Arts on Main

Community Arts Center in Gloucester, Virginia

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!

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.

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!

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!

January 2023 First Friday: “Considerations” by Jim Black

January 2023 First Friday

featuring

“Considerations” by Jim Black

Friday, January 6

6:00pm-8:00pm

Sponsored by Larry and Tenley Raithel

 

       

During the month of January 2023, Art on Main will exhibit “Considerations” by Jim Black. The opening for the show will take place on Friday, January 6 from 6pm-8pm. The exhibit will be on display until Saturday, January 28.

About the Artist

Abstract painter Jim Black is a native of North Carolina who has resided in the Richmond area since the 1980s. He completed his BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2003. He has exhibited his work in local Richmond galleries as well as through internet venues. His work is part of numerous private and corporate collections in Virginia, Florida, Chicago, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and California.  He describes his art as an on-going exploration of tension and ambiguity. His paintings consist of multiple layers which emphasize worked surfaces and spontaneous drawing. His intent is for each piece to have a strong visual presence and a ragged eloquence.  The work offers the viewer a possibility of a personal “visual experience.”

Live music will be provided by Harris Creekers out of Hampton, VA. 

The opening of this exhibit will be on Friday, January 6 from 6pm-8pm. 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 First Friday Sponsors, Larry and Tenley Raithel!

First Friday: Solo Show featuring Toy Fowler, Winner of 2021 Annual Juried Show + Small Works Show + Holiday Marketplace

Solo Show featuring Toy Fowler, Winner of 2021 Annual Juried Show + Small Works Show + Holiday Marketplace
Friday, December 2
6:00pm – 8:00pm
First Friday Sponsored by the Sogetsu School of the Middle Peninsula
Exhibit Sponsored by Will & Tish Grant
During the month of December, Arts on Main will be hosting a solo show featuring Toy Fowler, the winner of 2021 Annual Juried Show. Our Small Works Show and Holiday Marketplace, featuring local and regional artists, will also take place during the month of December. This is the perfect place to get all of your Christmas shopping done! The opening of these exciting exhibits will take place on December 2, from 6pm-8pm. The work will remain on display until December 31.

Toy Fowler b. 1961 Hampton, Virginia; currently lives in Gloucester, Virginia. Primarily a self taught artist, Toy began his study in drawing and painting at an early age, lessons in the studio of tidewater artist, Jack Clifton. He went on to earn a BFA at Virginia Commonwealth Univer-sity’s art program. Later he worked in the arts as a digital designer and illustration artist. In 2010, he began working in oil and studied in workshops and classes with Rob Liberace, Art Re-newal Center (ARC) Living Master and Tina Garrett, ARC Associate Living Master.

He is a realist artist and has participated in over 30 regional art competitions and national art competitions. His painting “Outside Studio” was selected by juror Teresa Oaxaca for the Princi-pal Galleries (Alexandria, VA) “ Root To Bloom art show. In 2017, 2018 and 2021, his work was chosen as finalist in the National Portrait Societies’ Members Only competition. In 2017 and 2019 he had work selected for the Virginia Artist Regional Juried show at the Charles H. Taylor Art Center and he had two paintings make it to the semi finalists round in the Art Renewal Cen-ters’ 15th International ARC Salon. His painting “A New Spring” was selected and took 1st Place at the annual regional art exhibition at the Art on Main gallery in Gloucester, Virginia. He is cur-rently working as a self employed artist at his studio in Gloucester, Virginia.

Come see the wonderful display of floral arrangements interpreted by the students of the Sogetsu School of the Middle Peninsula.

Live music will be provided by singer and songwriter, Grayson Torrence. 

 

The opening of this exhibit will be on December 2nd, from 6pm-8pm. This event is free and open to the public. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Thank you, Sogetsu School of the Middle Peninsula for being our First Friday Sponsor and Will & Tish Grant for being our Exhibit Sponsor!