Piedmont Arts Blog

Earnest Brings Laughs and Intrigue to On Stage!

2012-02-03T14:02:00.004-05:00

Guy Oliver-Watts, left, as Algernon and Rebecca Reaney as Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest.

On Thursday night, the curtain rose at Martinsville High School Auditorium on the delightfully colorful and kitschy set of Oscar Wilde's classic, The Importance of Being Earnest. Premiered in 1895, Earnest remains Wilde's most popular play and for good reason - it's full of dry wit and salacious humor. The clever all-British cast from New York's Aquila Theatre performed the play in "modern dress," sporting casual attire and talking on cell phones.

Deemed by Wilde to be "a trivial comedy for serious people," this deliciously witty comedy details the escapades of Jack Worthing (James Hogg) and Algernon Moncrieff (Guy Oliver-Watts), two members of the fashionable British upper crust. In an attempt to escape their dull country lives, they invent wild tales about the imaginary Ernest and Bunbury. Their deceptions eventually cross paths, resulting in a series of hilarious discoveries that threaten to spoil their romantic pursuits. All this plays on Aquila's comedic strengths as the actors employed physical humor and facial expressions for laughs along with the hilarious appearance of James Lavender in the role of stern matriarch Lady Bracknell.

Hundreds of area residents were treated to an entertaining, yet thought-provoking, example of British theatre.

"I love live theatre, so driving 60 miles to see a play of this caliber was an easy decision. I thought the cast did a great job with a play that demands exact timing," said Michael Howlett, who drove from Hillsville to see the performance.

In addition to Thursday night's performance, Aquila also participated in the program Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives: Poetry-Drama-Dialogue, made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life. The actors participated in a live reading of scenes from Greek drama in the Piedmont Arts galleries on Wednesday night, to over 80 guests. Thursday afternoon, the actors also lead a mask acting workshop at Piedmont Arts for the public and students from Carlisle School.

Aquila Theatre's performance of The Importance of Being Earnest was presented by Piedmont Arts On Stage! This marks Aquila Theatre's third performance in Martinsville as part of the On Stage! series. The company performed Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2011 and Romeo and Juliet in 2006. This tour engagement of Aquila Theatre Company is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Piedmont Arts Brings Major Humanities Program to Area

2012-01-23T10:35:00.002-05:00

This February, Piedmont Arts will host, Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives: A National Conversation, a major national humanities program traveling to 100 public libraries and art centers across America with a mission to inspire people to come together to read, see and think about classical literature and how it continues to influence and invigorate American cultural life.

This extensive new program unites the assets of the Aquila Theatre Company, the Urban Libraries Council, the American Philological Association, the Center for Ancient Studies at New York University and the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington DC.

Events

Staged Readings from Greek Drama
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012, 7:00 PM, Piedmont Arts
RSVP to this event
Join Piedmont Arts and Aquila Theatre for professionally performed readings from Greek drama. After each reading, actors will lead a discussion, encouraging audience members to share their impressions and experiences. Participants will see the reading of artistically enriching classical plays and gain experience in how to watch, appreciate and participate as a modern audience member viewing an ancient Greek play.

The reading and discussion will explore "Homecoming," a them designed to bring the veteran community and public together to contribute to something truly important and profoundly moving – a way to understand and appreciate our veterans, to learn from their experiences in the context of these classical works, and to come together as an active audience, watching, listening, and discussing as a shared experience. This program is free and open to the public.

Mask Acting Masterclass
Thursday, Feb 2, 2012, 2:00 - 3:00 PM, Piedmont Arts
RSVP to this event
Join Piedmont Arts and actors from Aquila Theatre for a masterclass in the art of mask acting. The class will explore masks, movement and performance in classical theatre, as well as Greek theatre's connection to modern life. This program is free and open to the public.

Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives: A National Conversation is a program that has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information regarding these events or to RSVP attendance, please call 276.632.3221 or visit http://www.piedmontarts.org/ or http://www.ancientgreeksmodernlives.org/.

Witty and Romantic "Earnest" Comes to On Stage!

2012-01-19T15:22:00.001-05:00

Piedmont Arts On Stage! brings a delightful production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest to the stage, featuring an all-British cast of actors from New York-based Aquila Theatre.

Since its first performance in 1895, Wilde's masterpiece has become a respected piece of literature and has delighted audiences with its with humor, elegance and romantic comedy. Written as a “trivial comedy for serious people,” The Importance of Being Earnest is witty tour de force on the observations of life, true identity and the importance of ones name in society.

The play follows Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, both young men who have taken to bending the truth to add a dash of excitement to their lives. However, their deceptions eventually cross paths, resulting in a series of hilarious discoveries that threaten to spoil their romantic pursuits. The clever high jinks and last-minute revelations of the characters add up to an evening of fun and laughter.

Piedmont Arts On Stage! will present The Importance of Being Earnest on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7 pm at Martinsville High School Auditorium, located at 351 Commonwealth Boulevard.

Tickets are $28 for reserved, $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students and can be purchased at Piedmont Arts or www.PiedmontArts.org.

This tour engagement of Aquila Theatre Company is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Exhibit Takes Shape (With Lots of Paper)

2012-01-13T14:04:00.000-05:00

Dianne Smith's exhibit, Surface and Soul opens tonight in the Piedmont Arts galleries. Here's a sneak peek at the installation of her latest assemblage, which she custom-made for the space:

Artists Dianne Smith Talks with Students at Martinsville High School

2012-01-11T15:29:00.000-05:00

Piedmont Arts presented and in-school workshop with artist Dianne Smith at Martinsville High School on Jan. 11, 2012. Smith spoke about her work, process and inspiration. She also met with students to discuss their work and offer insight into art-making techniques. Over 20 students participated in the workshop during Mrs. Lugrin's art class.

New York Artist Creates Work for Piedmont Arts Gallery

2012-01-04T11:56:00.001-05:00

Dianne Smith, Hidden Beauty

Dianne Smith: Surface and Soul, a unique installation exhibit by the artist, will be on display in the Piedmont Arts galleries January 14 – February 25, 2012.

In addition to paintings and sculptures from her previous collections, Smith's exhibit will include a custom sculpture created on-site to fit the unique characteristics of the Piedmont Arts galleries and an interactive homage to the Civil Rights Movement constructed by Smith using images and historical documents on loan from the collection of Reverend Thurman Echols.

Often compared to that of Richard Mayhew and Norman Lewis, Smith's work has the ability to incite emotions with lush palettes and expressive brush strokes. She creates provocative and meaningful imagery that challenges the viewer to consider events and circumstances taking place in the world today.

Though Smith's paintings use textures, tones, shades, colors and strokes as a way to engage the viewer, her sculptures often consist of her everyday trash (junk mail, bottles, cans, old clothes, rags, newspapers, etc.). Smith collects these otherwise discarded materials and uses them as a metaphor for how she views the world.

"I am called upon to create my art in response to the events, circumstances and times of the world around me," says Smith. "Whether it is the plight of women and children around the world, the tragedy of a natural disaster or a conversation with a friend. I am able to create from the now. I use my work as a way to share information by connecting it to socioeconomic and political issues."

Smith is a Bronx native of Belizean descent. Her work has been exhibited with noted artists including Norman Lewis, Frank Bowling, Samella Lewis, Chakai Booker and Howardena Pindell. Her works are in the private collections of Danny Simmons, Cicely Tyson, Vivica A. Fox and Dr. Maya Angelou.

Earth, Sky and the In-Between, featuring pottery and other works by Bill and Susan Moore, will also be on display in the Lynwood Artists Gallery.

Reverend Thurman Echols, Imogene and Isadore Draper, Joyce Staples, Anne Vipperman, Narda S. Dixon, Lynwood Artists and Piedmont Arts will hold a Members Reception and Artist Talk in honor of Dianne Smith: Surface and Soul and Earth, Sky and the In-Between on Friday, January 13, 2012 at 5:30 pm in the Piedmont Arts galleries. Piedmont Arts members and guests are invited to attend. Babysitting is available for $5 per child. Please RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221 by January 10, 2012.

Symphony Brings Holiday Favorites to Martinsville

2011-12-06T12:35:00.001-05:00

This Sunday, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra will return to Martinsville for the annual Piedmont Arts On Stage! Holiday Pops Spectacular. This year's event, which promises to deliver old favorites and new surprises, will be held at 7 pm at Martinsville High School Auditorium.

Nearly 200 musicians and vocalists from the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO) and the Hollins University Concert Choir will perform seasonal favorites and new holiday arrangements with accompaniment by acclaimed soprano Adelaide Muir Trombetta.

Adelaide has enjoyed repeat engagements working with L’orchestra Giuseppe Verdi of Milan, Italy performing leading roles of Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, Euridice in Orpheus in the Underworld and Lilli Vanessi “Katharina” in Kiss me Kate. Comfortable in the diverse worlds of opera, musical theater and sacred oratorio, Adelaide brings a lovely personality and bubbly presence to the stage.

RSO music director and conductor, David Wiley will delight with his famous antics as he leads the orchestra and chorus through holiday classics like Sleigh Ride, Jingle Bell Rock and I'll Be Home For Christmas, as well as the carol sing–along that has become a staple of the Symphony's Holiday Pops performances.

In a surprise appearance, Martinsville-native Brandon Martin will join the RSO on stage for a special song. Brandon is returning to Martinsville after a run in the Tony Award-winning musical, Dreamgirls. Since graduating from Bassett High School and Shenandoah University, he has been performing at theaters up and down the east coast. Brandon's past roles include Tiny Joe Dixon in Dreamgirls; Henry in South Pacific, Sarah’s friend in Ragtime and Clover in Madame. Brandon is celebrated locally for his performance as the Beast in the TheatreWorks production of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast and Adam in Children of Eden. He is very excited and honored to sing with the RSO in his hometown.

In the spirit of the season, and in partnership with Grace Network, Piedmont Arts is conducting a non–perishable food drive the night of the show. Doors will open at 6 pm for donations. Celebrate the season of giving and extend a helping hand to those less fortunate by donating to the Grace Network.

Tickets to the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops Spectacular are on sale at Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave. or online at http://piedmontarts.org/. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults and $20 for reserved seats.

This performance partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Piedmont Arts Launches New Marketing Tools Using Tourism Grant

2011-11-18T11:40:00.001-05:00

(L-R) Jennifer Doss, director of tourism for Martinsville-Henry County; Bernadette Moore, director of marketing and public relations for Piedmont Arts; Felicia Rupert, tourism associate for Martinsville-Henry County. To support the arts and shopping locally, all three ladies are wearing jewelry made by artists at Studio 107 (Doss- necklace, Moore- ring, Rupert- bracelet).

The Martinsville-Henry County EDC’s Tourism & Film Division and Piedmont Arts are pleased to announce the launch of new marketing tools promoting the museum and programs offered by it.

Piedmont Arts applied for a Tourism Marketing Grant from the EDC to acquire matching funds for the development of a promotional brochure and an outdoor banner.

The brochure, which was designed in-house by Bernadette Moore and printed locally by Quality Printing, features exciting photography and a fresh color scheme of purple, orange and blue to match the organization’s new logo. It will be used to promote the museum and services to both residents and visitors to the area.

The colorful outdoor banner, also designed by Moore, will be printed locally by Solid Stone Fabrics. It will enhance the museum’s curb appeal and create a sense of excitement for museum visitors.

"We are extremely excited to receive a Tourism Marketing Grant from the EDC," said Moore. "We have long been in need of marketing materials that effectively spread the word about all that Piedmont Arts does in the community. This grant has allowed us to produce an eye-catching brochure that provides visitors with in-depth information about Piedmont Arts exhibits and programs. Our new banner will also serve as a colorful greeting to travelers along Starling Avenue, inviting them into the museum."

According to Jennifer Doss, Director of Tourism for Martinsville-Henry County, “This grant program was designed to assist businesses and organizations in the local tourism industry leveraging their marketing resources. Piedmont Arts provides so many opportunities for our community through world-class exhibits, educational programs and live stage performances; we are excited to partner with them to enhance their marketing effort.

Art Walk Events Slated for Friday

2011-11-03T15:25:00.003-04:00

Studio 107 artist Terry Mitchell turns a wooden bowl during First Friday Art Walk in Uptown.

For over two years, Studio 107 Artist Studios for Piedmont Arts has partnered with businesses in Uptown to create First Friday Art Walk. The monthly event takes place year-round and includes galleries, shops, restaurants, plays and live music on the first Friday of each month. All events are within walking distance in Uptown Martinsville. This month's Art Walk will take place on Friday, Nov. 4 and includes the following events:

• Studio 107 will host a holiday preview sale from 5 - 7 pm. Handmade items, like wooden ornaments and key chains, stained and fused glass and jewelry will be on clearance. Studio 107 artists will also have holiday ornaments, decorations and accessories available for purchase or commission. Studio 107 is open for free tours during First Friday Art Walk and artists are available to discuss their work.

• The Cake and Dessert Pantry, located inside The Café at Arts and Deli, will be open from 5 - 7 pm and will provide visitors with samples of holiday cakes and cookies. The shop will also take special orders for the upcoming holidays.

• The Artisan Center will host an opening for an exhibit by local artisan, Chris Frazier. Frazier will display glass and turned-wood pieces featuring his unique mosaic designs. Visit the Artisan Center from 5 - 7 pm for shopping and an artist meet-and-greet.

• First Friday at the Rives will present alt-country musician Jason Ringenberg in concert at the historic Rive Theatre. Ringenberg is the lead singer for punk-country pioneers, Jason and the Scorchers, and also moonlights as children's performer, Farmer Jason, who will make an appearance at the Rives on Saturday morning. Ringenberg's First Fridays at the Rives performance begins at 8 pm and tickets are $15 each. Tickets will be available at the door beginning at 7 pm. Farmer Jason will delight kids young and old on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 am at the Rives. Farmer Jason's performance is free and open to the public.

• Other participating businesses include: As Is Outlet, Hugo's, The Cafe at Arts and Deli, Wild Magnolia and Rania's Italian Restaurant. Find more about these businesses on VisitMartinsville.com.

Piedmont Arts Brings Brass Band, Puppet Theatre to Local Schools

2011-10-28T15:12:00.002-04:00

Alyssa Ramsey, Barefoot Puppets founder Heidi Rugg, Tyler Johnson (blue shirt), Taylor Holthausen, puppeteer Sam Rugg and the Rugg’s daughter pose with puppets from “Trickster Tales” after a performance at Mt. Olivet Elementary.

This week Piedmont Arts presented in-school performances to over 2,000 students in the city and county. These programs were part of Piedmont Arts’ educational outreach program, which reaches 20,000 local students, in duplicate, each year.

On Mon. Oct. 24, Roanoke-based quintet Brass 5 took students at Carver and Rich Acres Elementary schools on a journey through time with their musical program, "An American Dream." Band members lead students through an exploration of significant historical time periods and important figures in American history, linking the past and present through music. This SOL-based program was cloaked in humor, inviting students to laugh while learning. Brass 5's performance was presented as part of Piedmont Arts' educational outreach program with support from a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Piedmont Arts will bring Brass 5's "An American Dream" into two additional elementary schools in November.

With over 3,000 educational performances under their belts, Brass 5 knows how to reach young audiences. The ensemble develops and presents a new educational program each year for the K-12th grade levels. Utilizing the public school teaching experience of its members, Brass 5 relates the material to the specific grade level's curriculum in a fun format that has become the ensemble's educational signature. Plus, the programs can be utilized by the music teachers in the classroom.

Barefoot Puppets visited Collinsville Primary School, Mt. Olivet, Sanville and Axton Elementary schools on Oct. 26 and 27 with “Trickster Tales,” a collection of West African stories starring Anansi the Spider. Students met new puppets with each tale, including Elephant, Hippo, Namibi the Python, Osebo the Leopard, a swarm of angry hornets and an even angrier Sky-God! The colorful scenery, original music and clever puns were a wonderful backdrop for the antics of the expressive rod and hand puppets used to create the show. Barefoot Puppets performance was presented as part of Piedmont Arts' educational outreach program with support from a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Barefoot Puppet Theatre has been building and performing original works since 1997 when founder and director, Heidi Rugg, began building puppet shows from the basement of her home in Richmond, Virginia. The first show was originally designed to fit in the back of a Volkswagen Golf. From these humble beginnings, the company (and the touring vehicle) has grown significantly and now tours nationally to libraries, schools and theaters while continuing to create new works for children and their families. Each performance features beautiful puppets in a variety of styles, imaginative and well-researched scripts, unique staging, audience participation and original music. These elements combine to bring to life world folktales, classic tales and adaptations of true stories. In 2005, Barefoot Puppet Theatre was awarded a UNIMA Citation of Excellence, the highest distinction in North American puppetry.

View a slideshow of Brass 5's performance | View a slideshow of Barefoot Puppets' performance

50th Anniversary Gala Celebrates Arts in MHC

2011-10-05T10:38:00.000-04:00

On September 30, 2011 Piedmont Arts celebrated it's 50th anniversary with a creative cocktail gala. Old friends and new joined in the fun by donning their most creative outfits and raising their glasses to the 50-year history of arts and education Piedmont Arts has fostered in Martinsville and Henry County. Thanks to everyone who attended this wonderful event and to all those who worked so diligently to make this night possible.

View Images on Photobucket

Jane Franklin Dance at Carlisle School

2011-09-23T12:22:00.002-04:00

View Slideshow

On Friday, Piedmont Arts presented a performance and dance workshop by Jane Franklin Dance for students at Carlisle School. The dance company performed excerpts from several dances, including “The Mouse of Amherst,” “A Vivid Sense of Place” and “The 50s Front” for the entire student body. After the performance, Carlisle’s dance and drama students took part in a dance workshop, where the company taught students to explore creative movement through collaboration with their fellow dancers.

Jane Franklin Dance is a modern dance company based in Arlington, Virginia. Their performances are blend of dance, theater and humor. The company’s workshops integrate dance into the community and provide young people with opportunities to express themselves - and perhaps find their passion in the performing arts.

This program is organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Office of Statewide Partnerships and is supported by the Paul Mellon Endowment. This performance is partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Exhibits Explore VMFA Photography Collection, Recognize Sesquicentennial of Civil War

2011-09-22T16:16:00.001-04:00

This October, Piedmont will present The Fleeting Glimpse: Selections in Modern and Contemporary Photography from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Civil War Redux: Pinhole Photographs of Reenactments, two exhibits on loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA).

Lee Friedlander, Shadow-New York City, 1968, silver print

Featuring 35 works, The Fleeting Glimpse highlights 27 artists who use the photographic medium to transform common found occurrences in nature and humanity into unusual encounters and strange juxtapositions. The exhibition features provocative legends of the camera, Jerry N. Uelsmann, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Lee Friedlander among others. highlights 27 artists who use the photographic medium to transform common found occurrences in nature and humanity into unusual encounters and strange juxtapositions. The exhibition features provocative legends of the camera, Jerry N. Uelsmann, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Lee Friedlander among others.

Through exploitation of a variety of photographic techniques including digital, straightforward, long exposure, vignette and pinhole process the artists in The Fleeting Glimpse all share commonalities in the pursuit of a visually fragmented narrative in highly experimental work. The viewer has a “fleeting glimpse” of an implied alternative reality through the artists’ deliberate and sometimes happenstance staging and organization of elements. The works entice the viewer with implied psychosomatic drama through bizarre subject matter and compositions, inviting further examination.

The Fleeting Glimpse is the first major focus on the VMFA's renowned photography collection and marks the first collection sharing partnership between the VMFA and Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. The Fleeting Glimpse is co-curated by Christine Carr, artist and assistant professor of art at Hollins University and Wilson Museum Director Amy Moorefield. Funding for The Fleeting Glimpse comes in part from the City of Roanoke through the Roanoke Arts Commission as well as support from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Willie Anne Wright,
Chancellorsville: George Armstrong Custer, USA,
April 30, 1988

Civil War Redux: Pinhole Photographs of Reenactments is a twelve-year project by Willie Anne Wright featuring photographs of Civil War reenactors across the South. Begun more than 125 years after the start of the Civil War, Wright's completed project now recognizes the 2011 sesquicentennial of this native conflict.

Wright, who lives and works in Richmond, Virginia, uses pinhole or lens-less photography to create one of her most interesting series. Her pinhole photographs feature characteristics of her chosen medium and an occasional anachronistic detail (like the Dodge truck seen in Chancellorsville: George Armstrong Custer, USA) and present a provocative view of the Civil War. Wright's approach is even-handed. Her images include men and women, Caucasian and African American, Federal and Confederate, famous players and the lesser known.

In conjunction with Civil War Redux, Piedmont Arts presents Scarlett Fever: The Greatness of Gone with the Wind with Professor Elliot Engel on Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Engle's talk will examine the intriguing background of both book and author and prove why Gone with the Wind should be considered a great American novel. Tickets at www.PiedmontArts.org.

Also on display: Wet Plate Collodion Photography by Robert Szabo in the Lynwood Artists Gallery.

The Fleeting Glimpse, Civil War Redux and Wet Plate Collodion Photography by Robert Sabot will be on display at Piedmont Arts from October 15 – December 31, 2011. Piedmont Arts will host a Members Reception for these exhibits featuring a gallery talk with Amy Moorefield and Christine Carr on October 14 at 5:30 pm. Please RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221.

Piedmont Arts Receives Dominion ArtStars Award

2011-09-14T11:52:00.000-04:00

Virginians for the Arts (VFTA) announced today that Piedmont Arts is a recipient of a Donimion ArtStars Award. The awards recognize two arts organizations in each of the five regions of the Commonwealth that best demonstrate the ability to enhance communities, lift our spirits and build a better quality of life. The awards are made possible by a $30,000 contribution from The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources.

“We are honored to join with VFTA in recognizing the Commonwealth’s best,” said Virginia M. Board, president of The Dominion Foundation. “We value and appreciate the efforts of each organization to enrich our lives and strengthen our communities.”

The ArtStars Shining Star Award is bestowed upon an arts organization in each region that has an extraordinary impact on the community, successfully develops community partnerships, as well as business, legislative, and local community support; contributes to K-12 education; and that has stood the “test of time.”

Nominated by Senator Roscoe Reynolds, Piedmont Arts was chosen for this award because of their 50-year history of providing ongoing enrichment of the lives of the people of Martinsville, Henry County and the surrounding area, through positive exposure, education and experiences in the visual and performing arts. Through these efforts, Piedmont Arts contributes to the economic, educational and cultural vitality of the region. ArtStars judges called Piedmont Arts a “model of the arts in creating a cohesive community.”

Other organizations to receive the Shining Star Award include the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, the Richmond Symphony, Signature Theatre in Arlington and the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton.

An additional five organizations were recipients of The Rising Star Award, which is presented to an arts organization in each region that meets all of the criteria for the Shining Star Award, but that is not as well established.

Through the generosity of Dominion, cash prizes of $5,000 for each Shining Star and $1,000 for each Rising Star will be distributed to the winners at upcoming celebration events being held in each region. Winners also will be recognized at the January 2012 ArtWorks conference in Richmond.

Expecting about 60 nominations for the awards contest, VFTA received 99, which were carefully evaluated over the summer by a top-notch panel of judges from around the Commonwealth. “We couldn’t be more pleased with this inaugural awards program,” said Suny Monk, VFTA president. “The competition was fierce as each organization brings a unique and worthwhile arts program to these communities, and in the end, the judges had to make some very difficult choices.”

Dominion, a longtime supporter of the arts in Virginia, has agreed to fund the ArtStars initiative for one additional cycle over the next two to three years.

For a complete list of winners by region, click here.

Gallery Talk Sheds Light on Museum Practices, Art and Artists

2011-09-06T12:02:00.000-04:00

To many, the operations at large art museums are a mystery. How do these institutions purchase art? What works of art are most important? And, why are some of the works they purchase even considered art? Robin Nicholson, deputy director for arts and education at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond shed light on these questions and delved into the exhibit, "Van, Gogh, Lichtenstein, Whistler: Masterpieces of World Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts" at a free gallery talk hosted by Piedmont Arts.

Opened during the Great Depression, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was created to house the Commonwealth's collection of public art, which was begun in 1919 with the gift of 50 paintings from prominent judge and politician John Barton Payne. The purpose of the museum was to provide the citizens of the Commonwealth with a rich selection of world art. "Today, we have the largest collection of any state art museum in the nation, and I like to think, the best," said Nicholson.

Though the VMFA's collection has grown from 50 works to over 30,000 pieces in its 75-year existence, the museum has never used state money to purchase artwork. Nicholson noted that all accessions the museum purchases are "made with privately donated funds."

In fact, Nicholson revealed, the museum recently was the recipient of a $70 million gift from the Arthur Graham and Margaret Branch Glasgow Trust, which will be placed in a restricted endowment for the acquisition of new art and to support the recently completed expansion of the facility. The Glasgow Trust marks the largest cash gift in the history of the VMFA.

Nicholson, an art historian, also provided interesting background on many of the artists whose work is on display at Piedmont Arts. He pointed out that Whistler, who is beloved by many for his haunting portrait of his mother, might be the most historically radical artist in the exhibit. The artist's three etchings, which appear much tamer than other works that hang near by – like Norman Lewis's jarring "Post Mortem," inspired by the Civil Rights Movement – were considered almost untouchable at the time of their creation. In 1877, art critic John Ruskin condemned Whistler's work, "Nocturne in Black and Gold: The falling Rocket," an ethereal depiction of fireworks in the night sky. Ruskin panned the painting for its perceived impudence and referred to Whistler as a coxcomb for his belief in the ideology of "art for art's sake," a ridiculous notion to many in the heyday of the Realist movement. Ruskin's comments and the lawsuit Whistler filed as a result, created a general dislike of the artist for many years. In the end, though, Whistler is remembered for championing the cause of creating art with the intention of pleasing the spirit. And, it was this notion that greatly impacted all artistic movements that followed, including the Pop Art movement of the 1960s.

A prime piece from this movement, "Still Life with Folded Sheets" by Roy Lichtenstein embodies the same spirit of Whistler's work, though visually it is much removed. "Andy Warhol is perhaps the most well-known of the Pop artists," said Nicholson, "but Lichtenstein really found a niche that worked for him, as well." Lichtenstein is best known for enlarging scenes from comic books to epic proportions, an idea seen as inventive to some and questionable to others. "What makes something like this art?" asked an audience member during Nicholson's talk. "Well," Nicholson explained, "the art world is tricky." What makes a piece a work of art often depends on who is willing to take up the artist's or work's cause and promote it to the powers that be as important and worthwhile. With Modern and Contemporary art a piece's value is no longer based solely on artistic ability or how pleasing it is to the eye. "It's very likely that an artist can have no training or education in art and be successful," said Nicholson. "It becomes a matter of 'it’s art because someone says it is'." Though daunting, this idea shouldn't be a discouragement to art lovers or those seeking to attain knowledge of Modern and Contemporary art, Nicholson noted. What truly matters in art is that we find pieces that move us personally through their sentiment, their color or shapes, their sense of nostalgia, their beautiful renderings or any reason imaginable.

Van, Gogh, Lichtenstein, Whistler: Masterpieces of World Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will be on display in the Piedmont Arts galleries through October 1, 2011.

ON STAGE! SEASON FEATURES CLASSIC ROCK PIONEERS POCO + PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE

2011-08-10T15:53:00.007-04:00

The Piedmont Arts On Stage! performing arts series will kick off it's 21st year this October, bringing to the stage dynamic performances by a host of favorites and new artists, including the swinging beats of Samson Trinh and the Upper East Side Big Band, holiday classics and clever high jinks by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, live theatre featuring an all-British cast from Aquila Theatre Co. and a powerhouse performance by 1970s country-rock superstars Poco and Pure Prairie League!

In addition to these exciting events, Piedmont Arts has also planned two Special Event performances, held in conjunction with upcoming exhibits in the Piedmont Arts galleries.

Individual and season tickets to Piedmont Arts On Stage! events as well as tickets to Piedmont Arts Special Event performances are now on sale at Piedmont Arts.

2011 - 2012 On Stage! Season

Samson Trinh & the Upper East Side Big Band
Sunday, Oct 16, 2011, 7:00 PM
Martinsville High School Auditorium, 351 Commonwealth Blvd, Martinsville

This performance partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Put on your dance shoes and swing the night away with the Upper East Side Big Band featuring the dynamic Samson Trinh! Made up of the finest musicians in Virginia, their repertoire includes the big band sounds of Duke Ellington and Count Basie as well as modern hits by Ray Charles, The Beatles and more!

$28 Reserved | $18 Adult | $15 Senior | $10 Student

Roanoke Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Holiday Pops Spectacular
Sunday, Dec 11, 2011, 7:00 PM
Martinsville High School Auditorium, 351 Commonwealth Blvd, Martinsville

This performance partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Chorus return to Martinsville for the sixth year with familiar holiday classics, new yuletide favorites and few surprises in store! In the spirit of the season, Grace Network will collect non-perishable food items to stock the pantry for those less fortunate.

$20 Reserved | $10 Adult | $5 Student

The Importance of Being Earnest
Thursday, Feb 2, 2012, 7:00 PM
Martinsville High School Auditorium, 351 Commonwealth Blvd, Martinsville

This tour engagement of Aquila Theatre Company is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Aquila Theatre's production of Oscar Wilde’s classic play overflows with razor-sharp wit and dizzy romantic comedy. The tale follows two young men who bend the truth to add a dash of excitement to their lives. However, their deceptions eventually cross paths, resulting in a series of hilarious discoveries that threaten to spoil their romantic pursuits.
$28 Reserved | $18 Adult | $15 Senior | $10 Student

Poco + Pure Prairie League
Saturday, May 5, 2012, 7:30 PM
Martinsville High School Auditorium, 351 Commonwealth Blvd, Martinsville

Country-rock pioneers Poco found platinum success early in their career, and four decades later Rusty Young, who wrote and sang the massive hits “Crazy Love” and “Heart Of The Night”, still leads this incredible band. They continue to record new material, including a 40th anniversary DVD.

When Pure Prairie League formed in the late 1960s, no one had put a label on the music they played. Along with groups like the Eagles, they reached mainstream radio listeners as singles like “Amie” climbed the Billboard. Pure Prairie League continues to record and tour around the world. An evening with these two legendary bands will be unforgettable!

$28 Reserved | $18 Adult | $15 Senior | $10 Student

Piedmont Arts Special Events

Scarlett Fever: The Greatness of Gone with the Wind
Tuesday, Nov 1, 2011, Dinner 6:00 PM, Lecture 7:00 PM
Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave., Martinsville

Since its publication in 1936, Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone with the Wind, has enjoyed wild popularity. Dr. Elliot Engel examines the intriguing background of both author and book and proves why Gone with the Wind should be considered a great American novel. This event is held in conjunction with the exhibit, Civil War Redux: Pinhole Photographs of Reenactments, on display in the Piedmont Arts galleries Oct 15 through Dec 31, 2011.

$25 Dinner and Lecture | $15 Lecture Only

Mark Twain at Large
Friday, Mar 30, 2012, 7:30 PM, Location TBA

Join Mark Twain in his private study for an intimate face-to-face conversation filled with stories and anecdotes taken directly from his literary works. Actor Ron Jewell channels his muse so convincingly that the audience will believe they have actually spent the evening with the real Mark Twain! This event is held in conjunction with the exhibit, Norman Rockwell's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, on display in the Piedmont Arts galleries Mar 10 through Apr 28, 2012

$12

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Summer Art Camp a Hit with Kids and Volunteers!

2011-08-08T12:14:00.003-04:00

Hi, my name is Ashleigh Buck (that's me on the right). My friend Katie Jamison (left) and I were volunteers at Summer Art Camp held this July at Piedmont Arts. Ginger Gardner, the teacher, planned and taught the very artsy crafts and Katie and I helped supervise the kids during projects. We had fifteen children between the ages of 5 and 8 in the class who had a blast making painted paper fish, puppets, ice cream cones, mosaic portraits, tissue paper butterflies and flowers.

The students also played in the Discovery Room and outside with sidewalk chalk - the younger ones made Smurf villages and loved to put on plays! At the end of the week we put on an art show so all the parents could see what their little artists made.

Ginger, Katie, and I were happy and sad at the end of the week after all of the children left and the fish were taken down and the butterflies floated away. I can't wait to do it again next year!

VAN GOGH, LICHTENSTEIN AND WHISTLER ON DISPLAY AT PIEDMONT ARTS

2011-07-20T16:30:00.000-04:00

Beginning this week, the Piedmont Arts galleries will feature the exhibit Van Gogh, Lichtenstein, Whistler: Masterpieces of World Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, an exhibition commemorating both the 75th anniversary of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the 50th anniversary of Piedmont Arts. Supported by Altria Group, the specially curated exhibition is open to the public from July 23 – October 1, 2011. Admission to the Piedmont Arts galleries is always free of charge.

The exhibition features over 20 works by artistic masters from around the world, including Post-Impressionistic icon Vincent Van Gogh, American impressionist James Abbot McNeil Whistler, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein and contemporary photographer Sally Mann, as well as works from the museum's African, Asian and Ancients collections.

"This is a truly fascinating exhibit," said Bernadette Moore, director of marketing and public relations at Piedmont Arts. "The VMFA has included works that serve as a vivid snapshot of their overall collection. It is certainly an unusual delight to have such masterworks on display in a city the size of ours."

In addition to the exhibit of VMFA masterworks, Piedmont Arts will also display a collection of tobacco-themed paintings, on loan from the Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc. The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Collection features works from the American Regionalism movement, prominent in the 1930s and 1940s, which depict various aspects of the harvesting, hanging and selling of tobacco. The works were donated to the university by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and are permanently housed at Reynolds Homestead in Critz, Virginia. These works can be viewed in Piedmont Arts' Lynwood Artists gallery from July 23 – October 1, 2011.

Also on display: Lynwood Artists will host a special retrospective exhibit in the Frith Performance Hall. This exhibit celebrates the long history that Piedmont Arts shares with Lynwood Artists and features work by many original Lynwood Artists as well as members who have provided years of service to both organizations.

Images (top - bottom): Vincent Van Gogh, “The Wheat Field behind St. Paul's Hospital,” St. Rémy, 1889 (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon)

Cosmo de Salvo, Untitled (Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc.)

New Director of Exhibitions & Finance Manager Announced

2011-07-20T14:10:00.000-04:00

Piedmont Arts is pleased to announce that Brandon Adams has been hired as the organization's Director of Exhibitions. Adams will replace Tina Sell, who leaves the post at the end of July when she and her family plan to move to Pennsylvania.

Adams, a Bassett native, gained extensive knowledge of Piedmont Arts' exhibitions program as a summer intern with the organization in 2010. During his internship he played an instrumental role in the planning and installation of several exhibits including, Homelands: Portraits of Ireland and Israel by Gordon Wetmore and Binh Danh: In the Eclipse of Angkor. He also curated and installed a special exhibit at Hooker Furniture featuring work by Lynwood Artists members. Adams holds a BA in Art History from Roanoke College and has completed a broad range of course work in childhood and k-12 education. He is the son of Kasim and Cindy Adams of Bassett.

"I am truly honored to be joining the Piedmont Arts team as the Director of Exhibitions," said Adams. "This organization has been achieving excellence in our community for the past fifty years and I look forward to being a part of that tradition. At the same time, I am extremely excited for the endless possibilities that the future holds for the exhibitions program and Piedmont Arts."

Piedmont Arts is also pleased to announce that Pam Jamison Allen has been hired as the organization's Finance Manager. Allen takes over for Nancy Plybon who retired in mid-July.

Allen is a Henry County native with wide-ranging experience in accounting. She holds a BA in Business Administration from James Madison University and has worked as the HOPE Initiative Coordinator for the United Way of Henry County & Martinsville and as Program Coordinator for Grace Network. Allen is the daughter of the late Jewell and Pete Jamison of Figsboro. She resides in Martinsville with her husband, Sid Allen, and son, Sidney Allen IV.

Allen commented, "I'm exited to be a part of the Piedmont Arts team, and I'm looking forward to being associated with something that is great for Martinsville and Henry County and beyond. We are so fortunate to have Piedmont Arts here to enrich our lives."

Martinsville Middle School Students Get Creative After School

2011-06-16T10:45:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, students from Martinsville Middle School's After School Artists program gathered at Piedmont Arts for a year-end exhibition of their work. Fifteen students participated in this year's program, which offers students in-depth lessons in the visual arts taught by local artists. Began by former city school teacher Sandra Cox, the program is now celebrating is sixth year of providing students with learning experiences that not only improve their artistic abilities, but create a lasting bond between teachers and classmates.

"The program has done so much to enrich the talents of the students," said Sandra Cox, "but it has also enriches them as individuals. As they learn together, they become like family."

Students experienced a wide range of curricula this year, thanks to the diversity of the artists who served as volunteer instructors, many of who work out of Studio 107 in Uptown Martinsville. Studio 107 artists Terry Mitchell, Betty Blessin, Roland Guidry and Aleen Wilson joined Jane Iten and John Christensen to teach classes in painting, stained glass, woodturning, ceramics and fiber arts. Students also used the Piedmont Arts exhibit, Poe's Playground, as inspiration for a book of linoleum block prints that each created under the instruction of Tina Sell and Heidi Pinkston.

"It has been a real pleasure working with the students," said stained glass instructor Aleen Wilson. "They are very talented and very energetic."

Students are referred to the After School Artists program by their former art teachers. Next year, Cox hopes the program will have an even greater number of talented students ready to learn from Martinsville and Henry County's talented artists.

(Photos by Karyn Lovern)

Studio 107 Artists exhibit in national juried show

2011-04-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

Studio 107 artists Aleen Wilson of the Five Glassy Chix and Mary Donaldson Powell will exhibit work in the Academy of Fine Arts' National Juried Art Exhibition, which opend Friday, April 1, 2011 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Wilson and Powell are two of 53 Artists from 23 states whose work was chosen for display.

Wilson, a warm glass artist, will display her piece, "Caught Red-Handed", which she created by fusing pieces of glass together in a kiln. A former chemistry teacher, Wilson began working with glass after she retired.

Of her work, Wilson said, "Inspiration comes in many forms. I had just finished a piece with a hand in it and saw the red glass. So, with that piece still in my head, I thought, "caught red-handed". Then came the communication of the idea without words. That brought on the black frame and the bars."

Powell has worked in watercolor for the past eight years. She paints a variety of subject matter, but most recently has gained recognition for her signature style featuring a brightly colored figure set against a white background. Powell's piece, "Erin", which was chosen for display in the National Juried Art Exhibition epitomizes this style.

"My painting was inspired by a photo of my daughter," said Powell. "After I finished painting it, I put a background in and felt I had ruined it. I repainted it on a textured board and left the background white. I love the way it makes Erin, a solitary figure, stand out against the starkness of the white."

This year's National Juried Art Exhibition was juried by renowned gallery owner George Billis. With over 25 years experience as an art dealer and curator at his galleries in New York's Chelsea Art District and Los Angeles, Billis is known for selecting works based on the talent of the artist rather than the subject matter.

The Academy of Fine Arts National Juried Art Exhibition will remain on display in the Ann White Academy Gallery and the Up Front Gallery through April 30, 2011.

Studio 107 artist receives scholarship to Penland School of Craft

2011-04-06T20:05:00.014-04:00

Studio 107 artist Betty Blessin of Fiber Art Musings has been selected to receive a studio assistant scholarship at Penland School of Crafts in Bakersville, North Carolina. The scholarship will allow Betty to participate in a one-week fiber arts class held this summer at the school.

Penland's studio assistants are students who work for Penland assisting instructors and fellow students. They are responsible for maintaining the school's standards for studio operation. Assistants are selected based on their knowledge of a working studio.

Betty will be assisting fiber artist Mary Hettmansperger during the class, Metal Applications for Quilting and Surface Design. The course will cover the addition of metal to art quilts to create dimension, interest, texture and imagery. Students will learn a variety of low-tech metalsmithing techniques to achieve interesting surfaces. In addition to assisting with the class, Betty will participate in eight hours of studio time per day on days preceding and following the class.

A life-long fiber artist, Betty learned to sew in 4-H. She later expanded her skill base to knitting and quilting. Betty works out of Studio 107 in Uptown Martinsville, where she designs quilts, scarves and wall hangings. She is president of the Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild (VFQG), which meet twice per month at Piedmont Arts. The VFQG hosts programs on quilting techniques and creates "outreach quilts" for Memorial Hospital and other locations to comfort those in need.

Penland School of Crafts is a national center for craft education dedicated to helping people live creative lives. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Penland offers one-, two- and eight-week workshops in a variety of subjects, as well as artists' residencies, community collaboration programs and a gallery and information center.

New Logo Unveiled in Celebration of 50th Anniversary

2011-03-18T10:16:00.000-04:00

Today, Piedmont Arts unveiled a new logo with a fresh, contemporary design that reflects the organization's role as an accredited art museum and community-enriching educational outreach center. The unveiling of the new logo serves as a kick off for Piedmont Arts' 50th anniversary, which the organization will celebrate through June 2012.

"It is fitting that as we celebrate our rich past, we also look to the future with a fresh new look,” said Piedmont Arts Executive Director Kathy Rogers. “The new logo was the culmination of months of hard work and clearly embodies who we are and what we provide to the region."

The new logo was designed in-house by Bernadette Moore, Piedmont Arts director of marketing and public relations with assistance from a committee made up of members of the community, the Piedmont Arts Board of Directors and Piedmont Arts staff. Committee members included: Karen Despot, board member/artist; John Matthews, artist; Shar Peitz, board member/artist; Tina Sell, Piedmont Arts director of exhibitions; and David Stone, board member.

“We are extremely excited about the new logo design,” said Moore. "It has a clean, contemporary look that will serve us well into the future. The design not only embodies the many functions we serve in our community today, but also presents the organization as a first-rate, professional institution to artists and performers interested in working with Piedmont Arts."

Despot added, "While keeping with tradition is good and safe, it is an appropriate time for Piedmont Arts to change the logo to coincide with the arts excitement going on within the community. The new design is fresh and contemporary and appeals to youth as well as corporate partners. It's happy and reflects the energy within the organization."

The new logo can be seen on the Piedmont Arts website beginning Friday, March 18, 2011. The organization will gradually switch out marketing materials which bear the previous logo as need arises.

Piedmont Arts was founded in 1961 when the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts encouraged the formation of a statewide network of local chapters. Since its inception the organization has had several logos. The museum's previous logo was created when the building and grounds were remodeled in 1997-98.

Minds In Motion Team XXL Performs in Roanoke for Fourth Year

2011-03-17T20:00:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, 32 students from Martinsville and Henry County's Minds In Motion Team XXL performed alongside 300 fourth-graders from Roanoke City Public Schools at the Roanoke Performing Art Theatre. This marks the fourth year that local Minds In Motion students have joined students from Roanoke schools in a performance celebrating the culmination of the Star City's Minds in Motion season. This year's performance, themed "Dancing for a Brand New Bay," focused on the Chesapeake Bay.

Minds In Motion, which is presented locally by Piedmont Arts, is a year-long program created by the Richmond Ballet that teaches fourth-grade students discipline, dedication and self-awareness through movement and dance. Minds In Motion Team XXL is made up of fifth through eighth grade students who have participated in the program since fourth grade. The group performers for area civic groups, serving as the ambassadors for the Minds In Motion program. Team XXL includes students from Patrick Henry Elementary, Albert Harris Elementary, Mt. Olivet Elementary, Sanville Elementary, Laurel Park Elementary, Martinsville Middle School and Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School.

Minds In Motion is taught by Richmond Ballet instructors Pedro Szalay and Rebecca Weger. Pianist Beth Chapman accompanies students during classes and performances.

On Thursday, April 14, 2011, the community is invited to join Piedmont Arts, Richmond Ballet and this year's Minds In Motion partners, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Dan River Basin Association as 300 Minds In Motion dancers from area schools take part in a free public performance at Martinsville High School at 7 pm. The program, also themed "Dancing for a Brand New Bay," will feature dances that stretch across the miles connecting waterways like the Chesapeake Bay to Martinsville's own Dan River Basin. Admission is free. Visit www.piedmontarts.org for more details.

Step Afrika! Brings African-American Tradition to On Stage!

2011-02-15T12:34:00.015-05:00

Get ready for the percussive sounds of Step Afrika!, the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Performing a mix of South African gumboot and Zulu dance, slam poetry, and, of course, fraternity and sorority stepping, Step Afrika! will rattle the rafters at Martinsville High School Auditorium on Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 pm as part of the Piedmont Arts On Stage! performing arts series.

Stepping is a form of dance in which the participant's body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through kicks, stomps, claps and chants – all linked to African and modern dance traditions. “We’re not just talking hand-clapping and foot-stomping but chest-slapping, thigh-smacking, boot-bonking, hamboning, head-whacking and finger-snapping, too" said Sarah Kaufman of the Washington Post.

Based in Washington, DC, Step Afrika! is critically acclaimed for its efforts to promote an understanding of and appreciation for stepping and the dance tradition's use as an educational tool for young people worldwide. Step Afrika reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year and has performed on many stages in North & South America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.

Tickets to Step Afrika's On Stage! performance are available here, at Piedmont Arts or by calling 276.632.3221. Tickets are $20 for reserved, $10 for adults and $5 for students.

This tour of Step Afrika! is made possible by a grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

From Stage to Classroom

2011-02-14T20:55:00.032-05:00

On Sunday night, Aquila Theatre Company had the crowd rolling in the aisles with their production of Shakespeare's delightful comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The play, presented by Piedmont Arts On Stage!, deals with the universal theme of love and its attendant complications - making for a perfect Valentine's treat! There was no shortage of laughter and amazement as the crowd followed the actors through a melee of emotions concerning the fate of two lovers, Hermia and Lysander, the tempestuous relationship of scorned Helena and love-struck Demetrius and the mischievous meddling that takes place in the fairy kingdom. The scenes were so intriguing and the characters so beguiling that at play's end, Aquila Theatre was greeted with a standing ovation by the crowd at Martinsville High School Auditorium.

The applause didn't stop there, though. On Monday, actors from Aquila Theatre held a workshop for drama students at Carlisle School as part of Piedmont Arts' educational outreach program. Owen Young and Howard Crossley, who played Lysander and Nick Bottom respectively (among other roles) in Sunday's performance led students through acting drills, talked shop concerning acting methods and delved deep into the brass tacks of stage combat - a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers.

Over 20 students from Carlisle as well as actors with Theatre Works Community Players joined Young and Crossley for the workshop. An appreciative Candace Owen-Williams, drama teacher at Carlisle School, students and Piedmont Arts staff gave the duo a hearty applause for sharing their time and expertise with the group.

Kid Pan Alley Returns to Area for Songwriting Workshop

2011-02-09T17:47:00.030-05:00

Last week, Kid Pan Alley instructors Kathy Hussey and Paddy Dougherty brought their talents as songwriters, composers and performers to Stanleytown Elementary for a week-long workshop for students organized as part of Piedmont Arts' educational outreach program. From January 31 - February 4, 2011, over 200 students learned to write songs about love, peace and even bacon! The workshop culminated with students giving a free public concert of February 4 at the school.

This marks Kid Pan Alley's third songwriting residency in Martinsville and Henry County. Piedmont Arts also brought the program to students at John Redd Smith Elementary and, in 2010, to students at Patrick Henry Elementary.

Founded by Paul Reisler in 1999, the mission of Kid Pan Alley is to inspire and empower children to express their innate creativity by helping classes write and perform original songs. Despite their youth, children are remarkably skilled at interpreting complex personal and world issues and learn to compromise and work together as a group to create a shared song.

While one might think that the kids write simple songs about their pets or family, they are often quite sophisticated, covering a range of subjects from Alzheimer’s Disease to love; from subjects they are studying in school to upcoming holidays such as "I Hate Valentine's Day", a colorful ode written by students at Stanleytown. Several songs written by children through Kid Pan Alley residencies are now being used in Kid Pan Alley’s character–development assembly program.

Kathy Hussey’s personal mission is to "inspire, enrich and elevate" young people through the vehicle of songwriting. She has won several major songwriting awards, released three albums as an independent artist, and has written and recorded hundreds of songs with budding songwriters (from 8–80 years old) in her workshops across the country. She has directed Camp Summersong, Nashville’s songwriting camp for at–risk girls, since 1999 and holds an annual summer faculty position at Perry–Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Paddy Dougherty is an award–winning performing songwriter and music instructor who leads Kid Pan Alley’s assembly program, Stand Up and Be Heard – One Little Song Can Change the World. Her band, the Paddy D Quartet, has independently released two CDs. Paddy has performed with the David Bromberg Band, the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, Rita Coolidge and in house concerts across the country.

Kid Pan Alley is supported by The ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund, Bama Works Fund in the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, BAND Foundation, Caldwell Foundation, Crutchfield, The William & Mary Greve Foundation, Inc., Joseph and Lynne Horning, JABA, Lexis-Nexis, Loving Arms Assisted Living, Dietlinde Turban Maazel and Maestro Lorin Maazel, Mountain Laurel Foundation, NAMM Foundation, Piedmont Arts Association, Salesforce.com Foundation, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts-Mellon Arts in Education Program, Wachovia - a Wells Fargo Company, Carli Zug and Steve Szymanski, and many schools, parent/teacher organizations, and individual donors. This residency was presented locally by Piedmont Arts with the generous support of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Celebrating the the arts in Henry County Public Schools and the Community

2011-02-01T12:38:00.045-05:00

Last weekend, Henry County Public Schools held Arts Alive!, a fabulous event designed to encourage students to participate in the fine and performing arts. Over 400 students and staff took part in the program, which included an art exhibit, choral serenades, instrumental ensembles and student performances. Arts Alive! provided students and the community with a meaningful opportunity for creativity and cultural exposure.

Piedmont Arts was proud to participate in this celebration of the arts. Bernadette Moore, director of marketing/PR, and Carolyn Beale, Studio 107 coordinator, spent Saturday setting up a table in the lobby which highlighted Piedmont Arts' many Community Partnerships - something we are truly proud of!

Thanks to Carolyn and Studio 107 artists Karen Barnes Colletti and Lynn Berry for manning the booth during Sunday's program!

At the close of ceremonies, distinguished Henry County Public Schools alumni and local organizations were given awards in celebration of their support of the arts. Michael Shelton, the designer of the Arts Alive! logo, Jonathan Penn and Greyson Clifton were all honored. We are doubly proud of Michael and Jonathan as they are both previous recipients of Piedmont Arts' Work Scholarship, which supports college level education in the arts!

Piedmont Arts was also fortunate enough to receive an award in recognition of our excellence in partnership. Thanks so much to Henry County Public Schools for supporting our organization and recognizing the importance of art in the lives of local students! Other organizations to receive awards include: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge (Engaging Students After School Award); TheatreWorks (Engaging Students, Families, and the Community Award); and the Bassett High School Band Boosters (Above and Beyond Supporter of Students and the Fine Arts Award).

As part of the year-long preparation for Arts Alive!, Studio 107 artist Nancy Clark was chosen to design and create the beautiful awards given to program honorees. Nancy, one of The Five Glassy Chix, hand-cut each piece for the many awards and fused them together in a kiln to create one-of-a-kind keepsakes! What a wonderful job, Nancy!

Piedmont Arts On Stage! presents a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

2011-01-24T09:45:00.001-05:00

As part of Piedmont Arts' On Stage! performing arts series, Aquila Theatre Company will perform a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," at 7:30 pm on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at Martinsville High School Auditorium.

This marks Aquila Theatre Company's third visit to Martinsville. The company has performed both "Twelfth Night" and "Romeo and Juliet" on previous visits as part of the Piedmont Arts On Stage! series.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" has pleased audiences for centuries, and Aquila's imaginative interpretation will renew the magic of Shakespeare's plot. Set against a classical Athenian backdrop, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" deals with the universal theme of love, and its attendant complications: passion, lust, frustration, depression, confusion and, of course, marriage. Aquila weaves a web of theatrical magic that will take an audience to the heart of an enchanted forest, the injustice of the Athenian court and the political strife of the fairy kingdom.

The plot focuses on the trials and experiences of two sets of lovers, the Fairy King and Queen and their servants, and a group of rude mechanicals attempting to stage a production of "Pyramus and Thisbe" for the wedding of the Duke of Athens. At the heart of the story is the Fairy King's servant, the impish Puck, whose magic creates an endless supply of mirth, mistaken identity and inappropriate, if not absolutely ludicrous passions.

Founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meineck, Aquila Theatre Company is based in New York City and is one of the foremost producers of touring theater. Since its inception, the company has won critical and academic acclaim for its dedication to classical drama. Aquila presents a regular season of plays in New York, at international festivals, and tours to approximately 70 American towns and cities a year. Aquila also provides access to theater for people in under-served rural and inner city communities.

Tickets are available here, at Piedmont Arts or by calling 276.632.3221. Tickets are $28 for reserved, $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students.

Educators Reception Draws Crowd for Lecture on Thomas Day

2011-01-19T16:24:00.018-05:00

On Tuesday, around 50 educators and guests attended Carving a Place in History, an educational lecture on the life and legacy of Thomas Day. Day is one of American history’s most notable entrepreneurs and craftsmen. The lecture was given by Laurel Sneed, director of the Thomas Day Education Project and the Apprend Foundation. Sneed visited Piedmont Arts in conjunction with the exhibit Finishing History: Furniture and Other Works by A.T. Williams and Thomas A. Johnson, which features an educational exhibit on Day including two pieces of his furniture.

Read the Martinsville Bulletin's coverage of the event.

PIEDMONT ARTS ACCEPTS NOMINATIONS FOR CLYDE HOOKER AWARD

2011-01-18T12:00:00.001-05:00

Piedmont Arts is now accepting nominations from the public for the Ninth Annual Clyde Hooker Award. Nominations are open to both individuals and businesses that are involved in and support the arts in our community. The award recipients, chosen by committee, will be honored at a special reception in May. Proceeds from this event will directly benefit the Hufford Memorial Arts Scholarship Fund, whose 2011 beneficiaries will be announced at the reception.

The Clyde Hooker Award was established in 2003 to recognize individuals and businesses in Martinsville and Henry County who have made significant contributions to the arts and culture in our area. The award is named in honor of Clyde Hooker for his generous support of the arts.

To nominate a business or individual, click here to download a form. Forms are also available at Piedmont Arts located at 215 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA. Nominations are due at Piedmont Arts by 5 pm on Friday, March 4, 2011.

FREE LECUTRE ON LIFE AND LEGACY OF NOTABLE AFRICAN AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN

2011-01-17T10:50:00.008-05:00

On Tuesday, January 18, 2011, Piedmont Arts will present Carving a Place in History, a program by Laurel Sneed, director of the Thomas Day Education Project. Sneed will present a study of the life and legacy of free-person-of-color Thomas Day, one of American history’s most notable entrepreneurs and craftsmen. Carving a Place in History will begin at 6:00 pm in Piedmont Arts' Frith Performance Hall. This program is free of charge and open to the public.

In addition to the life and legacy of Day, Sneed will provide key information for local educators on how to incorporate Day's story into the school curriculum. Educators interested in attending Carving a Place in History are invited to an Educators Reception before the program, beginning at 5:30 pm. This reception is free of charge and refreshments will be provided.

Those interested in attending Carving a Place in History may RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221 or via email.

Carving a Place in History is presented in conjunction with Finishing History: Furniture and Other Works by A.T. Williams and Thomas A. Johnson, an exhibit in honor of Black History Month, which features work by two African American woodworkers with ties to our area as well as an educational exhibit on Thomas Day. Finishing History will be on display at Piedmont Arts January 15 through February 26, 2011.

Black History Month exhibit features artists with ties to area

2011-01-07T14:14:00.015-05:00

In honor of Black History Month Piedmont Arts, in partnership with the Southern Virginia Artisan Center, will present an exhibit featuring fine and art furniture by two African American woodworkers with ties to our area. Finishing History: Furniture and Other Works by A.T. Williams and Thomas A. Johnson" will be on display in the Piedmont Arts galleries from January 15 through February 26, 2011.

A former resident of Martinsville, Virginia, A.T. Williams was inspired by his father to pursue woodworking. After high school Williams embarked on a twenty-year journey as a furniture craftsman and artist. Striving to create images in his work without the use of stains of paints, Williams developed a technique of embedding intricate inlays into his pieces to create colorful imagery. Williams currently resides in Pennsylvania, where he is known for his woodworking and his avid involvement in various arts organizations and civic revitalization efforts.

Before coming to America from Ghana, Africa in 1993, Thomas Johnson was a scholarship student at the prestigious woodworking institute in Rimini, Italy. There he was given the opportunity to work under the tutelage of world–renowned furniture makers. Much of Johnson's work is done by using traditional machinery, tools and methods, such as dowel, mortise, tongue and groove construction, precision hand sanding and hand–rubbed finishing. Johnson now lives in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Finishing History will also feature an educational exhibit on famed North Carolina furniture craftsman Thomas Day. Day was a free African American furniture maker born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia circa 1801. He lived most of his life in Caswell County, North Carolina. Before the Civil War, Day was one of the most successful black businessmen in the country. Today, he is one of the South’s most celebrated furniture makers. Much of his furniture has survived and is cherished in private homes and museums in North Carolina and Virginia, including the Thomas Day House located in Milton, North Carolina. Day’s story opens a window into nineteenth-century American history, shedding light on the experiences of those African Americans who were not enslaved, known as “free people of color.” This exhibit is presented in partnership with the Thomas Day Education Project.

Also on display: From Tree to Bowl: Works by the Southside Woodturners in the Lynwood Artists Gallery and Mind of a Mad Man, an exhibit about Edgar Allan Poe by the Martinsville High School Art Society.

A Members Reception and Artists Talk will be held in honor of Finishing History" and From Tree to Bowl on Friday, January 14, 2011 beginning at 5:30 pm in the Piedmont Arts galleries. Piedmont Arts members and guests are invited to attend. Please RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221 by email by January 10, 2011.

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE FUNDS TO PROMOTE ARTS-BASED TOURISM

2010-12-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

Piedmont Arts, in partnership with the Martinsville–Henry County Economic Development Corporation Tourism and Film Division, the Southern Virginia Artisan Center, Arts at the Rives Theatre and Reynolds Homestead, has received a Tourism and the Arts Grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Tourism Commission.

The Tourism and the Arts Grant program is designed to provide Virginia arts organizations, working in partnership with the local tourism industry, with direct expenses for tourism promotion efforts. As a Virginia Commission for the Arts General Operating Support Grantee, Piedmont Arts will act as grant administrator, however, the $5,000 in grant funds as well as the 1:1 match provided by the grant partners will go toward the promotion of the arts in Martinsville, Henry County and the surrounding areas, under the auspices of "50 Years of Art is Southern Virginia."

"Having access to various opportunities to explore the arts in Martinsville–Henry County is critical to the quality of life for residents and showcases our local talent to tourists," said Martinsville-Henry County Director of Tourism Jennifer Doss. "We are proud to be the home of several nationally recognized artists, authors and musicians and encourage visitors to come and enjoy the galleries, presentations and performances offered by these and others throughout the community."

The grant partners will follow a detailed marketing plan, which will allocate the $10,000 in total funds for state, regional and national advertising of arts and culture in Martinsville, Henry County and the surrounding areas. This plan is designed to attract visitors who are interested in participating in arts-related events and making arts-related purchases at local shops and studios.

“Piedmont Arts is excited to be working on this collaborative marketing project designed to promote the area’s arts and cultural venues,” said Piedmont Arts Executive Director Kathy Rogers. “Martinsville, Henry and Patrick Counties have so much to offer both area residents and visitors and this grant will allow us to highlight the rich heritage we have in the arts.”

This project is supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

STUDIO 107 ARTISTS CREATE WINDOWS FOR HISTORIC COURTHOUSE

2010-12-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

During a several month period in 2010, local artists The Five Glassy Chix, worked with the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society to refurbish and create several leaded glass door and transom windows for the historic Henry County courthouse in Uptown Martinsville.

Virginia King, Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society president, whose group led the renovation efforts, commissioned the Chix in the winter of 2010 to refurbish two windows from the outside exit doors of the upstairs courtroom. Under the guidance of Amanda Honoré Donley, then an instructor for Patrick Henry Community College's School of Craft & Design, the group cleaned and reassembled the windows, which were then reinstalled in the courthouse doors.

In the summer of 2010, the Chix were again commissioned by Mrs. King to create replacements for two door and two transom windows that were missing from the lower front entrance doors of the courthouse. The Chix worked from a design provided by Mrs. King to create the windows in a boxed diamond pattern.

"Repairing the two door windows for the courtroom exit doors had been our lesson in how to construct the new door windows and transoms," said Lynn Berry of The Five Glassy Chix. "We simply repeated those steps in creating the new windows." It took the Chix several weeks to complete the windows, which can be seen in and above the front entrance doors to the courthouse.

Berry also said, "It is exciting to drive by the historic courthouse, see our work and know that the windows will be there for many, many years to come."

The Five Glassy Chix include Aleen Wilson, Lynn Berry, Doris Falls, Nancy Clark and Susan Henderson. They work out of Studio 107 Artists Studios for Piedmont Arts in Uptown Martinsville.

LOCAL ARTIST WINS BIG IN DANVILLE ART SHOW

2010-12-20T15:26:00.014-05:00

Studio 107 artist Terry Mitchell recently received the Best In Show award at the Danville Art League’s Annual Juried Exhibit. Co-sponsored by the Danville Art League and the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History located in Danville, Virginia, the Annual Juried Exhibit includes painting, printmaking, drawing, mixed media, photography, pottery and sculpture.

Mitchell, a renowned wood turner working out of Studio 107 Artist Studios for Piedmont Arts in Uptown Martinsville, Virginia, entered the piece, “Wooden Bowl with Spindle”, a turned vessel made of Australian Gimlet burl wood. His work was chosen out of 81 entries for the Best In Show award.

About his win, Mitchell said, "I was very surprised to receive the Best In Show award. It is an honor and I am thankful to the Danville Art league for this award."

Other Studio 107 artists also participated in the Annual Juried Exhibit, including Roland Guidry who won a Scratchboard award for his pen and ink drawing, “Country Road” and Aleen Wilson who received an Honorable Mention for her warm glass piece, “Happy Curves”.

The Annual Juried Exhibit was open to artists from select locales in Virginia and North Carolina. It will be on display in the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History’s Jennings and Schoolfield galleries through December 19, 2010.

Local Poets are "Rav'n About Poe"!

2010-11-02T10:31:00.016-04:00

In celebration of October's Big Read, which focused on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Piedmont Arts hosted the "Rav'n About Poe" Poetry Competition. Contestants were asked to rewrite Poe's classic poem, "The Raven" using the main theme and cadence. Check out our creative winning entries (PDF):

Student Category
"The Reraven" by Claire Gardner
"Remembering the Raven" by Krista Hardee

Adult Category
"The Lament of Lenore" by Susan M. Aaron

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences and Arts Midwest. It gives communities the opportunity to come together to read, discuss and celebrate one of 23 selections from American and world literature. Piedmont Arts was one of only 75 nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host a Big Read project between September 2010 and June 2011.

"The Art of the Quilt" Marks 7th Year at Piedmont Arts

2010-10-28T09:52:00.041-04:00

November 13 through December 30, 2010 quilt artists from across the Southeast will exhibit their work in the Piedmont Arts galleries as part of "The Seventh Biennial Invitational Quilt Exhibit: The Art of the Quilt". This year's exhibit is themed "Blue Ridge" in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hand and machine stitched quilts, traditional textiles, clothing and accessories and quilt art will be on display as part of this exhibit, which was curated by master quilter, Linda M. Fiedler.

Fiedler is an award-winning quilt maker from Meadows of Dan, Virginia. Her quilts have won national and international awards and her quilted clothing has appeared in such prestigious shows as the Fairfield Fashion Show and the Hobb’s Fashion Show in Paducah, Kentucky. Fielder's quilts hang in private and corporate collections throughout the country.

Quilts by local and regional artists will also be on display in Piedmont Arts' Lynwood Artists Gallery from November 13 through December 30, 2010 as part of "Works by the Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild", a biennial exhibit curated by the Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild.

The Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild, a Piedmont Arts Community Partner, is an organization formed to create, stimulate, maintain and report an interest in all matters pertaining to the making, collecting and preserving of quilts and to establish and promote educational endeavors through quilts and quilting. The Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild welcomes all who are interested in quilting.

In honor of "The Art of the Quilt" and "Works by the Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild", we will host an Opening Reception on November 12, 2010 at 5:30 PM in the galleries. Come and enjoy refreshments from 5:30 – 5:45 PM. A gallery talk featuring Linda M. Fiedler will begin at 6:00 PM followed by machine and hand quilting demonstrations by Linda M. Fielder and Nell Townley. Admission is free! Please RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221 or at www.PiedmontArts.org.

Images: (Top) Heaven Above Earth Below, Jill Jensen; (Middle) Curator Linda M. Fiedler stands with a quilt she created for display in 2008; (Bottom) Quilts displayed in "The Sixth Biennial Invitational Quilt Exhibit: The Art of the Quilt" held at Piedmont Arts in 2008.

Celebrating 20 Years On Stage!

2010-10-14T10:21:00.014-04:00

2010-11 On Stage! Season Announced

It's been 20 years since the first Piedmont Arts On Stage! performing arts season opened with a performance by Jackie "The Story Lady" Torrence. Since then, the organization has hosted 79 performances by world-renowned acts like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Richmond Ballet and the Sam Bush Band. This year's season, which opens November 14, 2010 with a performance by the Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats, is jam-packed with some of the most popular On Stage! performances from the last two decades.

"There's no better way to showcase the On Stage! series' 20 year legacy than to present some of our best-selling, most talked about performances from years past and exciting new artists that will define the future" said Bernadette Moore, Piedmont Arts' director of marketing and public relations.

This year's On Stage! season spans an array of artistic genres, bringing to the stage joyous holiday music, a magical Shakespearean romp, dazzling acrobatic feats, floor-shaking, heart-pounding dance routines and a down-home twist on the music of the Fab Four.

"The goals of the On Stage! series are to inspire, educate and entertain – all of which are equally important" said Barbara Parker, Piedmont Arts director of programs. "Our hope is that by bringing a diversity of artists from around the world to this part of Southern Virginia we will inspire the next generation of audiences and artists to support, enjoy and learn from the performing arts."
The 2010 – 2011 On Stage! season schedule includes:

Shangri–La Chinese Acrobats
Sunday, Nov 14, 2010, 7:00 PM

Roanoke Symphony Holiday Pops
Sunday, Dec 12, 2010, 7:00 PM

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Sunday, Feb 13, 2011, 7:30 PM

Step Afrika!
Thursday, Mar 3, 2011, 7:30 PM

Beatlegras
Saturday, Apr 9, 2011, 7:30 PM

Season tickets and tickets to individual On Stage! performances are now on sale at Piedmont Arts.

Oh, the horror!

2010-08-04T21:50:00.012-04:00

We're getting ready for a spooky October as we read The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe as part of The Big Read in Martinsville and Henry County. This year’s book is sure to tingle the spines of readers throughout our area.

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences and Arts Midwest. It gives communities the opportunity to come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 23 selections from American and world literature. Piedmont Arts is one of 75 not-for-profits — including arts and cultural organizations, libraries and universities — to receive a grant to host a Big Read project between September 2010 and June 2011.

Piedmont Arts hosted the first Big Read in Martinsville and Henry County in 2009. Many of you participated in our events which focused on the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This year's event are decidedly more creepy, but just as fun! We hope to see you at the “horrifying” events we’ve planned for the celebration!

The Big Read Events Calendar

Student Art Club Exhibits Work at Piedmont Arts

2010-06-02T14:02:00.004-04:00

On Tuesday, June2, 2010, the Martinsville Middle School After School Art Club, along with Piedmont Arts and Studio 107, held a reception showcasing works by the 15 students who participated in the club during the school year. Retired teacher and program coordinator, Sandra Cox addressed a crowd of around 50 students, parents, instructors and school board members congratulating the students on their success and thanking the artists and all those who participated in the club. The reception also served as a celebration of a $500 grant, written by Pat Walmsley, and a 2010 Excellence in Education Award that the After School Art Club received through the Virginia Tech School of Education this May. The program was one of nine selected winners from among nearly 40 education initiatives submitted throughout Virginia.

The After School Art Club members work with local artists to learn a wide variety of arts and crafts techniques. Their instructors include: John Matthews, John Christian and Jane Iten as well as Lynn Berry, Aleen Wilson, Terry Mitchell, Mary Powell, Ariya Martin, Karen Colletti and Kara Carter–Hundley from Studio 107.

The After School Art Club’s exhibit features drawings, ceramics, jewelry, stained glass, painting and textiles. Many of the works are for sale. The exhibit is open to the public and will be on display in Piedmont Arts' Frith Performance Hall through Thursday, June 3, 2010.

Watch highlights from the reception below!

MMS Art Club Reception from Piedmont Arts on Vimeo.

MINDS WIDE OPEN: Celebrating Women in the Arts

2010-04-28T10:03:00.033-04:00

In March, Piedmont Arts participated in a statewide program celebrating women in the arts. Supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and others, MINDS WIDE OPEN: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts runs from March – June and offers thousands of special events honoring contributions by women to arts and culture.

Piedmont Arts presented three events for MINDS WIDE OPEN (MWO) and had the distinct pleasure of planning events that celebrated state and national women. On March 6, we welcomed the six women artists of Art JAM into our galleries. Their exhibit of the same name featured a wide variety of works in varying styles and media. Though each of the ladies of Art JAM has a separate studio, they all meet monthly to discuss their work. These discussions have made a distinct impression on the pieces they create. They all share a warm color palette, a sense of fluid movement and an overall inviting feel. These artists were chosen for MWO not only because they are women, but also because they share a special relationship to one another that can be seen echoed through their work.

Piedmont Arts was honored by MWO when our presentation of the Richmond Ballet was selected as a statewide kick–off event for the program. MWO representatives attended the performance on March 8, along with Richmond Ballet Managing Director Keith Martin and students from Minds In Motion Team XL and XXL, who opened the show with a performance. An ensemble of dancers performed three ballets, all of which were choreographed and/or performed by women. This performance also served as a special first-look at the program prior to the Ballet's April return engagement at New York City's Joyce Theatre.

At the end of March, Piedmont Arts On Stage! presented the wildly popular group, Cherish the Ladies. Taking their name from the title of a traditional Irish jig, the group initially won recognition as the first and only all-women traditional Irish band. Since then, they have grown to become the most successful Irish-American group in Celtic music. The six women, who play a wide array of instruments, sang both traditional and contemporary songs, all set to the familiar, rhythmic lull of Irish instrumentation. The performance was accented by step–dancers who performed traditional Irish jigs as the musicians played.

We hope you had a chance to join us for one or all of our MINDS WIDE OPEN events. The program was very successful and we plan to participate again in the future. Check out our events in 2011 when we will be participating in MINDS WIDE OPEN: Virginia Celebrates Children and the Arts.

Deck the Walls...with ART!

2010-01-21T13:08:00.023-05:00

In honor of Black History Month, Piedmont Arts presents the exhibit, Works on Paper from the Imogene and Isadore Draper Collection of African American Art. The Draper Collection is comprised of prints and drawings from some of the most important African American artists of the twentieth century, including Elizabeth Catlett, Charles Bibb, Sam Gilliam, A.B. Jackson, Martin Puryear and Jacob Lawrence. Retired local educator Imogene Draper, her husband Isadore and daughter Christina collected these works over a thirty–year period.

Inspired by their life–long work in public education, the Drapers have a desire to share this collection with those who might wish to join them in exploring the rich history of their cultural heritage. More than thirty years of collecting have given them a unique perspective on African American life and culture as expressed in the work of artists for whom they have deep admiration and respect.

For many, beginning an art collection like the Draper's may seem like a daunting task. However, knowing where to begin and how to make educated decisions can make the process much easier. Here are ten easy steps to follow when starting to collect art, courtesy of Art–Collecting.com:

1. Buy art because you like it and because it moves you, and because it will enhance your life.

2. Visit as many art galleries as you can, gallery staff can be helpful guides in your art education.

3. Get on gallery mailing lists so you'll be invited to openings and special events.

4. Visit and join your local art museums and nonprofit art centers. Curators sometimes give lectures on collecting art.

5. Attend National and International Art Fairs and Art Expos whenever possible.

6. If you know art collectors, talk to them and find out what they know and what they've learned about collecting art.

7. Read books on art history and books about collecting art.

8. Subscribe to a few art magazines.

9. Read reviews by local and national art critics, keeping in mind that reviews usually just reflect one person's opinion.

10. Working with a professional art advisor / art consultant is a good way to learn about art collecting, and they will guide you through the process of purchasing art.

Once you've educated yourself and have fallen in love with a work of art, buy it, take it home and enjoy it!

Works on Paper from the Imogene and Isadore Draper Collection of African American Art will be on display at Piedmont Arts through February 20, 2010.

My, What Fine Crafts You Have

2009-11-12T14:32:00.026-05:00

Classic Crafts is finally here (after three weeks of installation!) and the galleries are stuffed with the finest contemporary crafts in the country. There's jewelry, pottery, glass, metal, baskets, textiles and gourds! Make sure to check out some of the wonderful works on our exhibit slideshow. And, don't forget to come by the galleries and pick out gifts for the holiday season. Fine crafts make unique and wonderful presents for family and friends. All works in Classic Crafts are for sale and will be available for pick up on the evening of December 22, 2009.

Not to be outdone by our national artists, Works by Studio 107 Artists, in the Lynwood Artists Gallery, showcases crafts by local artists who share space at Studio 107 in Uptown Martinsville. Featuring various media, this exhibit highlights some of the areas most–loved art forms, including woodturning, art glass, painting and pottery. These beautiful, handcrafted works by local talent stand their ground beside the works of the national artists in Classic Crafts and we are so very proud!

Make sure to visit the galleries before the holidays to see these wonderful exhibits. Classic Crafts and Works by Studio 107 Artists will be on display through December 22, 2009.

For more info on the artists exhibiting work in Classic Crafts and Works by Studio 107 Artists, visit these links:

Classic Crafts Artist Info | Studio 107 Artists Info

Dust off the castanets.It's time for ¡Carnaval!

2009-08-31T14:52:00.002-04:00

This week, ¡Carnaval!, an exhibit which recreates the sites, sounds and pageantry of Carnival celebrations around the world will open at Piedmont Arts. For many, though, celebrating Carnival is a foreign affair. We know about Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans and, perhaps the most famous celebration of all, Brazil's Carnaval. But, for countless other communities in Europe and the Americas Carnival is a high point of the yearly cycle.

For all participants – rich or poor, young or old – Carnival provides the opportunity to play, leave the everyday world, become someone else and behave in unusual ways. In Laza, Spain you might throw dirt and ants at your neighbors, in Venice, Italy you become an 18th–century count, while in Basel, Switzerland you wear a masquerade protesting the spread of mad–cow disease. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, in Recife and Olinda, Brazil, you are the queen of a royal court, in Tlaxcala, Mexico you burlesque as a French dandy, or in Oruro, Bolivia you take on the guise of a dancing devil. In Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago you strut down the street as a fancy sailor, while in New Orleans, USA you blacken your face, put on a grass skirt and throw coconuts to the crowds.

Through ¡Carnaval!, we meet people who have dedicated much of their lives to planning, creating, practicing and carrying out Carnival festivities. Through their masquerades and performances we learn about the history and cultural traditions of the various regions. We observe Carnival participants as they relieve tensions and bring a sense of renewal to themselves and their communities. At the same time we gain a better understanding of the importance and function of Carnival play. — Museum of International Folk Art

Join Piedmont Arts September 3 – October 17, 2009 for a colorful, raucous and just plain fun exhibit, which explores the many ways to celebrate the festive season that is ¡Carnaval!

Get Inspired by Nature

2009-08-26T15:36:00.030-04:00

Transitions is gone, but you can still be inspired by Robert Creamer's work! Piedmont Arts staff held two workshops during the Transitions exhibit, which offered kids the chance to create their own scanner photographs a la Mr. Creamer. Got a computer? Got a scanner? Then, follow these easy steps to help your kids create thier own masterpieces:

1. Set up computer and scanner in a room that can be easily darkened. If such a room is unavailable, use a large box to cover the scanner while in use.

2. Collect flowers and leaves from your yard or garden and place them near your scanner. Make sure to look for interesting shapes, colors and sizes.

2. Remove scanner lid. This will make arranging your flowers easier and prevents the lid from crushing the flowers during scanning.

3. Arrange flowers on scanner bed face–down. Remember, the scanner will photograph the underside of your arrangement. Not the side you see!

4. Press scan. Remember to use a box to cover the scanner, if needed. But, don't smash your flowers!

5. Use your scanner software to review your image. If you don't like your results, rearrange your flowers accordingly. You can even use photo–editing software to change the look of your scanner photograph.

Got a great scanner photograph to share with Piedmont Arts? Send it to theartsataglance@piedmontarts.org.

Art, Art Everywhere

2009-05-05T11:10:00.013-04:00

The galleries have been closed since the end of April, but they haven't been empty! Local, regional and national artists flooded the galleries with their artwork at Expressions 2009 receiving. Paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and more now hang salon-style on the gallery walls, just waiting for their public debut on May 8. Piedmont Arts' Director of Exhibitions Tina Sell and members of the Lynwood Artists worked tirelessly for two weeks installing works by over 130 artists.

Offering an eclectic mix of styles and media, Expressions is one of the most popular events in Piedmont Arts’ exhibition schedule. Jointly hosted by the Lynwood Artists and Piedmont Arts, Expressions offers artists the chance to display their work in a local setting, alongside works by their friends and neighbors. This unique exhibit also offers artists the opportunity to display work in an AAM accredited museum. For more info on Expressions 2009, visit our website.

Don't forget to join us for the Expressions 2009 opening reception on Friday, May 8. I look forward to seeing everyone there!

In Like a Lion

2009-03-12T16:10:00.013-04:00

March has been busy, busy, busy for the staff at Piedmont Arts! From working on Big Read events, installing exhibitions and participating in Fast Track 2009, we have hardly had time to think...much less blog. But now, with a momentary lull in the action, I hope to get you all caught up on the fun things we have been doing.

Barbara Parker, Piedmont Arts Director of Programs, has been working hard since September to organize programs and events for The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. The Big Read is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture by assigning books to participating communities. Martinsville and Henry County's Big Read book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. With a kickoff event on February 28 at the Blue Ridge Regional Library, a lecture by Harper Lee Biographer Charles Shields on March 9 and a showing of the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird at the Rives Theatre this Saturday, The Big Read is already in full swing. I hope you all will participate in this fantastic program by reading To Kill a Mockingbird and by joining us for our Big Read events. A full schedule of events can be found at www.PiedmontArts.org.

If you missed the opening reception on March 6 (complete with Kabuki dancers), then you have to check out the Piedmont Arts galleries. Our new exhibits Theatre of the Sky, The Neugents: Close to Home and A Brazilian Artist in Medieval Europe will be up through April 18 and they are a must see! Tina Sell, Piedmont Arts Director of Exhibitions, spent many long hours patching holes, painting walls, hanging work (with the help of Sam Davis and Graham Park) and suspending kites from the gallery ceiling!

Each March, Piedmont Arts participates in Fast Track, Martinsville and Henry County's trade show. Planning for the event can be daunting, but we somehow, we always get a booth together. This year's booth had multiple themes. From The Big Read, to our artist studios Studio 107 to membership, we covered it all! Though we didn't win any prizes this year, we always love taking part in this community–enriching event.

Preschoolers Parade Through Piedmont Arts

2009-01-26T11:52:00.007-05:00

On January 14 and 21, students from local preschools visited Piedmont Arts for a program on hats. The students toured the new exhibit, Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats and viewed hats loaned to Piedmont Art by community members.

After the tour, Pam Toney read the students the illustrated book, Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later). After the story, the students had the opportunity to make a hat to take home! Ms. Toney supplied papier maché hats for a total of 42 kids, which they decorated with feathers, pom poms and ribbon in the Piedmont Arts classroom. Before leaving, Ms. Toney lead the students on a hat parade through Piedmont Arts, where they showed off their new creations for members of the Piedmont Arts Guild and the Piedmont Arts staff.

A Packed House at Piedmont Arts

2009-01-13T15:36:00.011-05:00

Last Friday, our newest exhibits Crowns and Legacy of the Generations opened to great fanfare. There were over 200 guest in attendance. The galleries were packed with new faces and beautiful hats. Even the Piedmont Arts staff got into the spirit of the exhibit and dawned their finest "crowns".

Never before has a Piedmont Arts exhibit rallied such diverse groups in our community to come out, not only to view the works on display, but also to finacillay support the exhibits. We are very grateful for the hard work of all those who helped make these exhibits a reality!

Many of you may know that Crowns and Legacy for the Generations are being exhibited in memory of our dear friend Elnora Foster. El was the Director of Finance at Piedmont Arts for ten years and was a dedicated community volunteer. She was instrumental in bringing the Oral History Project, which was presented to several local organizations at the opening, and the Crowns exhibit to fruition. We are pleased to honor her through two exhibits, which meant so much to her.

If you missed the opening, please pay a visit to these beautiful exhibits...and don't forget to wear your hat!

Crowns and Legacy for the Generations will be on diplay at Piedmont Arts through February 21, 2009. For more info on these exhibits, visit www.PiedmontArts.org.

Installation Notes

2008-12-29T16:03:00.032-05:00

Well friends, the holidays are over and so is The Art of the Quilt. Tina Sell, Piedmont Arts' Director of Exhibitions and Bernadette Moore, Piedmont Arts' Director of Marketing spent the day packing up the beautiful textiles that have graced our galleries since November. Soon, these delicate gems will be shipped home to the artists who graciously loaned them to Piedmont Arts. For now though, masses of brown shipping boxes inhabit the gallery floor!

Many thanks go to Linda Feidler, famed quilt artist and curator of The Art of the Quilt. Her assisatance organizing this biennial exhibit is always greatly appreciated!

Ed Dolinger, president of the Lynwood Artists and artist Brian Counihan made short work of hanging the new Lynwood Artists Gallery exhibit, Veiled Series. In just a few hours, the two had installed over 20 of Counihan's works! Make sure to check out Veiled Series when it opens on January 9.

Crowns Committee

2008-12-22T10:58:00.016-05:00

Recently, a group of ladies from our community joined forces with Piedmont Arts to acquire and promote our upcoming exhibit, Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats. These women have worked diligently to raise funds necessary to bring this exciting exhibit to Piedmont Arts. They have written letters to community members, appealed to local churches and businesses and given of their own time — all in an effort to showcase a subject matter dear to their hearts.

To highlight the importance of "crowns" in our community, Piedmont Arts invited local ladies to submit their own church hats for display in our galleries during this wonderful exhibit. On December 10, Piedmont Arts received hats from many local women. Though many of the hats were their own, they also loaned us hats that had been passed down from generation to generation. These hats had belonged to their mothers, grandmothers and aunts. Some had belonged to well–known women in the community. All represent a cherished custom in the African–American community.

We thank these ladies for their tireless efforts and for loaning us their lovely hats. We are pleased to present these fine local crowns alongside the beautiful photographs and stories included in this exhibit.

Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats will be on display at Piedmont Art from January 9 - February 21, 2009.

Also on display: Legacy for the Generations: Jacob Lawrence's Legend of John Brown & Veiled Series: Works by Brian Counihan in the Lynwood Artists Gallery

Welcome to our blog!

2008-12-19T16:34:00.000-05:00

You've found the spot to read about all the exciting things happening at Piedmont Arts. This blog also offers a great opportunity to tell us what you think about what we do. We'll be updating our posts often, so check back soon!