Oh man, here we go again--lights, sleigh bells, candy canes, and the same dozen songs you've already heard a million times getting played once every half hour over the PA in every public place you go to. Didn't we just do this? But no, it's been nearly an entire year since last Christmas, so the calendar requires that we restart the entire debacle. If you didn't get trampled on Black Friday, though, count yourself lucky--you have the First Friday Art Walk to look forward to. At least there is one oasis of sincerity and the positive artistic spirit rising bravely from the sea of holiday kitsch that surrounds us all. This Friday, you'll have the opportunity to view a great deal of unique and fascinating art from your local community--so why not come down, check it out, and maybe even get some gifts for the more artistically-inclined souls in your life? It beats another piece of mass-marketed crap from the mall, right? I know, I know, there are termites in my smile; frown in disapporoval at my grinch-ness if you must. Just promise me you'll come out this Friday and take in some art that isn't utterly swamped in commercial sentimentality, and all is forgiven. Here are some sights you can look forward to this First Friday:
Gallery 5: Hard Copies
This month, Gallery 5 presents Hard Copies, a soft opening featuring new works by Caleb Flood, Ian Gamble, Olivia Lewis, Robert Saltonstall, and Jaclyn Cummings. The opening reception will feature music from Gull, Navi, and Dumb Waiter, and will take place on First Friday, December 6, from 5-9 PM at Gallery 5, located at 200 W. Marshall St.
Virginia Center For Latin American Art: The Fine Art Of Mixtecan Embroidery
VACLAA is working with activist and organizer with Wayside Center for Popular Education, Carolina Velez, and three outstanding Mexican artists from South Richmond to bring the fine art tradition of Mixtecan weaving to the RVA First Fridays Artwalk. Come by to see this timeless work woven by hand by women from the Mixtecan communities of Northern Mexico. This will be a unique opportunity to add Mixtecan Art to your private collection or buy this exquisite work as Christmas gifts for family and friends.
In support of this project, Quail Belle Press will be sharing a recent zine by Christine Stoddard, Mixteco/RVA, inspired by the amazing work of these Mixtecan artists and the community that supports them. Additionally, they will be sharing a new interactive book project, Suenos Tapatios, based on photos taken by Stoddard in Jalisco, Mexico. Stay tuned to this event to learn more about these remarkable women, their community and the deeply rooted Mixtecan artistry that inspired them.
Additionally, we are excited to be having our new friends from Dogwood Dance Project who will be giving their first performances at VACLAA on Broad to include selections by their Professional Company, their Youth Ensemble and their Apprentices throughout the night. Of course you can look forward to traditional Latino food selections from Happy Empanada and others.
VACLAA's presentation of The Fine Art Of Mxtecan Embroidery will take place on First Friday, December 6 from 6-10 PM at the VACLAA Mobile Gallery, located at 401 W. Broad St.
Art6: Spree!
This month, Art6 presents Spree!, their annual holiday exhibit. The event will feature art in all different media with no particular theme, but a big dose of holiday spirit. The event will open with a reception on First Friday, December 5, from 6-10 PM, at Art6, located at 6 E. Broad St. The exhibit will remain on display through December 29.
Elegba Folklore Society: Body As Art
This series of black and white photographs manipulates light, dark and water to express an artistic essence of the male body as seen through the eye of Thierry Laurence. In his edgy portraitures, Laurence shows photography as “extension of my artistic expressions as a actor, dancer, singer and writer. When I have a camera in hand, I want to capture the moments where shadows give way to light and allow us to see.”
Body As Art actually opened last month, during November's First Friday, but we missed it and it's important, so we're covering it now. This exhibit can be seen on First Friday, October 5, from 5-9 PM at the Elegba Folklore Society, located at 101 E. Broad St, and will remain on display through January 31.
Gallery Edit: Luminosities
Gallery Edit is proud to announce our next upcoming show featuring the work of Wes Sumrall. "Luminosities" is a collection of 10 pieces that invites viewers to consider a macro-view of mystery and beauty. Feast your eyes on a spectacular buffet of color and light, abstractly portrayed on a grand scale.
Wes's work is deeply influenced by his own faith and relationship in God and he often links his work to a scripture found in James, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change".
Come out on Friday night to see the show, talk to Wes, get to know more about how Horizons and Hillside are using art for good, and, as always, come drink all the hot black coffee you can manage.
Luminosities will open with a reception on First Friday, December 6, from 5:30-9 PM at Gallery Edit, located at 8 E. Broad St. The exhibition will remain on display throughout the month of December.
Steady Sounds: Photographs Of 1960s Rock Stars
This month, Steady Sounds presents a collection of photographs by Richard Busch, including shots of Roger Daltrey, Eric Clapton, and other 60s rock stars. The show will open with a reception on First Friday, December 6, beginning at 6 PM, at Steady Sounds, located at 322 W. Broad St. The exhibition will remain on display throughout December.
Black Iris: Low Frequency Travel Agency
Join us December 6th at Black Iris Gallery for "Low Frequency Travel Agency", a new participatory performance and site specific sound installations by Nelly Kate Anderson.
Part urban guide and part dérive, “Low Frequency Travel Agency” provides citizens a sonic key and custom map to Richmond Virginia. Portable listening devices come equipped with instructions and guides and are available for checkout through the gallery. Participants are directed to specific locations and encouraged to re-imagine the city through engaged listening.
Anderson has created a series of works that swirl participatory performance, installation, and site-specificity in constellation around pressing issues of urban exploration, reclamation, and development. Layers of field recordings, musical loops and voice are composed for temporary installation into six locations throughout the city. Through an emotive channelling of sound Anderson interrogates notions of public and private space as well as our roles as citizens in shaping our collective understanding of these definitions.
Low Frequency Travel Agency will premiere on First Friday, December 6 with a reception at Black Iris Gallery, located at 321 W. Broad St. Arrangements can be made between December 9 and December 20 to make reservations and participate in the interactive exhibit--contact Black Iris Gallery for details.
Studio Two Three: Winter Print Fair
Does searching for the perfect holiday gift get your tinsel in a tangle? Well, look no further than Studio Two Three and give the gift of printmaking! Our Winter Print Fair will feature an avalanche of printed works created by a bevy of local print makers. With hundreds of works to choose from, there’s sure to be something for everyone on your gift list!
Studio Two Three's Winter Print Fair is open on First Friday, December 6 from 7-9 PM, and again on Saturday December 7 from 12-5 PM at Studio Two Three, located at 1617 W. Broad St.
Glave Kocen Gallery: The City & Glory To God
This month, Glave Kocen presents two different solo exhibits.
The City is a collection of mixed media works by Joshua Barber.
The city of Jerusalem is a kaleidoscope. In the old city, every visitor finds a new city, a landscape of color and shifting shapes that never will be seen again.
Glory To God is a collection of realistic still life paintings by Stanley Rayfield.
Both exhibits will premiere with an opening reception on First Friday, December 6, from 6-9 PM, at Glave Kocen Gallery, located at 1620 W. Main St. The exhibitions will remain on display through December 28.
Artemis Gallery: Milennium Metal Show II & Mixed Media 2013
This month, Artemis Gallery presents a group show of work by metalsmiths Susie Ganch, Arthur Hash, C. James Meyer, Robert Ebendorf, John T Crutchfield, Donna D'Aquino, Rebecca Holt and Brittany Arnold.
The Millennium Metal Show II & Mixed Media 2013 celebrates the creative spirit of metal smiths everywhere and the end of 2013. This metal will feature mixed media works by artists and their unique final statements on society and the hereafter. Included are works in 3-D miniature sculptures, multiple metals, wood, graphics, accessories, jewelry and more!
The focus of the show is cutting edge mixed media metals and will include many first time seen objects of art! Come celebrate the holidays with special holiday discounts!
The Milennium Metal Show II & Mixed Media 2013 will open with a reception on First Friday, December 6, from 5-10 PM, at Artemis Gallery, located at 1601 W. Main St. The exhibition will remain on display throughout the month of December.
Uptown Gallery: Serenity Of Place & Scientific Beauty
This month, Uptown Art Gallery presents two different exhibits: Serenity Of Place, by Solange Brown and Vince Calabrese; and Scientific Beauty, by Melissa Holly.
Serenity Of Place is an exhibition of new work by featured artists Solange Brown and Vincent Calabrese, along with master wood carvings and turnings from guest artist Ron Holden and landscapes by guest artist Kay Shuster.
Think of the most beautiful scene you can remember. Whether you visualize colorful autumn foliage, a sunny day at the beach or colorful flowers, embedded in these scenes is math and science. Brilliant autumnal foliage is created by chromoplasts in the leaves. Beautiful beaches are composed of quartz. The scent of a rose is due to chemicals called
ketones. It is with this understanding that Melissa Holly is creating her series "Beauty of Math and Science."
"The intellectual beauty that I see in both math and science is as gorgeous to me as the amazingly beautiful world in which we live; and they all exist together all of the time."
Serenity Of Place and Scientific Beauty will both have receptions on First Friday, December 6, at Uptown Gallery, located at 1305 W. Main St. Both exhibits will remain on display through December 28.
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Artists! Galleries! Would you like your future First Friday events covered in these monthly articles? We might hear about your event anyway, but why leave it to chance? Email your press releases to andrew@rvamag.com.