Museums and Galleries

UVA Art Museum (Bayly)

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art

Second Street Gallery

McGuffey Art Center

Les Yeux du Monde

C&O Gallery

Art Upstairs

Bozart

The TJ Memorial Church

Mudhouse

New Dominion Book Shop

Café Cubano

Transient Crafters

C'ville Coffee

Sage Moon Gallery

The Gallery @ 5th & Water

Other miscellaneous venues

Piedmont Virginia Community College Galleries

See 'ville: Art in every place

BY LAURA PARSONS
ART@READTHEHOOK.COM
    Ah, Charlottesville, the hamlet of unlikely luxuries, where one can enjoy a gourmet sandwich while pumping gas! Another pleasure is the chance to encounter art while running errands. Whether you’re picking up a book (The New Dominion Book Shop), visiting your accountant (Henderson and Everett’s Gallery at 5th & Main), or shopping for jewelry (Angelo), you'll find yourself face-to-canvas with locally generated art.
    Everybody seems to want to jump into the gallery biZ-- from hair salons to chiropractors’ offices-- dedicating spare walls to an ever-changing array of art. As new venues open optimistically-- only to flop with predictable regularity-- local and regional artists simply shift exhibition locales. In fact, avoiding art in Charlottesville is harder than finding it (although quantity doesn’t always mean quality).
Certainly, Charlottesville has its fair share of heavy-hitting venues. The University of Virginia Art Museum, though modest in size, has a superlative staff whose imagination, depth of knowledge, and connections bring in historic and modern work of international caliber. In addition, they constantly dream up new and informative ways to present the Museum’s impressive permanent holdings.
Downtown, the nonprofit Second Street Gallery, in City Center for the Arts on Water Street, bats in the avant-garde big leagues, hosting cutting-edge talents like Gary Baseman and Anna Gaskell. With state-of-the-art lighting and two separate gallery spaces, the SSG also showcases up-and-coming regional stars. Director Leah Stoddard's enlightened (dare I say, "daring"?) vision has made SSG a consistent must-visit for all devotées of contemporary art.
    Another Downtown nonprofit, the McGuffey Art Center, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2006. Housed in a former elementary school on Second Street, the McGuffey offers worthy regional artists studio space in former classrooms. Visitors to the monthly exhibitions enlivening McGuffey’s halls and main gallery can also drop into residents’ creative dens to see their process in action.
The Charlottesville Community Design Center adds nonprofit zing to the Downtown Mall with monthly shows and educational programs focused on architecture and structural design. Over on Water Street, the Bridge Public Arts Initiative, which has a Belmont exhibition space, sponsors artists and interactive art programs with an eye to building community.
    In fact, Water Street is fast becoming art central, with Les Yeux du Monde filling its expansive walls with pedigreed work on one end and the new Migration Gallery doing the same a few blocks away.
Beyond Downtown, the hilltop Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, out 250W, is home to the largest indigenous Australian art collection outside Australia. And all over the city, the publicly funded "Art-in-Place" annually expands its drive-by art program, literally transforming Charlottesville into a giant outdoor gallery.
    When I lived in a hipster Chicago neighborhood in the late '80s, a friend used to say, "Throw a rock, and you'll hit an artist." In Charlottesville, throw a rock, and it will no doubt land in a gallery.

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Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, 400 Peter Jefferson Place- The name pretty much says it: Charlottesville's own little outback for Aboriginal artwork. Tues-Sat 9am-3pm. 244-0234

The Second Street Gallery, Corner of Second and E. Water Sts.- With its move to the City Center for the Arts, SSG added the Dové Gallery, suitable for installations and video projects, to its main exhibition space. Cutting-edge contemporary art by regional, national, and international artists comes in monthly doses. Tues-Sat 10-5. 977-7284

-->>For other museums in this area, see our Attractions section and our Kids Stuff section.

McGuffey Art Center, 201 Second St. NW- Located in the building that used to house McGuffey Elementary School, it has become the area's big playground for local artists. Over the last 30 years, the McGuffey has become a hive of artists' studios and fresh local work. It hosts the annual "Charlottesville in 2D" and local high school students' art shows (both not to be missed). Tues-Sat 10-6; Sun 1-5. 295-7973

Les Yeux du Monde, 115 S. First St.- This gallery leans toward sophisticated single-artist shows, with an occasional group event. A favorite exhibit space for regional artists and UVA art faculty. Tues-Sat 11-5. 973-5566

C&O Gallery, 515 E. Water St.- Tiny but classy gallery next to the tiny but classy restaurant. Showcases local artists. Available for private parties. All week 9am-6pm or by appointment. 971-7044

Art Upstairs, 112 W. Main St., York Place, Suite 4- Art Upstairs (though no longer upstairs) highlights the work of one of its more than 20 member artists each month. Tues-Sat 12pm-5pm with extended hours on Fridays. 923-3900

Bozart, 211 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall- A collective and a retail space, Bozart splits the difference between local art and craftwork. Each month one of its 20 member artists is featured in an exhibit. 296-3919

Charlottesville Community Design Center, 101 E. Main St.- A new treasure on the Downtown Mall, the CCDC seeks to educate the public about architecture and structural design with exhibitions and public events. 984 2232

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, 717 Rugby Road- In addition to spiritual duties, the TJMCUU (that's Unitarian Universalist) hosts monthly art exhibits viewable from 9am to 5pm, with the artist's opening on the second Sunday of every month at 1pm. 293-8179.

Campbell Hall Public Gallery, Rugby Road near UVA- The architecture school's tiny gem of a display space on the second floor of Campbell Hall. Trouble is, it's closed while construction additions at Campbell Hall remain ongoing. Mon-Fri 9-5. 924-3715

Mudhouse, 213 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall- Students and other local artists find plenty of hang-space for work that resonates with the coffeeshop's eclectic crowd. 984-6833

The New Dominion Book Shop, 404 E. Main St.- The Downtown Mall's classiest independent bookstore lends its landing to monthly exhibits, mostly oil paintings of the landscape/bucolic variety. 295-2552

Café Cubano, 211 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall-  This coffeeshop/restaurant offers plenty of wallspace for local artists' exhibits. 971-8743

Transient Crafters, 118 W. Main on the Downtown Mall.- Also an artisans' cooperative, this new-agey, arts n' crafts-type gallery frequently invites featured artists in for hands-on sessions. Mon-Thurs, Sat 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-9pm and Sun 12pm-6pm. 972-9500

C'ville Coffee, 1301 Harris St.- Yet another café where you can get your caffeine and visual fixes in one fell swoop. Features a small play area for kiddies. Community-oriented art changes monthly. 979-4402

Piedmont Virginia Community College Galleries--  During the academic year, the North and South Galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building serve up imaginative group exhibitions as well as showcases of noteworthy individual artists. Always worth the trip up the hill! 501 College Drive. 961-5202

The Gallery @ 5th & Water, Fifth and Water Sts.- Actually the foyer of an architectural firm, this gallery nevertheless showcases local artists' work with a new show each month. 9am-5pm. 295-4204

Sage Moon Gallery, 420 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall.- One of the biggest-- if not the very biggest-- gallery in town. Holds monthly feature exhibitions for individual artists. 977-9997

Migration: A Gallery, 119 5th St. SE, A gorgeous space that features local and national work. 293-2200

La Galeria, 218 W. Market St., An eclectic gallery that showcases the most prolific of the local artists. 293-7003

Other miscellaneous venues- The following host sporadic shows that change unpredictably. Call first.

Abundant Life Chiropractic, 201 E. Main St., Suite Q (Suite Q, second floor above Zocalo). 979-5433.

Angelo, 202 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 971-9256

Ben Around Tattoos, 701 W. Main St. 923-8282

Fellini's #9, 200 W. Market St. 979-4279

Keller and Williams, 300 Preston Ave., Suite 500, 220-2201

Main Street Market's Feast Gallery, 416 W. Main St., 296-8521

Martha Jefferson Hospital, 459 Locust Ave., 982-7000

Sidetracks Music, 218 Water St., 295-3080

HookTip
For art lovers, the place to be is First Fridays, held on-- you guessed it-- the first Friday of every month. Area galleries throw open their doors to all comers for a reception and refreshments.

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