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

C'ville Arts

C'ville Coffee

Sage Moon Gallery

The Gallery @ 5th & Water

Other miscellaneous venues

Piedmont Virginia Community College Galleries

Visual 'ville: Art on every corner

BY LAURA PARSONS
ART@READTHEHOOK.COM
    In Charlottesville, which regularly congratulates itself for being so saturated with culture that it’s almost harder to avoid art than to find it. Whether you’re buying a book (The New Dominion Book Shop), consulting with your accountant (Henderson and Everett’s Gallery at 5th & Main), or shopping for jewelry (Angelo), you'll find yourself face-to-canvas with art at every turn.
    Each year more Charlottesville businesses— from hair salons to law offices— decide to transform their blank walls into galleries, luring an art-hungry public into their lairs during the city’s First Friday art walkabouts. New venues open optimistically— only to flop with predictable regularity. When they do, local and regional artists simply shift exhibition locales.
    In addition to the merry-go-round of smaller galleries, Charlottesville has its fair share of heavy-hitting venues. Now that longtime director Jill Hartz has departed the University of Virginia Art Museum, it’s hard to predict its future  (although the buzz is it may shift from fresh contemporary shows to more traditional, dusty fare). But the Museum still boasts a superlative staff whose imagination and depth of knowledge imbue any exhibition with intellectual heft. And for those who love art parties, the Museum— dancing to the beat of its own Cavalier drummer— holds Fourth Friday celebrations each month of the school year.
    Also, this year UVA’s McIntire Department of Art moves into its new state-of-the-art (rimshot, please) building, Ruffin Hall, with its own on-site gallery (good-bye, Off Grounds Gallery). Exhibition openings are set to coincide with the nearby Museum’s Fourth Friday to-dos.
    Downtown, the nonprofit Second Street Gallery bats in the avant-garde big leagues, showcasing work by luminaries like Joel-Peter Witkin and Sandow Birk. With state-of-the-art lighting and two separate gallery spaces, the SSG also gives sought-after support to up-and-coming regional artists. Although much-admired director Leah Stoddard moved to greener pastures in 2008, SSG, with its brilliant staff and imaginative selection committee, is sure to keep Charlottesville swimming in the deep end of the contemporary art pool.
    A few blocks away on downtown’s other Second Street, the McGuffey Art Center occupies a former elementary school where former classrooms provide qualified artists with studios (all of which are open for drop-in visits). In addition to monthly exhibitions, nonprofit McGuffey offers art classes and holds regular public forums to discuss hot topics in art.
    This past year, the Charlottesville Community Design Center, a nonprofit dedicated to architecture and functional design, moved to a new visitor-friendly location beneath the Market Street Parking Garage. Meanwhile, the Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative shifted its headquarters next door to its Belmont exhibition space. Offering a wide range of programming, the Bridge sponsors artists and projects focused on building community. Its popular Thursday film series offers the rare chance to see truly independent videos and movies.
    Beyond Downtown, the hilltop Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, a pacific (and Pacific) retreat in the middle of rapidly developing Pantops, is home to the largest indigenous Australian art collection outside Australia. On another hilltop, Piedmont Virginia Community College, located off 20S, offers a slate of imaginative exhibitions in the North and South Galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building.
    Several annual events bring additional artiness to town. The Virginia Film Festival supplements its mainstream fare with a surprisingly rich range of experimental films. Piedmont Virginia Community College has started celebrating the winter solstice with “Let There Be Light,” a one-night outdoor extravaganza of artist-created light installations. And in June, the Festival of the Photograph’s “three days of peace, love, and photography” transform downtown into a living image.
    Even those who prefer to stay in their cars can get their art fix on via publicly funded ArtinPlace.org, which annually expands its drive-by art program, transforming the streets and byways of Charlottesville into an outdoor gallery.

    Given all these art-full opportunities, Charlottesville is nothing short of eye opening.

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Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, 400 Worrell Drive. The name pretty much says it: Charlottesville's own little outback for Aboriginal artwork. Free guided tour on Saturdays at 10:30am. Tu-Sat 9am-3pm. 244-0234 

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. When school is in session, open 9am-10pm Mon-Th, 9am-5pm Fri, 1am-5pm Sat. In the summer, Mon-Th 7:30am-5:30pm, Fri 7:30-11:30am. 961-5202

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. Tu-Sat 11am-6pm. 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). Tu-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 1-5pm. 295-7973

Les Yeux du Monde, This gallery leans toward sophisticated single-artist shows, with an occasional group event. A favorite exhibit space for regional artists and UVA art faculty. They moved out of their previous downtown space in June, so keep an eye on lesyeuxdumonde.com for the new location and hours.

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-8pm 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. Tu-Sun Noon-5pm. 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. Wed-Th 3-9pm,  Fri-Sat noon-9pm, Sun 1-4pm. 296-3919

Charlottesville Community Design Center, 100 5th St. NE- A treasure on the Downtown Mall, the CCDC seeks to educate the public about architecture and structural design with exhibitions and public events. Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. 984-2232

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, 717 Rugby Road- In addition to spiritual duties, the TJMCUU (that's Unitarian Universalist), with the artist's opening on the second Sunday of every month at 1pm. Any other day of the month, call ahead. 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. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, but unfortunately it's closed as the construction of an addition continues. 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. Mon-Sat, 6:30am-10pm, Sun 7am-7pm. 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. Mon-Sat 9:30am-5:30pm, Sun noon-5:30pm. 295-2552

Café Cubano, 211 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall-  This coffeeshop/restaurant offers plenty of wallspace for local artists' exhibits. Sun-Wed 6:30am-5pm, Thurs-Sat 6:30am-7pm. 971-8743

C'ville Arts, 118 W. Main on the Downtown Mall.- Also an artisans' cooperative featuring dozens of local artists, it frequently invites featured artists in for hands-on sessions. Mon-Th 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, and Sun Noon-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. Mon-Th 7:30am-9pm, Fri 7:30am-6pm, Sat 8:30am-2pm, Sun 9:30am-2pm. 817-2633

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. Tu-Th 11am-7pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun-Mon 1-5pm. 977-9997

Migration: A Gallery, 119 5th St. SE- A gorgeous space with local and national work. Tu-Sat 11am-6pm, closed 2-3pm on weekdays. 293-2200

La Galeria, 218 W. Market St.- An eclectic gallery that showcases the most prolific of local artists. 11am-5:30pm Mon-Fri. 293-7003

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



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

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

Cassis, 201 W. Water St., 979-0188

Enoteca, 401 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall, 974-9463

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

Ix Project, 955 Second St. SE, 296-9979

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

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

Sidetracks Music, 218 Water St., 295-3080

South Street Brewery, 106 W South St., 293-6550

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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