to sharing these great topics and talks with you.

Educators' Workshop 2/23/2011! Call us to RSVP...

2011-02-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Bomb Landscape + Monsterface reviewed in The Hook by Laura Parsons

2011-01-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to share this insightful review with you! Visit the link below for the original article or read the full text below. Make sure to plan a visit soon.

Parson's review of Bomb Landscape + MonsterFace in this week's Hook

"A friend once confided that while she was heating water she realized she could simply put her newborn in the pot and boil the baby. She was mortified, but the truth is everyone has dark thoughts. A primal self lurks within that is monstrous and unspeakably brutal, full of fear and the will to survive. That we keep it at bay is what defines our humanity.

Artist Josephine Taylor grapples with her dark imaginings by expressing them on the page, venting basic fears and impulses while controlling them with refined lines and delicate pigments, transforming them into something wondrous. Her stunning large works on paper currently hang at Second Street Gallery.

The 11 images in Taylors’s “Bomb Landscape + Monster Face” belong to two bodies of work. The three nearly floor-to-ceiling drawings from Taylor’s “Bomb Landscape” depict a post-apocalyptic world where humans have become primitive, competing with wild animals and living in makeshift dwellings crafted from fragments of the past. Taylor masterfully lets the page do much of the work by creating reverse silhouettes from the negative space, inking in black backgrounds with barely visible strokes that shift direction to heighten the tension in each image.

Using translucent colored inks, Taylor details facial expressions and sex organs in her nude human figures and emphasizes the eyes and mouths of her snarling Tasmanian Devil-like beasts. Though spare, Taylor’s observation of these elements is meticulously realistic and provides contrast with the dynamic white strands of hair, eyelashes, and tips of fur.

In the diptych, “Bomb Landscape #5,” four animals on the left face off against two men and a woman on the right. Wearing an empty-eyed pelt, one man clasps his hands in seeming supplication to the snapping beasts, while the woman lurches over him, her face contorted as she casts a net while being penetrated from behind by the second man, who looks fearfully upward— his posture and expression exactly echoed by an animal on the left. The scene pulses with desperation and anxiety, yet Taylor’s technique mesmerizes with its beauty.

In her “Monster Face” series, Taylor introduces more color to re-imagine benign family scenes and children’s portraits as ghastly. She removes skin and distorts features, but her lines and colors are delicate and lovely despite the horrific content of her images.

Taylor’s ability to render menacing visions with undeniable beauty is nothing short of breathtaking and speaks to the humanizing power of art."

- by Laura Parsons

Josephine Taylor’s exhibition, “Bomb Landscape + Monster Face,” is on view through February 26 at Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. 977-7284.

Shots from January First Fridays - Josephine Taylor & Kevin Everson

2011-01-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

reflection of Josephine Taylor's "Bomb Landscapes."

Josephine Taylor posing in front of her "Bomb Landscapes."

First Friday patrons watching Kevin Everson's "The Equestrians."

"Bomb Landscape" dyptych admirers

Crowds swelling after the artist talk.

Contemplating the end of "The Equestrians."

Second Street welcomed over 350 patrons to kick off 2011 with two new exhibitions. The Main Gallery features large scale drawings by Josephine Taylor and the Dove Gallery is showing a new film by local artist and professor Kevin Everson. Please plan a visit soon. Josephine Taylor's, "Bomb Landscape + Monster Face," and Kevin Everson's "The Equestrians will be on view from January 7-February 26, 2011. SSG is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11-6pm.

-photo credit to John Mitchell Photography-

A Year in reVIEW

2010-12-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

There are 16 days left in 2010. 16!

Since updating the blog and not procrastinating were two of our resolutions this year, we're going to recap 2010 early so there's time to remember, digest, and revel in all that SSG has accomplished in the last 349 days. Deeeeep breath & GO!

January marked our first member show in two years and featured over ninety works by local talent. We also headed up to the Glenstone Collection with Women for Art for little contemporary art field trip fun.

In February, Rebecca Scoenthal (SSG's curator) and guest curator Melissa Ragain wove together the work of nine artists who each uniquely addressed the pervasive imagery of war. The 2010 Educator workshop prevailed against the Snowpocalpyse and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art's Jeffrey Allison led a session on Manuel Alvaro's powerful photography.

April was host to an original, site-specific, Charlottesville -inspired sound and light installation by Takafumi Ide, commissioned by SSG and sponsored by the David Greenewalt Trust. At the same time we showed a playfully jarring body of work by Geoffrey Chadsey.

Family Art Day returned in May 2010 after a one year hiatus, to big attendance and a smiling good time. We partnered with Kid Pan Alley and made six music themed crafts with over 200 local kids and parents.

The Gallery's 36th Season ended with a fantastic installation by Hawaiian artist Margo Ray who also helped us build an impromptu water tower on the downtown mall for our Public Art Project.

Next came summer camp! Our first ever summer art camp was a big hit with kid-cvillains who learned basic art principles by creating mini-me's. There was only time for a short exhale before we started on Season 37 prep and a roof-top-tapas-galore preview with our friends.

This fall SSG has hosted three incredible, challenging and memorable exhibitions with Luke DuBois& Corwin Levi, Dymph DeWyld&10x10x10, and Abby Kasonik&Mara Sprafkin. Throughout almost every month of exhibition programming we are also continually providing outreach workshops to area public schools and the Boys and Girls Club. On top of all THAT, since January '10 we have hosted a brilliant slate of local creatives including Sonia Weber Gilkey, Dean Dass, Jon-Philip Sheridan, Sharon Shapiro, Bob Strini, and Sanda Iliescu at our members-only Artist Forums.

Four paragraphs later and loads of detail suspended, we realize that we have a lot to be proud of and even more to be grateful for. Why? Because we are able to do all of these things thanks to this community and its belief that ART MATTERS. Creativity is the root of all innovation, and as we find ourselves seeking solutions and reinvention, art is powerful example of how free expression can benefit us all.

So bundle up and cozy down with friends and family until January 7 when we'll start a new year and another chapter of all things contemporary at SSG. Cheers!

Ornament Workshop 2010

2010-12-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

We've sent you invites, emails, and peppered our conversations telling you the great news....it's time for SSG's Holiday Ornament Workshop once again! Join us at McGuffey Art Center this Saturday, December 4&5 to make an original piece of art...out of glass. Reservations are required so please call 977-7284 or email members@secondstreetgallery. org asap. You can also stop by the workshop during the day to check for availability.

This a wonderful tradition we hope you will share with friends, family, and us.

Give the gift of art!

Retweet Raffle!

2010-11-23T13:32:00.001-08:00

SSG is excited to announce our first Retweet Raffle!

The Retweet Raffle is a fun and easy way to win a free month’s membership to SSG! First, follow us on Twitter @SSGCVILLE. Then, tomorrow, retweet our post to your followers! Once you’ve done that, your name will be entered into a raffle to win a free month of membership to SSG! Membership benefits include:
- early exhibition previews

- gallery mailings with updates and art happenings

- invites to our private events and discounts on tickets

- recognition on our website

The winner will be picked on Friday, November 26th, 2010. We will contact the winner via Twitter for more information about how to claim your prize!

We can’t wait for you to join SSG in an exciting Social Media event! Remember: look for our Twitter Post tomorrow (Tuesday, November, 23rd) and RT to win your prize!

Dymph de Wild workshop at CHS

2010-10-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

We recently had the pleasure of hosting a printmaking workshop with October exhibiting artist Dymph de Wild at Charlottesville High School. Dymph demonstrated a Turkish marbleizing technique that was new and exciting for everyone. By dripping acrylic paint mixed with water into a special bath made of seaweed extract, the students could create unique color combinations and patterns. They could further manipulate these designs by swirling or raking the mixture with sticks, paintbrushes, and other utensils. Their designs could be transferred onto paper or cloth by carefully dipping it into the bath. Dymph was kind enough to provide all the baths, paints, paper, and tools needed for this workshop.

It took a few minutes for the students to get used to this new technique, but once they got the hang of it they had so much fun working together to create the most beautiful designs. It was great to see everyone enthusiastically trying out new color combinations and pattern-making techniques.

Dymph also showed how you could use those patterns once they dried on the paper. She passed around examples of Turkish marbleizing in book covers and explained how the prints the students made could be used for future projects like painting or collage.

By the end of their class, the students had made so many prints that the drying rack was almost overflowing with marbleized paper and cloth.

Thanks to Dymph de Wild for leading such a great workshop! And thanks to Jennifer Mildonian who graciously invited us to host our workshop in her classroom at Charlottesville High School.

Want to see your art at SSG? Read on....

2010-10-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

find new artists....

Second Street Gallery strives to showcase the best of up and coming artists at the cusp of breaking into the art world. In order to find these new talents we turn to our Artist Review Panel. All submissions from artists are collected and anonymously critiqued by a panel of local artists, scholars and professionals. The choices made by this panel affect the gallery’s future since artists that are selected by the panel are frequently shown in the following exhibition season. At SSG it is our mission to showcase the newest arrivals in contemporary art. So how does it work??? ARP meets throughout the fall to review artist’s submissions up until that date. Each artist is presented to the panel anonymously, solely represented by their work and artist statement. The panel evaluates and ranks each artist. The top scoring artists are then recommended to the director for consideration.

In order to display these new artistic finds we need your help in discovering them! If you know of any artists please urge them to submit or, if you have a portfolio of your own, feel free to submit.

If you are interested in applying to ARP for consideration or know someone who is, we ask each artist to submit an all-inclusive packet about his or her proposed exhibit.

In the packet we ask the artists to provide:

-10 images of works created in the past three years individually labeled with title, date and orientation (.jpeg format or in a PowerPoint slide show, please refrain from putting your name on the images) on a disk. If your proposed work is an installation and/or site-specific, please provide a brief description of how and what you would install and any other pertinent information

-An image list telling the name of each image as well as it’s dimensions and medium

-A current résumé including e-mail, address, and phone number

-An artist’s statement that also specifies as to whether you would prefer to be shown in our Main Gallery or the Dové Gallery

-A processing fee in the form of a $15 check made out to Second Street Gallery

-A self-addressed stamped envelope with adequate packaging and postage for your submission to be returned after use (optional)

Please mail submissions to:
Second Street Gallery

115 Second Street SE

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Deadlines to submit packets in order for the ARP to review work. The remaining deadlines are: October 27^th & November 24^th

Information on submissions to ARP can also be found on the gallery website at:

http://www.seondstreetgallery.org. For any further queries feel free to call us at

434-977-7284 or email manager@secondstreegallery.org

November artist Mara Sprafkin in H&M window contest!

2010-10-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

Please take a moment to visit the link and vote for Mara Sprafkin's window design for H&M's flagship store in New York. Sprafkin will be installing an original room installation of layered works in the Dove Gallery for our exhibition opening November 5-December 18. Good luck Mara!

An Intern's Point of View : Sharon Shapiro's Artist Forum

2010-10-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we opened our doors to local artist Sharon Shapiro during the September Artist Forum. Sharon’s presentation was a refreshing change of pace for me, a fourth year student at UVA. Tuesdays at school usually mean long lectures and pages upon pages of notes, but Sharon brought the afternoon to life. Thanks to the nature of the Artist Forums and my internship here at SSG, I was able to get to know Sharon Shapiro as both a person and an artist in an intimate setting.

Sharon’s bright smile and open personality mirrored her vivid artwork. The audience of visitors and members alike seemed to enjoy her endearing anecdotes, laughing along with her college crises and recent travails. Sharon allowed us a secret look into her life as well as her art. I was personally surprised to learn that Sharon’s childhood training shared much in common with other children’s experiences. She first began drawing at her father’s clothing store in West Virginia where she would sit and sketch mannequins all day. It was a simple compliment from a college professor, Sharon confided in us, that pushed her down the path of painting she pursues today. I took Sharon’s stories to heart. As my own college career nears its end, it is inspiring to see the lasting effects a single individual can make on the rest of our lives.

Sharon’s art, old and new, plays with the idea of these hidden stories within captured moments. Each image and brush stroke, found or constructed, represents something significant: a camping trip, a dropped teddy bear, a stolen glance. One series of paintings even sprang from a secret excursion into McIntire Park where she was photographed, fully dressed, knee deep in the pool. Each painting had such strong personality that I found myself identifying with her subjects’ emotions by the end of her talk.

Sharon has become a master at “knitting fragments of personal experience” into every detail and we were so glad to have her with us. Check out her website to see more of her wonderful work: http://www.sharonshapiro.com.

AND look out for our next Artist Forum, coming up on Tuesday, October 12th, from 12 noon – 1 pm, when sculptor Bob Strini will be speaking and answering questions about his work. Be sure to visit his website as well: http://robertstrini.com/.

- Elizabeth Vargas, SSG Social Media Intern

Corwin Levi workshop at Clark Elementary

2010-10-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, September 22nd, exhibiting artist Corwin Levi led two drawing workshops for students at Clark Elementary School. As an introduction to the workshop, Corwin talked about his own works of art and how you can use both words and drawing to make an image. Using examples from his exhibition and other artists, he showed the kids different ways to make art from text, words, and letters.

For the fourth grade workshop, Levi had the children pick out their favorite poem or lines from a poem to include in their project. After picking a poem, the kids wrote the lines on a sheet of paper, and then cut out the words to paste on a poster. It was exciting to see how creative the children could be with an ordinary task like writing. Many of the students chose to write the words in different colors, styles, or sizes, and rearranged the words in interesting ways. After rearranging their poem, they got a chance to decorate their posters with colored markers.

For the first grade and kindergarten workshop, Levi showed them how to make “Alphabeasties” by gluing letters onto a stenciled animal shape. The kids had a lot of fun tracing their animals and decorating it with letters and colored marker.

It was great seeing the kids having so much fun tracing and decorating their animals. Thanks again to Corwin Levi for leading the workshop, and art teacher Aaron Eichorst for having us in the classroom!

a little reading material...

2010-08-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

We are in the last few weeks of the gallery's "dark month" where we inhale sharply and jump into all of the details for the coming season. Our first exhibition, opening on September 3, will feature R. Luke du Bois and Corwin Levi. Check out their compelling works online while you wait for the first First Fridays of our 37th Season!

In the meantime, here's an interesting piece we stumbled upon in internet land today. It attempts to address the very real, dramatic, and polarizing argument of shaping a living history of contemporary art.

See you soon, SSG

p.s. this down time is a great opportunity to log onto www.secondstreetgallery.org and join or renew your membership to enjoy all that is to come AND to ensure that this year's programming can continually improve!

Call for Entries! 10x10x10

2010-07-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Second Street Gallery is currently accepting proposals

for 10/10: 10 x 10 x 10

Second Street is calling for artists and designers to address the topic of sustainability with the following challenge:

create work(s) using materials procured within a 10-mile radius, spending just $10, and taking no more than 10 days to complete the project.

Ideally materials will be recycled, reused, repurposed, though donations of new materials will also be accepted in the spirit of philanthropy.

Proposals will be accepted and SSG will provide each with $10 (receipts must be submitted along with final work).

Work will be on display 10/1/10-10/30/10. Designers would be asked to be present for the First Fridays opening on 10/1/10.

Proposals must include: Name(s) and bios or cvs of creators, 1 page typed proposal, & up to 5 sketches or other images.

All pertinent contact info (email, telephone, address)

Proposals are due on August 31, 2010. Winners will be notified by email by September 1^st.

The 10x10x10 project explores the issues of sustainability while promoting creativity, collaboration and inventiveness-- taking the concept of recycling one step further into resourcefulness. 10x10x10 highlights that recycling and sustainability are not solely about functionality but can also be about aesthetics, and about enriching ones life in a fully embraceable way, not just as an adjunct to daily life. Further, that good design is not the exclusive domain of the superstar designer, or a wealthy elite. Design can be inclusive in every sense. For this project the gallery will transform into a sort of community center, a place where we can encourage constructive dialogue and skill sharing under the umbrella of conscientious living and aesthetics.

Second Street Gallery is a non-profit contemporary art space whose mission is to enliven Central Virginia and Charlottesville with access to the best in contemporary art and artists. This year marks the gallery’s 37^th year of programming, making it one of the longest running non-profits in the country.

Summer Art Camp

2010-07-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

This week, SSG had the pleasure of hosting its first Summer Art Camp. Ten fantastic kids joined us in a week long project of making sculptural self portraits. Throughout the "mini-me" constructions, the children learned from our teacher Eliza Martin about facial proportion, mixing and making colors, and pattern making. The kids also built a rainbow with illustrations they worked on each day in different colors. Merrill Woodriff, of the upcoming Bend Yoga Studio, led energetic yoga sessions as a recess all week. Thanks to our volunteers, interns, and two great teachers for making this week such fun.

Today, July 16, we had an opening to show parents and friends all their hard and colorful work. Enjoy the pictures and mark your calendars so your kids can join us next summer!

Bid on the Public Art Project H2O Tank!

2010-06-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

We sincerely hope that the patrons of the Cville downtown mall have enjoyed the water tank constructed by exhibiting Hawaiian artist Margo Ray, SSG, and area high school students. It will remain on view through next week.

All week we've been dreaming up secondary uses for the tank. Outdoor shower, tiki bar, darkroom, and doghouse all made the list. What would you use it for??? Think hard....because it could be yours!

Make us an offer! Really and truly. We want someone to keep enjoying this cheerful little structure. Come by the gallery, call us at 977-7284, or email outreach@secondstreetgallery.org to place your bid. The tank will go home with the highest bidder! Transportation is incumbent on the winner.

Remember, SSG is a 501(c)3 non-profit so your donation will go directly towards supporting our programming AND is tax-deductible!

Public Art Project 2010

2010-06-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

If you were on the downtown mall last Friday, you may have seen a peculiar turquoise tank in production. SSG was happy to welcome back exhibiting artist Margo Ray and her husband, an artist in his own right, Scott Yoell to lead our 2010 Public Art Project. Partnering with local high school students and community volunteers, Ray and Yoell led the two day project that yielded a water tank similar to those installed at the gallery through July 2.

Please look for the tank located at the 2nd Street intersection of the DT Mall. Take a fun picture and post it to Second Street Gallery's facebook page through Friday and you might win a free membership and a tote bag!

Margo Ray : Sublime Spaces, Forgotten Places

2010-06-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

Our 36th season is closing to the lilting notes of a ukulele. Last Friday, SSG welcomed over 500 people to the opening of Margo Ray's exhibition Sublime Spaces, Forgotten Places. Margo's work crosses many mediums and we have the pleasure of presenting you with sculpture, collage, paintings, and animation from June 4-July 2. Enjoy the pictures below!

And, if you are reading this on Friday, June 11 make sure to visit the recently paved patio area on Second Street at the Landmark Hotel construction site to see 2010 SSG's Public Art Project now being constructed...a Margo Ray water tank! It will be on display through June 23.

Margo Ray, Suspended Tank, 2010

Interior shot of Suspended Tank, 2010

Enjoying the Suspended Tank, 2010

La Pastora - The Sheperdess's Dreams, 2009

Margo Ray herself! Interior of La Pastora - The Sheperdess's Dream, 2009

Looking into the Dove at the Animation Tank, La Pastora - The Sheperdess's Dream, 2010

Watching the Animation, Animation Tank, 2010

To Sanctify the Feral sculptures; Bull and Boar, 2010

Containment Landscapes, 2009

Enjoying the Hawaiian cowboy "Paniolo", Containment Landscapes, 2010

Second Street Gallery is open Tuesday - Saturday 11-6 pm and can be found at the corner of Water and Second Street SE in the "Live Arts" Building. Call with questions 434-977-7284.

Come visit soon!

Family Art Day at SSG, May 22nd!

2010-05-13T09:33:00.001-07:00

Summer Art Camp Registration Form

2010-05-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

Print out this form and fax to Second Street Gallery at 434-979-9793 to sign up your child for a Summer Art Camp session today!

SUMMER ART CAMP!

2010-05-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Second Street Gallery is staging its first ever Summer Art Camp for kids this season.

Session I runs July 12-16 for kids ages 4-6

Session II runs July 19-23 for kids ages 5-7

Activities in each session are thematic and include independent work, as well as work on a collaborative art project.

Classes are limited to 12 participants to ensure special attention. Camp runs from 9:30-11:30 am Monday - Friday at $150 per session including a healthy snack. Scholarships are available.

Please call the gallery at 977-7284 to sign up or ask questions!

Whitney Biennial - Curator's Picks

2010-04-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

SSG's director, Rebecca Young Schoenthal, recently made the trip north to attend the 2010 Whitney Biennial. Here are a short list of her favorites. Tell us what you think!

We're serious....log opinions; low, high and in between!

p.s. Don't forget that our friends at the Bridge PAI are hosting the second annual Revel fundraiser this Saturday. Come out and support the arts.

First Fridays Photography

2010-04-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Dové Gallery artist Takafumi Ide, with his son and assistant Kumpu Ide, at the April 2nd First Fridays opening for "decipher". Photographs courtesy of John Mitchell.

A young woman experiences Takafumi Ide's sound and light installation. The exhibition is on view through May 29th.

Two visitors to SSG study the details in Geoffrey Chadsey's "Couple".

First Friday gallery-goers closely examine one of artist Geoffrey Chadsey's works, titled "Flex 23".

New-York based artist Geoffrey Chadsey, during his artist talk at the gallery on Friday, April 2nd. His exhibition titled "Jam, Outing, Retreat" will be on display in the Main Gallery through May 29th.

Art Handling Olympics!

2010-03-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

In honor of our upcoming installation week, SSG would like to pass on a little gem we stumbled upon over at the NewYorkTimes ArtBeats blog: ART HANDLING OLYMPICS! We really wish we had known about this in time to crate Andrew and send him up to compete. Alas, we are just spectators this go-round. At least until Monday when the installation of paintings by Geoffrey Chadsey and the site specific sculptural piece by Takafumi Ide begins!

Make sure to come out for our members' preview on Thursday, April 1 from 5:30-7:30 or for First Fridays on Friday, April 2 also from 5:30-7:30pm. If you walk up 2nd Street next week, look through the windows to witness our version of the art handling olympics!

Cheers, SSG

p.s. here's another blog about the ins and outs of art handling

Visitor's View on Conflict/Interest

2010-03-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

"This show speaks to me very deeply. My nephew is a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in Iraq. It's what he wanted to do since he was small. So this show has significance for me. I tried to change his mind but he is happy flying. Thank you all for this very poignant show.

- an anonymous gallery visitor at our March 5 First Fridays -

Annual Educator Workshop at SSG, February 24th

2010-02-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

Second Street Gallery and the Piedmont Council of the Arts, in collaboration with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Present:

Manuel Alvarez Bravo: Photographer of Mexico's Soul

Wednesday, February 24, 2010
4:30 - 7:00 pm at Second Street Gallery

For teachers, educators, and all those interested in photography!

This information-packed training session will explore the Mexican Renaissance in art that came about in the 1920-30's. Bravo's photographs were deeply rooted in the culture of the Mexican people, and his unique eye for the monumental, the mysterious, and the mundane revealed in the everyday made him a major international figure in the medium. Through the subtleties of human interaction, he made images of dreams, death, and transient life. This workshop utilizes images Manuel Alvarez Bravo created in his full century of life to explore the art, culture, and politics of Mexico during the 20th Century.

Jeffrey Allison, Paul Mellon Collection Educator, VMFA, will lead this workshop that is applicable to all grade levels. Teachers will leave this session with resource guides, PowerPoint, and a CD of images from VMFA's exhibition.

FREE for PCA & SSG Members, $5 for non-members.
Advance registration required, payment can be made at the door.
Refreshments provided!

Please call (434)977-7284, or e-mail outreach@secondstreetgallery.org by February 22nd, 2010 to register!

February Artist Forum: Sonja Weber Gilkey

2010-02-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

Sonja Weber Gilkey will readily agree that a circuitous path is always the best choice. In that tradition, her talk at SSG on snowy Tuesday did not move from point A to B. Rather it was a circular recollection of different episodes in her making, always returning to the belief that you cannot force anything; you should just allow it to be and to become.

Of course, some things are best conveyed by the artists so here is a statement Sonja shared with us:

"Rope Sculptures are each Kundalini manifestations of our own infinity of earth. From a childhood spent with ropes on bats along the lakes and canals of Holland to sailing out to islands in Maine in search of salt encrusted rops that had washed ashore, living and working with rope has been a life long experience. The sculptures can be handled and transformed as one's daily manifestations of change.

Rope sculpture is practical, sensual, meditative, and infinite. Rope and I serve each other in a natural evolvement to create.

Rope is universal and used in all aspects of life. It is essential for infinity, life, death, and rebirth. The interwoven pattern of rope is symbolic of DNA strands that make up all of life. The results of these patterns are rope sculptures that represent a unique universe. A universe that is full of life."

Sonja's other careers as an art therapist and Kundalini yoga practitioner have played a role in her sculptures. She feels the forms more than she thinks about them; allowing her knots and weaving to be guided by the material instead of her thoughts and, often, she melodically chants while she sculpts.

She ended her talk, after many questions, by encouraging Charlottesville to become an art place similar to coastal Maine's celebration of their local artists. Sonja knows that Charlottesville has so much talent that is undiscovered and uncelebrated and she wants to see and experience that potential in full color and at high volume. An index of all local artists was suggested and one attendee tapped our own local star John Grisham to get the job done...but if he doesn't take the bait it sounds like a worthy grant proposal to us!

Sonja Weber Gilkey is represented by Virginia Green, has received a prize from the National Museum of Folk Art, and has two upcoming exhibitions in the Netherlands. We thank her for participating in our Forum series and look forward to Dean Dass's talk on March 9. RSVP today!

Update: Member's Preview & First Fridays Postponed!

2010-02-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

The Members' Preview and the First Fridays opening of Conflict/Interest has been canceled due to the expected snow tomorrow. We want to make sure everyone is safe, and that everyone attends this fantastic exhibition so all events have been moved to next week.

The new schedule is:

Thursday, February 11 5:30-7:30pm

catered by Greenwood Gourmet Grocery with wine by Gabriele Rausse

Friday, February 12 5:30-7:30pm

catered by the Local with wine by Gabriele Rausse

Conflict/Interest is a group exhibition fusing the work of nine artists whose work speaks to both the recent fascination with current conflicts as source material for art making, but also recognizes the ways in which, for artists working today, the imagery of war has been present and pervasive throughout their lives.

Works by Eyal Danieli, Naomi Falk, Mona Hatoum, Tim Hetherington, Richard Kraft, Eric Parnes, Steven Rubin, Mary Schepisi, and Suara Welitoff will be on show from February - March 27.

See you next week! The anticipation builds...

Member Show!

2010-01-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled with the turnout for our first members' exhibition since 2002. Ninety entries spot the walls and are waiting for you to visit. Please stop by our opening this evening from 5-7pm at the gallery! Think of it as a Mid-Fridays...

The show runs until next Thursday, January 21. All works are for sale and benefit both the artist and SSG. Make a resolution to add a piece to your collection this January.

This is just a cursory peek. See the whole show for yourself tonight and throughout next week.

We are so lucky to have such a talented group of members!

News News News

2010-01-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of tremendous things about to be unveiled at SSG. Get excited! We want to make sure to update you here in case the grapevine and other avenues have failed.

Without further adieu, here's what's on tap:

MEMBERS' SHOW
There is still time to prepare! And don't forget you can join online in no time flat. This exhibit will run from January 14-21 with a First Fridays styled opening at 5:30 on January 15. Our members' show is meant to showcase all the talented people involved here at Second Street. Please see the earlier post here to brush up on all the details. Drop-off of work is set for January 12-13 11am to 6pm. All works will be for sale so please come by even if you don't enter. You may walk away with a beautiful new piece of local art!

ARTIST FORUM
Our round table series will begin again on February 9th after a short winter's nap. Sonja Weber Gilkey, currently on exhibition in the McGuffey new members' show, will speak to her vibrant career of art making and how she sees Charlottesville becoming a true "art place." Please email members@secondstreetgallery.org or call 434-977-7284 to RSVP. $10 for members $15 for non-members with lunch provided by feast!

CONFLICT/INTEREST
February's exhibition will offer the first group show of the year. Featured works include artists Mona Hatoum, Eric Parnes, Steve Rubin, Eyal Danieli, Naomi Falk, Tim Hetherington, Richard Kraft, Suara Welitoff, and Mary Schepisi. This exhibition speaks to both the recent fascination with current conflicts as source material for art making, but also recognizes the ways in which, for artists working today, the imagery of war has been present and pervasive throughout their entire lives.

The members' preview will be February 4th and the public opening for First Fridays is February 5th. Both openings begin at 5:30. We hope to see you there!

That's all for now. Stay tuned for a recap of the members' show, another outreach extravaganza, and anecdotes along the way.

Cheers!

Ornament Workshop Recap!

2009-12-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

On December 5, Charlottesville awoke to billowing flakes. While some enjoyed the day inside, steaming mug in hand, or even outside, chasing rosy-cheeked rugrats, our friends and members rallied by pulling on parkas and boots to attend SSG's ornament workshop at McGuffey Art Center.

This annual event is always an adventure! Charles Hall, glass artist extraordinaire, has a workshop/lair in the North Basement of McGuffey which is perhaps best described as a Dickinson-Seuss lovechild. Menacing furnaces and kilns face a small army of plastic bags full of candy colored glass and the gorgeous curvature of his beautiful pieces which nest in every free inch of the studio. He is a great coach- getting one and all alike excited to create a signature ornament.

The basic process is this : pick your colors, point out a few patterns that you admire, sanitize the end of the glass blowing rod, wait for your cue, and then BLOW with all your might. Charles turns the rod round and round while your huffs and puffs try to fill out the glass sphere. Eventually, after many encouragements along the lines of, “Keep going, you got it, blow blow blow!” Charles would yell, “STOP!!!”, lower the rod and then raise it to the light above so you could see the colors start to deepen. The performance of it all was so amusing that many stuck around to see other members give it a go. At the end of the weekend, nearly 100 glass balls had been blown!

Everyone left smiling, warmed by hot apple cider, the anticipation of seeing their finished ornaments (since they had to stay in the kiln overnight!), and the knowledge that through this festive crafting they were supporting Second Street and a talented local artist. If you missed out this year, make sure to make a mental bookmark. Christmas 2010 will be here in no time!

Cheers,

the SSG elves

The studio!

Chip firing up the ornament

Getting ready to blow

Ta-da...artisan quality holiday ornament!

Behind the Scenes at SSG: Life of an Intern

2009-12-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

I remember checking my email last spring and feeling a huge wave of relief flood through my system. The answer to every third year student’s prayer of finding an internship before graduation had been answered: the University Internship Program, better known as the UIP. The pressure to find an internship had been building up and I had little direction as to where to go with an Art History major. The UIP piqued my interest, and their variety of hosting organizations seemed to have a spot for everyone…

And it did. For me, it was Second Street Gallery. Before starting the internship, I had visited several galleries in New York and was always curious as to what went on “behind-the-scenes:” Who chose the art? What went into the installation process? What type of events were affiliated with an art gallery, and how did it promote new exhibitions to the public?

The answers to these questions awaited me at Second Street. I have been interning here since last June and I find myself learning something new everyday. It is interesting to see how different types of organizations operate. Working with a non-profit is a real eye-opener as to how much the gallery depends on the community, which makes our work here so valuable. With a three person staff bolstered with several interns, the input of each person is vital.

As an intern, you can assume that I get the tasks of highest importance at Second Street, such as mailing, filing, and cleaning. (Note: the office of an art gallery is never clean). While these are the duties of every intern across America, I also get to witness and partake in the creative process behind closed doors. Did you know that over 100 artists submit their work each year to be reviewed by an anonymous panel?

Personally, my favorite part of working at Second Street is getting to experience the different artwork and meeting the different artists. The amount of forethought that goes into each exhibit is incredible, namely the time put in by the artists themselves paired with my director’s knack for installation design. It is always fascinating to see the way artists’ ideas manifest into art.

Accompanying the “on-site” part of my internship with Second Street there is a weekly seminar hosted by UIP. These weekly classes consist of discussions of the ongoing events in each of our different internships; it is a great way to see how much one workplace can differ from another. I am appreciative of an office environment where there is constant change taking place around me, where relations in the office are amicable, and where new ideas and creative incentives are valued. As a native New Yorker and as a fourth year student getting ready to pack up, I find working with Second Street Gallery a great way to integrate myself with the community of Charlottesville for my final year in Virginia.

- Chelsea Coppinger, UIP Intern 2009-2010 -

SSG Presents a Member's Show, January 2010

2009-11-23T13:21:00.000-08:00

Calling all member-artists! We want to see what you do, what you like & who you are! This will be a fun way to share your work with your peers, the public and to meet, mix and mingle with fellow SSG members. Who knows, you may make a sale, catch the eye of a collector or a curator!

How it works:

Come between 11am and 6pm on January 12th or 13th to hang your artwork. SSG will provide nails, levels, tape measures, ladders and labels. Please bring your own hammer, or any other hanging accoutrements you may need. Staff will be on hand to coordinate hanging.

Criteria:

Work may be in any media but we ask that anything larger than 3 feet x 4 feet be approved by staff. Sculpture and floor pieces are welcome, but must still adhere to above size constraints.

Your name must be presented with the artwork.

All entries must be for sale. SSG retains 40% of sale price.

Submissions must be retrieved Friday January 22 by 6pm.

SSG staff and Board reserve the right to withdraw any entries.

There will be a $15 processing fee for each entry. Members are limited to 2 entries apiece.

The fun part:

There will staff and board awards presented to entries in various categories.

SSG will host a pot-luck opening for the show on “third Friday” Jan 15.

All entrants are asked to contribute to the potluck. SSG will provide beverages.

Second Street Gallery
115 Second Street SE
Charlottesville, VA 22902
434.977.7284
Not a member but want to show? Join online www.secondstreetgallery.org

Holidaying with SSG

2009-11-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Somehow in the midst of putting up, member previewing, First Fridaying, taking down, workshops, lectures, and running the day to day, three months have flown by and the holiday season is here!

Insert panic button.

There, there fair readers. We're here to help. If you'd like to gift family and friends while also supporting your favorite non-profit, contemporary art space consider buying them a gallery membership. Included in these lovely boxes are a gallery t-shirt, coasters, bumper sticker, and, of course, a membership! Remember, members are the first to hear about exciting new exhibits, the first to see them at our exclusive Preview events, and receive news and special invites to all gallery programming!

We are also holding our annual Ornament Workshop at the McGuffey Art Center on Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6 with local glass artist Charles Hall. Come and blow your own Christmas ornament! Bring a friend! Make an ornament for a friend or for your whole family! Whatever you do, just make sure your tree is decked with a gorgeous, hand-made, SSG supporting ornament.

It's a fun way to spend your weekend and an original gift idea. Reserve your space today by calling the gallery at 434-977-7284 or emailing members@secondstreetgallery.org.

p.s. Last plug, I promise. Have you booked your holiday party space? Call Andrew and mention this post for a 10% discount!!!!

John Grant Workshop at Charlottesville High School

2009-11-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

October SSG exhibiting artist John Grant was generous to lead an Outreach workshop with fourteen AP Studio Art students at Charlottesville High School. As a prelude the workshop, the CHS students took a field trip to Second Street Gallery a week ahead of time to see the show. They were able to view Grant's sixteen works of art hanging in a gallery setting, and had some quiet, contemplative time with the exhibition.

This collaboration was great for everyone involved, as the students were able to take a field trip to SSG and see the exhibition, and in turn we were able to bring that artist right into their classroom. The class met Grant personally during morning announcements at the high school on October 27th. We had prepared for the workshop by connecting Grant's scanner and laptop computer to the monitor inside of the classroom which projects onto an interactive white board. All the classes have these white boards, which was essential for our project, and a great tool for teachers and artists alike!

Grant opened a discussion with the students to find out who was really interested in making a career as an artist, and almost all the hands in the class raised up, which he was glad to see. Grant opened up and talked about his journey as an artist, and through that story, we learned a lot about his life. He was a member of the United States Navy, a graduate from the University of Virginia, and a partner in a publishing firm here in Charlottesville. Grant mentioned that fine art doesn't necessarily allow him to make a living, but through stock photography he is able to capitalize on images that he has created which publishers and authors can choose for their book covers.

Grant highlighted Lynda.com as a great resource students who are interested in furthering their design, photography, and editing skills via computer software. The interactive videos allowed Grant to gain an in-depth knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, which he uses to layer the compositions of his photographic works.

For the Hands-On portion of the workshop, the AP students hunted around the classroom for creative objects to be scanned into Photoshop. Grant was particularly interested in a cardboard shoe that one of the students had created. It was amazing to see how three-dimensional objects could be scanned onto a computer by simply leaving the top of the scanner open in a darkened room. We were all shocked with Grant showed how he was able to completely change the lighting, mood, and color of one of his landscapes "Cedar and Egg" by accidentally using a dirty scanning surface! The detail and clarity of the shoe, colored pencils, and light bulb that the students collected can be seen in the pictures below.

Thanks go out to AP Studio Art teacher Jennifer Mildonian, who was instrumental to the organization of the workshop. SSG would also like to thank Mary Johnson for photographing the workshop, and Caitlin Clonan for volunteering her time to help as well. Most of all, thank you John Grant for sharing your story, insights, and artistic techniques with our Charlottesville community.

Post by AG.

Installation Madness!

2009-11-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

We were a little strapped for time this week so we don't have a full fledged installation post yet but take a look at that tri-ladder teamwork... and please join us tomorrow for First Fridays! Opening in the main gallery are a series of paintings on Duralene by Sandeep Mukherjee and in the Dove is Hilary Wilder's installation of High Lonesome.
Check out the website for more details!

Andrew, with interns Chelsea, and Kaye hanging Golden Spiral

The Boys & Girls Club Visit SSG

2009-10-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, October 22nd, children ages 6 through 10 from the Washington Park Boys & Girls Club visited Second Street Gallery for a painting lesson led by local artist Susan Patrick.

Eight students stepped off the bus and lined up in the gallery for a tour of John Grant's exhibition "Fairy Tales & Reveries". Settling down in the gallery, the children identified some of the organic images layered throughout Grant's resin-coated photographs.

Susan brought the kids in to focus on John's smallest piece, titled "Carpe Diem" which has a focal point of a bright red leaf floating in a pond. We tied in the concept of decomposition, and how that process leads to the coloring change we see in the leaves during the Fall season (they came up with green, red, yellow, orange, and purple for colors they've seen in the trees outdoors). Susan gave each student an orange maple leaf that she had collected outdoors for reference and inspiration.

Then it was time to paint! One goal was to show the kids how to mix primary colors in order to generate new colors. Using their stirring sticks, the children mixed red, yellow, and blue tempera paint together and came up with a dark green to start painting the stem and veins of the leaf. Susan showed the kids how to connect each segment to form an outline.

Outreach volunteers swooped in with blue and white tempera paint, and the students mixed those two colors to form a blue sky background on their paper. Artistic freedom then took over, and the participants created their own color variations for the four different blank quadrants. Lots of fun, with beautiful results!

Thanks go out to SSG intern Kaye, Outreach volunteer Caitlin, artist Susan Patrick and site directer Olga for their help organizing the workshop. We'll be seeing the Boys & Girls Club children again in November at SSG.

Post by AG

Women for Art - A Photo Recap

2009-10-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

In no particular order, here is a delectable spread of pictures we just received in the mail. Meredith Montague, of Charlottesville, graciously donated her photography services to capture the eats, treats, faces, and spaces of the big event. Enjoy...

signature cocktail : muddled ginger, cilantro, elderberry liquer, vodka, & ginger ale

cheese tray by Whole Foods

arrival and raffle ticketing

dinnerscape tunnel to Georgianne Stinnett's "Dog"

enjoying the John Grant triptych of "Clematis Rising," "Spawn," and "Falling World."

**all still availiable!**

Andy Warhol showed up! the invite said to artfully accessorize...

revelry

best dressed award...

festive feathers

seated for dinner

one more, what a roomful!

harvest moon superstars at work

shrimp bisque and thai curried crispy shrimp

seared salmon with yuzu citrus glaze, sesame sauteed spinach, and wasabi mashed potatoes.

each woman got a portion of a "did you know" interactive speech about ssg's mission, programming, and the women for art initiative. one woman would stand up and say, "did you know?" while the next would answer. among many answers was, "ssg's mission is to enliven Virginia through access to the best in contemporary art and artists to inspire new ways of thinking, seeing, and doing."

getting things started

teamwork

some ladies received slips that said, "just smile and wave!"

Rebecca Schoenthal, the director, spoke to the need to keep art in our daily lives and the doors open at SSG, 36 years and counting!

Co-chairs Onnie Baldwin and Pam Friedman spoke about the goals of Women for Art and 2009-2010 activities, please email us for details!

riveted by the call for support and involvement...

dessert bar of chocolate tartlets, cookies by ABC, and cookies by Brix

wines for the evening provided by J.W. Sieg Wines

raffle time! gifts provided by acac, bikram yoga, nicole sherman, tru pilates, maya, ventana, a painting by marge allegretti, massage by Robin Blanco, Moxie, Blenheim Vineyards, Scarpa, and SSG.

a happy winner

Chelsea, our faithful intern, a bit delirious after the big push...so worth it

a sweet ending to an invigorating evening. everyone agreed on their favorite answer to the "did you know" prompt was that, "together, women can accomplish extraordinary things!"

Thanks to everyone that made the night so memorable.

note: all images are credited to & copyrighted by Meredith Montague Photography

Dine and Donate, X-Lounge tomorrow 10/21!

2009-10-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

COME OUT AND SUPPORT SSG BY EATING AT X-LOUNGE TOMORROW NIGHT!

WE'LL ALL BE THERE.....SO SHOULD YOU!

Women for Art

2009-10-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Last spring, a few male board members and supporters decided to hold a Men's Dinner on the rooftop of the CCCA building. The goal was to have a simple, no frills, Rockefeller style fund raiser. Steaks, great wine, and cigars accessorized the evening. The men raised an impressive sum and only a little bit of hell.

In response, SSG's Women for Art group decided to make its official debut through a counter fundraising dinner. This dinner would be the gateway event to a number of social and educational programs planned through SSG throughout the year such as a trip up to the Glenstone private collection in Maryland and a performance by Robin Lane who embodies female artists. In order to field interest, the idea was to gather 100 women at 100 dollars to support the gallery and the group!

A committee of eight incredible women planned the whole event which featured generous donations of catering by Harvest Moon, a cheese spread by Whole Foods, fish by West Main Seafood, wine by J.W. Sieg Company Inc., all the necessary dinnerware by Dave Simpson and C&O, cookies by Brix and Albemarle Baking Company, flowers by Ken of Patterson's Florist, and photography by Meredith Montague. Thanks to all our generous in-kind sponsors!!!

Despite the cold, an artfully dressed crowd arrived on Thursday, October 15 ready to celebrate SSG's 36th season, the Women for Art effort, and their friendships. The point, after all, was to create a community of women who make art, support art, and recognize it's necessary function in life and society.

Congrats to the committee, the women, and the gallery for a gorgeous dinner filled with fun gallery facts, future plans, and generous spirits!

....Here are a few shots while we wait for Meredith's images...

before the guests arrive

dahlias from ken's garden of patterson's florist

one more pre-shot

p.s. the Women crushed the Men's total....sorry boys!

p.p.s. if you'd like to get involved with Women for Art, please email members@secondstreetgallery.org

October Artist Forum

2009-10-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

On October 6, after a busy installation and opening the week before, SSG welcomed Shelby Fischer and Ros Casey who spoke about the journey to embracing one's artistic abilities and impulse. Each one of our speakers in this year's Artist Forum Series have incredible stories with talent to match. However, Shelby and Ros's story is particularly interesting because one served as the catalyst for the other.

Shelby began her talk by explaining that after years in DC, having enjoyed gratifying and successful careers, she and her husband reevaluated and decided to move....anywhere! Somehow that anywhere became a delapidated farm in Charlottesville that they began renovating. In the spirit of personal exploration, she was soon signed up for a class at McGuffey called "Mapping the Dark" with Rosamond Casey.

The class was a match. It burned away old tendencies, namely difficulty opening up, and set fire to Shelby's love of creation. Ros's technique in class was to encourage collaging, book production, and material arrangement so that the participants found gratification in their "ordering of that world."

Shelby re-ordered her world. She set up a studio. She filled that studio with paper, glass, vintage woods, old sheet music, album covers, and probably trunks full of other delights. Then she set to work, sometimes for 18 hour stretches, constructing newly interpreted narrative scenes from existing materials. Though only an "artist" for the past few years, she has already worked through several stylistic phases -from sewing pattern transfers to glitter to cut glass - saying that once she has moved through what she has to say, "it's just done." At the moment, she's putting together abstract landscapes, horizontally arranged from ripped jazz album covers. As soon as we work out the technological kinks, the movie she made for the group will accompany this entry!

Having Ros as a foil to Shelby was invaluable. She may be one of the most well-spoken artists I've ever experienced. In a low voice, often playing with her curls, Ros aptly pointed out that when the student is ready the teacher will appear. The mandala exercise she introduces in her class often has this effect on people, the ripple of taking pleasure in making transferring to the compulsion to explore further, though Ros did note that not many of her students taken it so far. Trish Crowe, of the Studio at Firnew Farm, shared what a pleasure it was to see this new artist develop. She had a front-row seat to boot, they're next door neighbors!

Speaking of...Shelby has had multiple shows in the Charlottesville area, and they are ever increasing. This month she is on show at PVCC and in the spring will be featured in the Mother's Day event held at the Gallery at Firnew Farm.

Stay tuned for the movie, and be sure to sign up for our November 10th Forum featuring Lyn Bolen Warren, of Les Yeux Du Monde, and Russ Warren who will speak about the artist/gallery relationship. Email members@secondstreetgallery.org for details and to RSVP!

Interviews with the October Exhibit Sponsors

2009-10-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

While waiting for fabulous images from last week's openings (thanks John!), we thought it worthwhile to feature the viewpoints and motivations of this month's exhibit sponsors. Gardy Bloemers and Nick Duke sponsored John Grant's "Fairy Tales and Reveries," while Sarah and Steve Delgado sponsored Marko Maetamm's "Happily Ever After." Both pairs have been involved with the gallery for a long stretch, and we are grateful their friendship enabled both exhibits to come to the Charlottesville community.

_____________________________________________

The SSG team sketched out a series of simple questions and here's what they had to say about their philanthropy:

Q - Why did you choose to get involved with SSG? What's special about this organization?

Nick Duke: "I especially believe that Second Street Gallery and its support of living artists has the capacity to bring a broad range and strata of people together in Charlottesville for needed dialogue—the more socially conscious and confrontational the better! The diversity of contemporary art shown at Second Street inspires, stimulates and provokes us. It can help us understand ourselves better and connect us to the human spirit."

Steve Delgado: "SSG appeals to me because it represents an oasis of independent thinking in Charlottesville. The shows I've contributed to and the initiatives I've stewarded with SSG are unique and represent a different mode of seeing, thinking, and creation. I just believe it's really important to support organizations that encourage that kind of growth."

Q - What appealed to you about this artist or this series of their work?

Nick Duke: "John Grant’s work is evolving in such glorious directions! I love his new work and its new, more metaphorical and dreamlike course that generates emotional contact. I am a big fan of photography and especially love the work of Walker Evans, Edward and Cole Weston, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Imogen Cunningham, Bruce Davidson, Stephen Shore, Emmet Gowin, Sally Mann, Duane Michaels, Peter Beard, Jerry Uelsmann, Nicholas Nixon, Joel Meyerowitz, Rogelio Lopez Marín (Gory), Gordon Parks and many others. John’s work simply resonates with me—and I’m sure it will with many others."

Steve Delgado: "Again, I chose to support this show because it's a new voice, a new perspective. Maetamm's work is something most people wouldn't ordinarily discover, because of where he's from and where we live. It's unique, which bolsters SSG's ability to be that metaphorical oasis."

Q - Why should the Cville community come to, get involved, and support SSG?

Nick Duke: "Second Street seeks to involve a diverse regional public in the rich and active language of contemporary visual art. The Gallery can be a catalyst and an advocate for new ideas, discourses, and trends in contemporary art. The Gallery’s outreach in schools and in the community is critical to exposing our next generation to new ways of self-expression."

Steve Delgado: "A vital part of SSG's mission is to unite artists and the community. If arts and culture are what make Charlottesville so wonderful, so energetic, and relevant then we need to make every effort to support the organizations that deliver quality programs. Especially now, in tough economic times, arts are the first to suffer. It's a valuable thing to have a high caliber gallery right around the corner."

_____________________________________________

So there you have it, right from the sponsors' mouths. Value is a very personal metric. But judging from our attendance during the First Fridays' opening (nearly 600!), we know that you care about SSG. Consider transferring that to volunteering your time, joining as a member at any level, or contributing a gift when you are able! Every bit helps, and every bit protects Cville's contemporary "oasis"!

Grant, Stinnett, Maetamm Install

2009-10-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday! Happy members'preview-almost-done-with-installation-Thursday! Cue exhale...

Here are a few shots of hanging yesterday. AG and a trio of volunteers were champs to come in on Sunday to help Jason Brown remove the Mountaintop show. As a result, we hit the ground patching and painting on Monday. John Grant's work arrived that afternoon, Georgianne Stinnett's arrived Tuesday morning, while, ironically, the work of our most far-flung artist Marko Maetamm, of Estonia, had arrived two weeks ago! Tonight we'll host the preview event which we hold for members of the gallery before every First Fridays opening. The previews are special for both their intimacy and community. The pace is slower, there's more elbow room, you get to see your SSG friends, and have wide access to the artists. Sign up today and come on out tonight! We would love to have you with us as we celebrate a gorgeous October show. Take a look....and see you on Friday if not this evening!

art packaging, piles and hills of it

laying out the show took a minute, or a day, but as of this picture two walls were hung!

these are carpet squares. you put them under the art while you play arrangement tetris.

the hanging math. our invisible hand...

AG writing the Maetamm piece with his quirky tilt.

Intern CC and AG with our other invisible hand, the level.

You didn't really think we'd show you the finished product did you? What fun would that be?

I'll leave it at this....don't miss this show!

John Grant, Georgianne Stinnett, and Marko Maetamm October 2-31

October Installation and Field Trips

2009-09-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

The September show has been packed up and we are bedecked in paint clothes getting the gallery prepped to hang the October show featuring new works by John Grant and Georgianne Stinnett in the Main Gallery and quirky, Estonian artist, Marko Mäetamm, in the Dové Gallery.

Stay tuned for pictures of the installation but in the meantime let's take a look at a recent visit from Aaron Eichorst's third grade class at Clark Elementary. The kids had a blast interacting with Brown and Scofield's mountaintop removal mining exhibit. The coal was a big hit, though I'm not sure parents were thrilled to find it lodged in pockets later that day. Their curiosity was refreshing, rocketing office morale for the rest of the day. Art education my friends...remember, value, and support its continued presence in our schools and at the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by, Clark Elementary!

Artist Forum Kickoff

2009-09-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of fall, a new season at the gallery, and perhaps the amusing mental image of someone punting a painting today's post features the Artist Forum Series kickoff. Yesterday, a group of 20 Charlottesvillians - practitioners, admirers, and culture seekers alike - gathered to hear Robert Anderson speak about his latest work, "Green Mansions."

Anderson is a local architect and the former president of the McGuffey Art Center where his new work will be shown in October. He grew up in Hawaii and cites that locale and landscape for his continuing obsession with rain forests, wild animals, and trees. Bob led the group through the many phases of subject matter, technique, and mediums he has worked with over the years. Especially fascinating was his presentation of a series of childrens' books he has published like Obo, a coloring book, and The Boy who was a Black Panther.

To see Bob's work and talk to him about his very colorful story to date stop by McGuffey on October 2....but only after you've come to SSG to see the October show exhibiting the work of John Grant, Georgianne Stinnett, and Marko Maetamm. Check our website for more details!

Full Schedule 2009-10 Artist Forum Series

October 6

Shelby Fischer
Will be showing at PVCC's art gallery during October

November 10
Lyn Bolen Warren with Russ Warren
Owner of Les Yeux du Monde Gallery

February 9
Sonja Weber Gilkey
Local fiber artist, works with organic materials

March 9
Painter Erin Crowe and Dean Dass, head of Studio Art at UVA

April 13
James Wall
Featuring new works in acrylic

May 12
Studio tour: Visit the studios of all our Artist Forum participants. Learn more about their process, how, and where they work. Plus you'll have an opportunity to purchase original works! Additional $25.

Revisiting Artini...

2009-09-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Shake up a cold, vodka infused something and let's take a trip back.

Our good friend Jason Lappa put together a stop animation of artist Matt Thomas's mural making and a smash-up of Artini eve highlights to commemorate the event. Part of the magic of Artini is its ephemeral nature. In two week's time the IX building is transformed, consumed/enjoyed -- by thirsty party-goers and ambitious dancin'shoes -- and returned to its abandoned-factory-come-event-blank-canvas self.

But thanks to Jason and Matt we can take a look back, a second look if you will, at Artini 2009...cheers!

Artini III Mural 2009

Artini III Mash Up

Artini III homespot

Inaugural Post & Inaugural Opening of the 36th Season at SSG

2009-09-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last Friday evening, SSG opened its doors for the first show of the 36th season. That's right, 36 years of contemporary art in Charlottesville. Though considered a bit of an institution, we're trying to stay spry and are ready jump into the blogosphere.

While the gallery welcomes a site specific installation by Brown and Scofield, Mountaintop, which addresses the controversial practice of mountaintop removal mining, and a film entitled "Faustus's Children," by Michele O'Marah with David Jones and Tim Jackson, our website welcomes a new voice, A Second Look.

We hope you'll stop by and see what's happening behind the scenes. Without a doubt, you'll get acquainted with another, even more colorful side of Second Street Gallery.

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So welcome to our first post. Let's rewind to last week's installation and the First Friday's opening.

Constructing the entry cabin with artists Jason Brown and Elizabeth Scofield.

Three cheers for Jason's dad, the expert dry-waller. The cabin marked the transition from "clean energy" meaning the invisible nature of electricity to the dirtier side of our power source.

You may be wondering what mountaintop removal mining is at this point. Basically, it's the practice of dynamiting entire mountain caps off to gain access to seamline coal. You heard me, no stuttering...entire mountaintops. A full explanation can be found here.

Soldered forms for the mountaintop shrouds.

The ridge lines on the wall are made of tar paper. This ridge is imagined from Google Earth specifications of Kayford Mountain as seen from Charlottesville. Images of mrm sites are mounted at the back of the gallery, taken by activist and friend of the artists, Denny Tyler.

Elizabeth and Jason stretching fabric.

Inside the mountain forms, a single, muted light bulb gives off a haunted, halo effect. Insider note: epoxy and staple guns are our friends, our very, very best friends.

Troughs are attached under each ridge line, much like a chalkboard tray, holding 140 lbs of coal.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, one American burns 140lbs of coal to power their lives each week!

Brown and Scofield want people to see the raw material since many people born in the last thirty years haven't seen or handled coal, aside from a detached understanding of its ties to electricity.

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Installation of the main show ran from Tuesday until a few hours before our members preview on Thursday night, catered by Greenwood Gourmet Grocery and Gabriele Rausse Vineyard. Throughout the week, we had the help of four fantastic UVA interns and four tireless Cville area volunteers. A million thanks to each of you and to our gracious vendors!*

After many hours of frenzied orchestration, construction, lighting, and curating, SSG welcomed over 360 people to our First Friday opening, catered by Bang! and Gabriele Rausse Vineyard.

Brown and Scofield during the artist's talk

Michele O'Marah and David Jones speaking about their film "Faustus's Children" showing in the Dove Gallery.

The film runs 40 minutes long and includes a range of source material including Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, Goethe’s version of the Faust legend, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope, and most notably, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.

Portraits of Ian and Claire. Gallery go-ers experience Faustus's Children.

The film has purposefully amateur sets and the actors are all artist friends of the creators. Michele and David both spoke to those choices being a direct comment on the the fact that this is a constructed reality that confronts the implausible Hollywood tradition of tidy endings.

Ian and Claire, er, getting to know one another...

The saturated colors and stereotypical, blue-blooded uniforms are present throughout the work.

First, First Fridays of the 36th Season!

The show runs from September 4-26. Please come by from 11-6pm Monday through Wednesday to see the exhibits for yourself.

from 2nd, ACJ

* see our website for volunteer opportunities and how to become a member today!