Shenandoah Valley Art Center: August 2016 calendar of events
The Shenandoah Valley Art Center, during the month of August, is exhibiting in the Cabell/Arehart Gallery the artwork of Harrisonburg artist, Ashley Sauder Miller. Miller earned her undergraduate degrees from Hesston College (Kansas) and Eastern Mennonite University and her Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from James Madison University.
She actively exhibits her work and promotes the arts through her involvement as the Director of Spitzer Art Center where her studio is also located.
Miller states, “In my recent work, I am particularly aware of the demands of motherhood, preservation of memory, and repetitious patterns of thought and behavior. Consistent in my work throughout the past number of years are my children’s mark making, textile design, Biblical text and stories, and a deep rooted passion for painting, drawing, and making. My work often shifts between recognizable imagery and abstraction; between concrete ideas and references to intuitive ways of thinking and making. Predominant in my work over the past year are imagery of interior spaces and the reoccurring pod shape. Interior space imagery includes that of bowls, chairs, caned and woven chair seats, tables, rugs, and quilts. As much as I am simply attracted to the formal qualities of interior spaces, I am also interested in the complexities of the home: the illusion of the perfect space (both physical and psychological space).
In recent work, the pod shape continues to shift in form and meaning. Here the pods feel ambiguous, moving between chair forms and figure. They become like little players in a game, they move in and out of the space of the picture plane, change form, latch onto one shape or another, re-clothe themselves in different patterns.”
An opening will be held Saturday, August 6, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and the public is encouraged to come and meet the artist.
In the members’ gallery, SVAC member artists will present works in a variety of media interpreting the theme of “BLUE.” Featured in the upstairs hallway gallery will be the Valley Painters who work in oils and acrylics. This informal group of artists meets weekly to paint, exchange ideas, and encourage each other’s creative endeavors. Don’t miss the small oil paintings by Charlottesville artist, Anne DeLaTour Hopper on display in the docent room.
Back by popular demand! Y-ART Sale! SVAC will hold a fundraiser to benefit renovations for the new building at 416 West Main Street. Come purchase from member artists’ donated art and craft related supplies or pieces of furniture. Find the best deals in town on canvases, easels, tools, and a multitude of art materials that were not being used by their previous owners! We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit supported by memberships, local and statewide grants, and generous donations. Please consider joining us on our journey to promote high-quality artistic programming and creative opportunities for the community by purchasing at the Y-ART Sale!(August 12, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Ready to expand your creative experiences! For the two dimensional artist, try your hand at no fail watercolor taught by Joe Philips. Experience the “no secrets,” “easy to master” approach to watercolor painting! The class will meet 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. on August 2 at a cost of $55. Mats and paper are provided, but the artist must bring a palette, paints and brushes. On VACATION!!!! The ever popular Saturday Art for Kids, will not be meeting during the month of August, but will begin classes again on September 10th. Give a gift that lasts a life time and pre-register your young artist for a creative art experience. (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., $50 per 4 classes or $15 per class). Contact the art center for specific information for each class. Open studio opportunities in theVirginia Ross Education Studio are available to printmakers and ceramic artists. Apply on line atwww.SVACart.com.
Save the date! The SVAC 2nd Annual Studio Tour will be held September 17 and 18. Visit the studios of professional arts and artisans in Augusta and Nelson Counties. We are encouraging partnerships between artists so that a variety of media will be presented at each studio location. This will maximize the number of artists to be visited and diminish the travel time for the art collector.
The Fall Foliage Festival Art Show application for the show to be held on October 8 and 9 is online and available to professional artists. Recently the show was voted one of the top three art events in Virginia by“Virginia Living” magazine.
The art center is a retail alliance partner with the Artisan Center of Virginia. In the SVAC Gift Shop you can find the perfect creative gift in fiber, jewelry, wood, glass, pottery, and more by juried artisans from Virginia and SVAC member artists.
The Shenandoah Valley Art Center is located in downtown Waynesboro at 122 S. Wayne Avenue. Galleries are open to the public 10:00a.m. – 4:00p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call (540) 949-7662 or visit www.svacart.com.
