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

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

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...

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

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

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!

 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

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!