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Arts on Main

Community Arts Center in Gloucester, Virginia

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June 2023: No First Friday

During the month of June, artwork created during the 2023 Gloucester Arts Festival will be on display at Arts on Main. There will be NO First Friday in the month of June, instead we encourage everyone to attend Gloucester Arts Festival event, Brews, Brine, & Wine at Historic Timberneck Farm at Machicomoco State Park.

For information about Brews, Brine & Wine visit https://www.gloucesterartsfestival.com/brews-brine-wine-2023

“Come enjoy oysters and beer while visiting the Plein Air artists who will be interpreting the beautiful surroundings on their canvases, creating small works that will be available for sale at the event. Art, food, and beautiful scenery will make for a lovely evening for the whole family. Co-hosted by the Fairfield Foundation, Brews & Brine will be held at Machicomoco State Park this year.

Timberneck Farm at Machicomoco State Park sits on land that was a part of the Powhatan empire, just downriver from Werowocomoco, home of the paramount chief Powhatan and his daughter Pocahontas. The new state park serves as a “gateway” to the Tsenacomoco region – land that Virginia’s Algonquin tribes occupied for hundreds of years before European settlement at Jamestown Island.”

 

Tagged With: arts on main, Brews, Brine & Wine, first friday, Gloucester arts festival, Gloucester arts on Main, Gloucester County VA, gloucester courthouse, gloucester main street, Plein Air artists

March 2023 First Friday: “Between Layers” by Rose Nygaard & Aprille Zammit

March 2023 First Friday: “Between Layers” by Rose Nygaard & Aprille Zammit

Friday, March 3

6:00pm – 8:00pm

Sponsored by  Dr. Lourdes & Don Parker
and
Dr. Maricel Quintana Baker & Professor Kenneth Baker

 

During the month of March, Arts on Main will host a collaborative exhibit, “Between Layers,” featuring artwork by grandmother and granddaughter duo, Rose Nygaard & Aprille Zammit. The opening of the exhibit will take place at our First Friday event on Friday, March 3rd from 6:00pm-8:00pm. The show will run from March 3rd thru April 2nd.


Between Layers

The potent smell of acrylics and oils swirls together in a light-drenched studio, scattered with all colours imaginable…… Mexican music envelopes the room creating the lightness of a dance floor……… A space where it felt possible to create anything your imagination dreamt up…… Every summer Aprille got to step into that space of endless possibilities with her grandmother Rose.

“Between Layers” is the first time the two artists are showing a collection of work together. Rose is an abstract expressionist painter and printmaker. Inspired by colour, she builds layers upon layers of it in her paintings, monoprints, and collages. Rose graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from The American University in Washington, DC. Aprille is a multidisciplinary creative, with her two main mediums being film photography and screen printing. Inspired by nature, with reverence to the sea and capturing unnoticed moments of light. Aprille graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

For this collaboration, Aprille travelled from her studio in Malta, Europe, to Gloucester, Virginia in 2022 to spend three weeks creating work together with Rose. “Between Layers” is a body of work in which the two artists played off each other’s different styles and backgrounds of working. Rose begins with colour, and Aprille begins with composition. Both artists layer the two to make their work. Rose and Aprille hope the work will ignite joy and lightness in the viewer.

 

Rose Nygaard
“I always begin my work with one colour which I then react to with the next colour and continue in this way. I have been using Acrylic paints for the last thirty years. I use Golden and Liquitex most of the time. I love the Transparent colors.  Mixing some of these colors make very beautiful unusual colors, adding black or white will make the colors opaque.
I began my work without preparation; not knowing the outcome. It becomes a challenge to make it become a painting that I have not seen before. It is a challenge that I love. Creating a piece of Art, for me, is a way open for self-expression, and learning more about my likes and dislikes. It gives me visual language.”

 

Aprille Zammit
“The collaboration is the result of a bond created throughout the past 25 years. From a young age, I have always been an observer in my grandmother’s studio. Through film photography I began capturing moments in her process of making, watching her getting lost in a world of colour. This inspired me to do the same. Together with my grandmother we would critique her works, highlight areas that worked and others that didn’t. Pieces were cropped from within the painting to create other compositions, which at times required starting afresh over a “clean canvas” and often resulting in a multi-layered application. In this collaboration, I layered my work on top of her paintings to represent a continuum of her approach. I extracted elements forming the composition or the landscape of Rose’s art pieces and formed a symbiotic expression by layering the extractions in the form of lines and shapes onto the original art piece. Acrylic pens as well as the screen printing process were utilized to produce the work.”

 


Live music will be provided by Something Different Duo (Brad Sindle & Ashley Wenner). This father/daughter duo who have been performing together since 2013 at public and private events. Check out their website to learn more about them: Somethingdifferntduo.com


 

First Friday is on March 3rd  from 6:00pm-8:00pm. This event is free and open to the public.  Light refreshments will be provided. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Thank you to our Monthly Exhibit Sponsors, Dr. Lourdes & Don Parker and Dr. Maricel Quintana Baker & Professor Kenneth Baker!

Tagged With: abstract expressionism, abstract painting, acrylic painting, Aprille Zammit, art exhibit, arts on main, beer and wine, Between Layers, Collaboration, Collaborative exhibit, collage, Exhibit opening, first friday, Gloucester art program, gloucester arts, Gloucester arts on Main, Gloucester County VA, gloucester courthouse, Gloucester free art, gloucester main street, live music, March 2023, painting, photography, printmaking, Rose Nygaard, Something Duo

July 2023 First Friday: “In the Marsh” Group Show featuring Jason Abbott, Bill Casto, Carolyn Dudley, Michael Kravchak, & Kathleen Noffsinger

July 2023 First Friday: “In the Marsh” Group Show
featuring
Jason Abbott, Bill Casto, Carolyn Dudley, Michael Kravchak, Sr., & Kathleen Noffsinger
Friday, July 7
6:00pm-8:00pm

During the month of July 2023, Arts on Main will exhibit, “In the Marsh,” a group show that will feature five local artists: Jason Abbott, Bill Casto, Carolyn Dudley, Michael Kravchak, Sr., & Kathleen Noffsinger. This exhibition will include both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works, and both abstract and realistic representations of life in the marsh. The opening of the show will take place at our First Friday event on Friday, July 7 from 6:00PM-8:00PM. The body of work will be on display from July 7 – July 29.


Jason Abbott

   

“Art has always played a major role in my life.  It wasn’t until recently that I decided to share my art. I am a self-taught artist.  I have spent my life experimenting, learning, and building my technique. My desire is to create art that evokes an emotion in the observer.” Jason Abbott


Bill Casto

   

“I am an Interpretive Wood Sculptor concentrating primarily on wildfowl. I use driftwood from local waters and found weathered wood to carve interpretive or stylized pieces of art. I attempt to capture the essence of the wildfowl rather than a realistic duplication of the subject. My sculptures emphasize form, content, movement, and are totally original and one of a kind. I am a former College Football Coach and Athletic Director locally at the College of William and Mary and The Apprentice School. I have been carving wildfowl sculptures for over 20 years competing at the top level for the past level ten years at the prestigious “Ward World Wildfowl Carving Championships. In 2013 my entry “Crane Dance” placed “Third Best in World” (Interpretive Division). In 2014 my sculpture “Swan Dive” was judged “Second Best in World”. In 2015 my carving “Wild Riders” placed 1ST “Best in the World”. In 2016 “Arctic Tern” was awarded 2nd in “Masters” Interpretive Division. In 2017 “Wingman” placed 2nd in “Masters” and “Lil Egret” won 3rd place.” –Bill Casto


Carolyn Dudley

   

“My artwork comes from my perception of the landscape and the people around me. Whether it be through realistic or abstract representation, the goal of my work is to not only document my experience in a setting but to create an experience for the viewer as well. The following poem By Mary Oliver, “At Blackwater Pond”, inspires me greatly.” –Carolyn Thompson Dudley

“At Blackwater Pond the tossed waters have settled
after a night of rain.
I dip my cupped hands. I drink
a long time. It tastes
like stone, leaves, fire. It falls cold
into my body, waking the bones. I hear them
deep inside me, whispering
oh what is that beautiful thing
that just happened.”


Michael S. Kravchak , Sr.

   

“I majored in architecture in college, with a minor in art history. I studied under Professor Amy Fell, Professor John Gardner, and Sculpture Professor, J. Cherry. I have always enjoyed the Arts, and I have experimented in many mediums, i.e., pencil, oils, acrylics, pen and ink, and clay sculpture.

For many years, I painted and sketched for relaxation; however, I always wanted to learn to work in watercolor. Upon my retirement as a District Manager from UGI, an energy company, I took my first course in watercolor with Robert Burnell at Portsmouth Fine Arts Institute. I have also taken a semester course with Betty Anglin at Christopher Newport University.

I have found my greatest challenge and satisfaction working in watercolor. I enjoy painting local and historical scenes from the Tidewater area and along the Chesapeake Bay. I also enjoy painting scenes from the Outer Banks of North Carolina and many other beautiful places I have been fortunate enough to visit.” -Michael S. Kravchak, Sr.


Kathleen Noffsinger

   

Painting and drawing since childhood, Kathleen Noffsinger has taught painting and drawing classes since 1998, including “Travel and Paint” workshops in Bermuda and the Florida Keys. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland where she majored in elementary education and chose all her electives in art and design. A popular instructor, she has taught workshops for art leagues in Virginia, Maryland and Florida. Her paintings have won numerous awards, been featured in several publications including Chesapeake Bay magazine and been purchased for both private and corporate collections throughout the world

Kathleen is currently a Signature/Lifetime member of the Virginia Watercolor Society, the National League of American Pen Women (Art), the Rappahannock Art League, and a past member of the National Watercolor Society and the Florida Watercolor Society. Her paintings have been included in numerous juried art shows and are available in fine art galleries throughout the East Coast and the Florida Keys. She may be reached through her on-line studio gallery www.kathleennoffsinger.com or at her studio in Hartfield, VA (804) 832-1387.


Live music will be provided by The Tidewinders.

First Friday is on July 7 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. This event is FREE and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

If you would like to sponsor this monthly exhibit & First Friday event, call the gallery at (804) 864-9464.

Tagged With: arts on main, Bill Casto, carolyn dudley, Coastal marshland, first friday, free art event, Gloucester art program, Gloucester County VA, gloucester courthouse, gloucester main street, gloucester va, In the Marsh, jason abbott, kathleen noffsinger, live music, Marshland, Michael Kravchak, monthly exhibit, nautical artwork, Sr.

April 2023 First Friday: “Beginninglessness Endlessness” by John Latell

April 2023 First Friday: “Beginninglessness Endlessness” by John Latell

Friday, April 7

6:00pm – 8:00pm

Sponsored by Martin, Ingles & Hensley

      

During the month of April, Arts on Main will host a solo show featuring the work of John Latell. The show will open on Friday, April 7th at our First Friday event and will run through April 29th. John Latell graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University as a sculpture student. Latell’s work with metal is a blend of variable nature, the creative impulse, and effort. Metal, as a structural material, is a full three-dimensional pallet for sculpture. He worked in Pittsburgh for more than ten years, building large-scale sculptures in steel mills, public spaces, and galleries. Since then he has owned and operated a metal art studio for more than a decade in rural Virginia. The work he does is reflected in the patterns of the land and humanity’s efforts to harness them.


Live music will be provided by Louis Vangieri.

Hailing from Williamsburg, Louis C Vangieri has over a decade of experience playing out Virginians’ stresses, easing his listeners into a state of existential acoustic bliss with his instrumental folk renditions and original songs.

He performs an awesome blend of folk, country swing, pop-rocker, traditional, soft jazz, peaceful new age, classical, nostalgia and well written original instrumental works. Taking influences from the Beatles, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Pat Metheny, Laurence Juber, Peter White, Jim Croce, Al Stewart, Alexi de Grassi, Chet Atkins and crafting his own style of rhythmic songwriting. Lou Vangieri is currently actively composing, arranging for guitar, recording and performing in Williamsburg, VA.


First Friday is Friday, April 7 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Thank you to our Monthly Exhibit Sponsors,
Martin, Ingles & Hensley!

Tagged With: 3-dimensional artwork, art exhibit opening, arts on main, first friday, Gloucester arts on Main, gloucester county, gloucester main street, gloucester va, John Latell, live music, Louis Vangieri, metal art, metal sculptures, sculpture

May 2023 First Friday featuring Mel Neale, Winner of the 2022 Annual Juried Show + Collaborative Botanical Show

May 2023 First Friday featuring Mel Neale, Winner of the 2022 Annual Juried Show + Collaborative Botanical Show

Friday, May 5

6:00pm-8:00pm

Sponsored by Ware Neck Produce

During the month of May, Arts on Main will be exhibiting works by the winner of the 2022 Annual Juried Show, Mel Neale and a Collaborative Botanical Show. The opening of the show will take place on Friday, May 5 from 6pm-8pm and will run through May 27th.


About Mel Neale

   

“Making art all my life, I have done and redone pastels, oils, graphite, watercolor, acrylics, illustration and photography. Recently I have returned to my first love, pastels, especially the luscious soft ones. Many consider pastel painting to be the purest form of making art because there is nothing between the pure pigment applied directly by hand and the support (special archival paper or board). There is no brush, no pen, no medium, and very little binder. With soft pastels, I can combine my love for drawing with the richness of pure pigment producing a painterly effect like no other medium. I approach a pastel painting much like an oil, building the layers outwards, with special attention to surface texture and subtle nuances of color. I especially enjoy painting people, landscape, and the slightly quirky or symbolic.” – Mel Neale

Mel (Mary Ellen) Neale was an art major in college and taught art in public schools in Virginia, primarily at the secondary level, for 14 years. After leaving teaching, she and her husband Tom cruised aboard a 47 foot motorsailer full-time on the east coast and in the Bahamas with their two young daughters.  They home-schooled the girls (K-12) aboard the boat, while cruising around 5,000 miles a year. The daughters now have families of their own and Mel and Tom live on land in Lancaster County.

Mel has painted since childhood. While cruising, she painted local scenery as well as numerous commissioned paintings of yachts, homes, islands and other scenes, mostly in acrylics and watercolor.  She is also a photographer and illustrator for boating publications.

Mel is a member and exhibiting artist at the Rappahannock Art League (RAL) Art Center in Kilmarnock, VA, a member of the St. Augustine Art Association, the Mid-Atlantic Pastel Society, American Impressionist Society, Pastel Society of North Carolina, and a Signature Member of the Virginia Watercolor Society. In 2021 she was honored to be juried into the Pastel Society of America as an Associate Member, one of around 2,000 pastel artists world-wide.


Group Botanical Show

A collaborative botanical show will feature artwork by Ronda Bowden, Tomoko Hamada, Trotter Hardy, Patrice Hobbs, Sue Maida, and Mary Jane Zander. This exhibit will be a combination of paintings, drawings, photographs, and 3D sculpture pieces.


Live music will be provided by Lane Rice.

Lane Rice is a seasoned songwriter, musician, and artist from Newport News, Virginia. Lane has been an active part of the music community of Hampton Roads since 2018 performing in cities like Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Gloucester, and Richmond. Lane pursues having a unique sound that is mixture of his favorite genres to perform which are Rock, Country, Pop, Soul, and Blues. These genres come out in his live performances as well as in his songwriting. You can listen to his original music everywhere music is streamed and watch him perform live acoustic or with his band Lane Rice & Co. in Hampton Roads, Virginia.


First Friday is on May 5th from 6:00pm-8:00pm. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Thank you to our Monthly Exhibit Sponsor, Ware Neck Produce!

Tagged With: 3D artwork, annual juried show, art exhibit, art exhibit opening, arts on main, botanical art, botanical exhibit, drawing, first friday, Gloucester arts on Main, gloucester county, gloucester courthouse, gloucester main street, gloucester va, Lane Rice, live music, Mel Neale, music performance, opening reception, painting, paintings, pastel, photography

February First Friday: “Celebrating Black Artists – A Black History Month Exhibit”

February 2023 First Friday: “Celebrating Black Artists – A Black History Month Exhibit”
featuring
Sukenya Best,  Nia Alexander Campbell, Julian Haskins, Ray Johnson, Dathan Kane, Jackie Merritt, LaKaye Mbah, & Anjenette Renae
Friday, February 3
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Sponsored by Ronald & Katrina Brown

We are celebrating Black History month at Arts on Main during the month of February! Arts on Main is honored to host, “Celebrating Black Artists – A Black History Month Exhibit,” a group show featuring black Virginia artists: Sukenya Best, Nia Alexander Campbell, Julian Haskins, Ray Johnson, Dathan Kane, Jackie Merritt, LaKaye Mbah, & Anjenette Renae.  The goal of this show is to educate our community, share history through artwork, but most of all celebrate black artists and their journey with our community. The opening of the show will take place on Friday, February 3 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. The exhibit will be on display from February 3- February 25.


Sukenya Best

     

Sukenya Best was born in New York City, where her origins in visual art, faith in God, dance, and cultural community festivals began. In the 90s her family moved to Richmond Virginia, which has been her home for over 20 years. She took art lessons in all of her schools to eventually receive a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001. As an undergraduate student, she studied Baroque art history in London, Europe. During that trip she observed first-hand paintings by Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Frans Hals; which sparked her current practice of portrait painting. She also traveled to Zimbabwe, Africa, to study drawing and batik making. There she experienced a rich culture and an appreciation for fabric designs. When she attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (earned a M.F.A in 2007) she continued to explore printmaking on fabric with the combination of dance and music.

In between her undergraduate and graduate studies, Sukenya has always enjoyed working with the youth. She taught art classes to various ages for her local faith community, the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Richmond’s Department of Parks and Recreation afterschool program, Art 180, Reynold’s Community College, and Virginia Union University. In her pieces you often see young people of color spiritually protected and capable of carrying the armor of God. The younger children have inspired her the most with their energy, imagination, and playfulness. During this time of racial injustice and civil unrest, it is especially important for Sukenya create artwork that is vibrant, piercing and imaginative, to inspire others to continue dreaming.

When Sukenya is painting with watercolor she gravitates towards luminous colors and expressive brush strokes. Her tools are sometimes untraditional so that she can get a spattered or textured effect. In her acrylic paintings she works to combine a Baroque style with an expressive background. In both mediums she subtly puts text into the composition to capitalize on faith and dreams. Artists that have inspired her current work are Charles White, Elizabeth Catlett, John Biggers, Emma Amos, and Kerry James Marshall. Sukenya currently works at the VMFA as an On the Road Coordinator, where she travels around Virginia on an artmobile


Nia Alexander Campbell

     

Nia Alexander Campbell is an artist and writer from Richmond, Virginia. She received a BFA in Painting & Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University with a minor in Art History (emphasizing in Black art and cinema) and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Design from VCUarts Qatar. Nia’s creative practice explores the ways collage, writing, and various painting mediums can be used to tell stories through design. She believes that storytelling in any medium can function as an excellent way to combat ignorance, give a voice to the otherwise unheard, and bridge the divides we see in our world today. Her subject matter explores themes of history, language, mental health, and the experiences of underrepresented groups of people. She often draws inspiration from her experiences as an African American woman raised in the U.S. and her numerous experiences abroad. In both her visual and written work, Nia is passionate about inclusion and sharing the experiences of marginalized communities, emphasizing the idea that no community is monodimensional. Nia seeks to use her passion for visual art & design, writing, and social awareness to reach the younger generation, those who will grow to become future decision makers. Her design work especially manifests in ways that are inviting and unintimidating, acting as teaching tools for larger, more complex themes.


Julian Haskins

   

It all began with a surgery. During the recovery period, I turned to art as my only stress reliever. With the long days of physical therapy and sleepless nights, art became the punctuation of peace and clarity for me. The following two years would be the starting point of my journey into the world of art.

Through some hard-work, some sleepless nights and consistency, I became a constant in the Hampton Roads area. Started displaying at open mic nights, collaboration events and pop-up shops. Then expanding into new areas including Richmond, VA, Washington DC, Baltimore, MD and even New York. My love of art has also accumulated into having three successful solo exhibitions. A mini documentary along with many other accolades and recognitions of work. I’ve enjoyed learning to master the medium of acrylic paints while also experimenting with many styles and inspirations from Ray Johnson, Clayton Singleton, Chris Clark, Tommy Mitchell.” – Julian Haskins


Ray Johnson

     

“As an artist, I aspire to create art that is meaningful and emotional. My art engages representation of black beauty, strength and perseverance. With the influences of artist like Dr. Fahamu Pecou, Patrick Dougher and Clayton Singleton, I try to capture the power in what it means to be “black”. I want all people to be able to connect and relate to my work. But I particularly hope that people of color gain pride through the positive representation of the black men and woman that I create.

In my work I like to use men and woman of color to express the topics of love, struggle and togetherness. With acrylic and oil, my paintings of random nameless figures are full of emotion that come to life on canvas.” – Ray Johnson


Dathan Kane

   

Dathan Kane is a contemporary abstract painter and muralist currently based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. He received his BFA in Art & Design from Virginia State University. His work focuses on the constant duality of life’s choices using bold, organic, black and white shapes to explore this complexity and gain a sense of balance. Dathan‘s work is included in many collections including Dollar Tree, Work Programs Architects at Assembly in Norfolk, Commune in Virginia Beach, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. He has exhibited at the Chrysler Museum (Glass Studio) Gallery, and the Sichuan Contemporary Institute in China. Dathan participated in the RVA Street Mural Festival, and the Three Notchd “Leave Your Mark!” Mural Festival in Richmond and recently completed a two week residency program at Studio House in Baltimore. His documentary film, CURATE, produced by P.B.S “WHRO Media” in Norfolk aired recently throughout Hampton Roads, Boston, and North Carolina. He currently serves on the board of the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk and works on the Contemporary Arts Network exhibition team in Newport News.


Jackie Merritt

   

“As an Artist and Musician/Songwriter, I am by nature a storyteller. It doesn’t matter if my story is told on canvas or in song.
Whether it’s intentional or not, ideas overlap and influence each other during the process of creating.
I’m a painter. My medium of choice is color pastel on paper or oil on canvas.
I love the intimacy of the chalk in my hands, the quickness of application on canvas, and the vividness of color on the surface…I embrace the journey.” –Jackie Merritt


LaKaye Mbah

     

Based in Norfolk, Virginia, LaKaye Mbah, MFA creates artwork that assists women and children with recognizing their self-worth by making West African traditions more accessible. The artwork is inspired by cultural dances, ancient Igbo motifs, and Yoruba decorative techniques. The works of artists Faith Ringgold, Aaron Douglas, Yinka Shonibare and Nike Davies have also informed her work. She holds an undergraduate degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, and an MFA in Visual Studies from Norfolk State University.

“There are many misconceptions about Black women in America. They are often perceived as aggressive and threatening when, in reality, they play an integral part in keeping communities safe and whole. Society virtually erases their accomplishments from the broader social, economic, and political lexicon. This eradication of the impact of black women’s achievements is problematic because it leaves girls and women without an aspirational positive story. Without knowledge of how to create positive personal mythology, the lack of cultural identity causes confusion, self-loathing, and low self-efficacy.

Connecting with one’s ancestral history is the first step in creating a new personal mythology. LaKaye Mbah passes down the traditions of West African women to the new generation of Black women and children through her work. By sharing the knowledge of her heritage, she hopes to inspire others to seek information about their ancestry and feel empowered by knowing who and where they came from.” -LaKaye Mbah


Anjenette Renae

   

Norfolk, Virginia native Anjenette Renae is a visual artist specializing in oil painting and fashion design. She discovered her passion for fashion at the age of eight, when she and her sister would make clothing for their handmade paperdolls. Overtime, Anjenette began sketching Fashion Designs for friends and eventually learning to sew. While majoring in Fashion and Retail Management at The Art Institute of Virginia Beach, she discovered her passion for painting. Anjenette has helped young girls between the ages of 7-17 sketch and sew their own garments at the “Sketching Dreams Fashion Design & Arts Academy”.

In her paintings, Anjenette skillfully uses oil paint with highly saturated colors to intensify her work. Anjenette’s fashion designs include custom gowns, coats and jackets.

Anjenette’s inspiration derives from the works of costume designer Ruth Carter, specifically the costumes of Marvel’s Black Panther due to their likeness to traditional African garments. Anjenette’s paintings are heavily influenced by Amy Sherald, who is known for depicting her subjects in everyday settings.

“My inspiration comes from Black culture focusing primarily on the depiction of women in a positive light. My work is targeted mostly towards millennials and Gen-Xers who have an understanding and appreciation of Hip Hop culture and Pan-Africanism. Through oil paint, each piece is a representation of cultural pride. My works are primarily portraits using heavily saturated colors in stylized manner. My influences are Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherald, and Faith Ringgold as each of these artists are known for using bold colors and using their work to depict social and political beliefs. My paintings are developed by exploring concepts, sketching, then executing the idea in oil paint. My work is unique because as black woman in America, I understand the lack of proper representation of women and people of color. ”


Live music will be provided by Sheila Madanat. Sheila is the owner of Image and Sound Gallery, LLC.


First Friday is on February 3rd  from 6:00pm-8:00pm. This event is FREE and open to the public. We will have live music and light refreshments will be provided. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Thank you to our First Friday Sponsors, Ronald & Katrina Brown!

Tagged With: Anjenette Renae, art exhibit, art exhibit opening, Black History Month, Black History Month Art Exhibit, dathan kane, February, first friday, flower arranging, Gloucester arts on Main, gloucester county, gloucester courthouse, gloucester main street, Jackie Merritt, Julian Haskins, LaKaye Mbah, Nia Alexander Campbell, Ray Johnson, sogetsu school of the middle peninsula, Sukenya Best

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DECEMBER 2022:
Mary Morton Parsons Update

_______________________________

 

Your support guarantees a place for all to enjoy the arts in Gloucester, Virginia.
Become A Part of Arts on Main!

 

Download the 2021-2022 Annual Report

 

 

Betsy Henderson, Interim Executive Director
director@gloucesterarts.org
(804) 824-9464

Alisa Potter, Gallery Manager
gallerymanager@gloucesterarts.org
(804) 824-9464

Blair Waters, Programs and Marketing Manager
adminassistant@gloucesterarts.org
(804) 824-9464

Hanah Hailey, Gallery Coordinator
Communications@gloucesterarts.org
(804) 824-9464

Gallery Hours

Open Wednesday – Saturday
Noon – 5:00pm
Closed Sunday through Tuesday
Call: (804) 824-9464

Open Studio

Every Friday afternoon, 12pm-2pm!
Free & open to the public

Art Classes

Ongoing classes in all mediums for kids of all ages.
Art Class Registration Info

Volunteer Opportunities

Are you looking for ways to volunteer in the community? Arts on Main has wonderful volunteers and would like you to join them. Email adminassistant@gloucesterarts.org or call the gallery for more information. 804.824.9464.

 

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3 Day Heirloom Collage & Mixed Media Exploration w 3 Day Heirloom Collage & Mixed Media Exploration with Theresa Wells Stifel

Wednesday, March 29 – Friday, March 31
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Create your own mixed media masterpieces using those little pieces of memories too precious to throw away! Your quirky snippets, papers, jewelry, fabric, or any small odds and ends can be layered to create a charming and personal piece of art. If you want to practice without worrying about ruining a special object, extra supply packets will be available to purchase for $5 a bag so you can play with a free spirit.

You will learn how to layer paint, paper, photos, trims, fabric and more.  We will learn different types of gluing, fusing and stitching methods to build interesting layers for your pieces. We will discuss and play with mark making, color, texture and pattern, answering questions along the way. Feel free to email the instructor with any questions: theresa@stifelandcapra.com

Cost of the 3 day class is $215.00 per student.

Registration deadline is Saturday, March 25 by 5pm.

Sign up here: https://gloucesterarts.org/event/3-day-heirloom-collage-mixed-media-exploration-with-theresa-wells-stifel/
Adult Paper Flower Class with Ronda Bowden: Daffod Adult Paper Flower Class with Ronda Bowden: Daffodil

Tuesday, April 11
6:00pm-8:00pm

Paper flower artist, Ronda Bowden will teach you techniques to create realistic and whimsical flowers with paper. Each week will feature a different flower. During this class, students will learn how to create daffodils.

Cost of each class is $30 per student (includes the cost of supplies).

Sign up here: https://gloucesterarts.org/event/adult-paper-flower-class-with-ronda-bowden-daffodil/
Critique Sessions March 28 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Critique Sessions
March 28 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Crit Sessions are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Show your current work to get a critique. Are you stuck in the middle of a painting? Would fresh eyes help? Do you want to learn more about composition or color balancing? We help each other improve. Offered both in-person and via Zoom.

Email: Kathy Klein at kgklein46@gmail.com to sign up and get on the email reminder list.
10am – 12pm, Free
New work by Robert Schuler! “My paintings prima New work by Robert Schuler!

“My paintings primarily reflect regional splendors and rural landscapes. I especially enjoy painting Watermen and their old workboats, Skipjacks in particular.  My affinity for the watermen, their environment and their work are very inspiring to me.  I am inspired by rural old things, buildings that are crooked, Victorian homes, and old work boats with rust…they all capture my attention. I also enjoy capturing portraits of cherished homes and beloved pets in watercolor.  When showing my artwork, I like to feel the viewer’s connection to the art. Their feedback, familiarity or memories of the subject I’ve painted fill in the details for me and makes the piece even more interesting. It gives more meaning to the painting. I find great pleasure in establishing an interaction with the viewers of my work.” Medium: Acrylic, Oil, & Watercolor
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Activities at Arts on Main are partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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