Upcoming Events & Programming
Family Studio Day: May
Join Second Street Gallery and artist Susan Northington on May 11 from 10AM - 2PM as we celebrate spring with Pops of Color! We will be sculpting paper into bright scenes of joy and energy. Create a garden made of fun colors and shapes to take home and cherish.
Space is limited and will be first-come, first-serve. If there is no space when you come by, please check back in within 15-30 minutes as families regularly come and go! All children must be accompanied by a guardian.
NOTE: Photographs and video footage may be taken throughout Family Studio Day. These will be used by Second Street Gallery for marketing and publicity, on our website and in social media or gallery email campaigns.
"Paper Room" Pre-exhibition Workshop with Jess Walters, Steve Haske, and Sarah Lawson
The artists are crafting a flock of 3D paper vulture sculptures for their upcoming immersive collage installation and they need your help!
Paper Room, on view in Second Street Gallery’s Dové Gallery June 7 - July 19, 2024, is a BIG project with a small team, so Jess, Steve, Sarah are turning to the local community to help bring their vision to life! Come cut, fold, and assemble a few hundred birds with them at The Bridge Underground (306 E Main St. - back of the building next to Virginia National Bank) on Wednesday, May 22, 3-7PM. All participants will be acknowledged for their contribution to Paper Room and may elect to receive a complimentary paper vulture upon the conclusion and deinstallation of the exhibition in July 2024.
Kids Art Smash at First Friday Extended Hours
We have reached capacity and this event is now SOLD OUT. Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org if you’d like to be added to the wait list.
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Join us in the Main Gallery on Friday, May 3, for a Kids Art Smash during First Friday extended hours!
One of the exhibition’s paintings is secretly a sleeper artwork filled with candy inside! Gallery staff will invite kids to smash open the artwork – in the tradition of piñata, pignata, and general artwork iconoclasm – turning our traditional notion of art appreciation on its head. This activity will occur promptly at 6PM (so please plan to arrive a few minutes early!)
You'll also find representatives from the Community Attention Foster Families (CAFF) ready to share valuable information on-site! Learn about the rewarding journey of becoming a foster parent straight from the experts. The CAFF representatives will shed light on various local opportunities for fostering and assisting fostering families, thus helping you to understand how you can make a significant difference in a child's life right in your community.
Please note that attendance to First Friday does not guarantee the ability to participate in this activity; pre-registration to “smash” the artwork is required with a limited capacity. This activity is only open to children ages 2 - 8. Register your child HERE!
This event is held in conjunction with Jac Lahav’s exhibition, Foster Paintings, on view in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery April 5 - May 24, 2024.
Second Street Gallery reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at the Kids Smash Art Event, without the expressed written permission of those participating in the event. By registering for the event, you agree to possibly have your photo used for future social media, marketing, gallery brochures, or email campaigns.
Q&A with Lou Haney
While enjoying the gallery’s First Friday Extended Hours on May 3, come participate in a Q&A session with exhibiting artist Lou Haney at 5:30PM in the Dové Gallery. Haney’s paintings dance between reality and the fantasy of an ideal past, relatable yet distant all at once. Her saturated hues and opulent patterns are a feast for the eyes, and she invites you to question what you see and what these domestic scenes stir inside you. Come immerse yourself in her exhibition, Leisure Suit, and gain insight from the artist herself.
This discussion is free to attend; no RSVP needed. We hope you’ll join us!
Leisure Suit is generously sponsored by The Galdencio-Pontillo Family, Pond Life, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
First Friday Extended Hours
Join us on May 3, 5 - 7PM, to view our current exhibitions during special extended hours. We’ll have two featured events for guests to enjoy:
At 5:30PM, you can participate in a Q&A session with exhibiting artist Lou Haney. Head back to the Dové Gallery to marvel at Haney’s work and speak directly with the artist. No RSVP necessary; learn more HERE.
Right at 6:00PM, there will be the third and final 'Kids Art Smash' in the Main Gallery. All slots to participate in the art smash are now filled. However, we wholeheartedly invite you all to stop by the gallery and witness the event in person. Let's reimagine the way we appreciate art at Second Street Gallery! Learn more HERE.
Apart from all this excitement, we're also thrilled to welcome representatives from Community Attention Foster Families who will share some worthy insights into the rewarding experience of becoming a foster parent in our very own Charlottesville.
Gallery Rally 2024!
Second Street Gallery is excited to host our 9th annual Gallery Rally live drawing party and fundraiser on Saturday, April 27, from 4PM to 7PM in the Main Gallery. The event invites local artists to create artworks LIVE in the gallery! Community visitors can come to the gallery to meet their favorite artists, see their creative processes firsthand, and have the opportunity to purchase created artworks on the spot! All completed works will be available for sale at $100 with a portion of the proceeds from the event going toward supporting the gallery’s upcoming season of outreach programming and exhibitions.
Visit our Gallery Rally 2024 page for a list of participating artists and more!
Extra thanks to Wegmans, South Street Brewery, and Charlotte + Ralph Dammann for sponsoring refreshments for the event!
Mother's Little Helper: A collage card making workshop with Lou Haney
Join us on Saturday, April 20, 11AM-1PM, for a collage-based card making workshop with exhibiting artist Lou Haney!
Taking inspiration from the narratives of reality, perception, and nostalgia present in Haney’s work, attendees will be prompted to create cards for others, both real and imaginary. Participants will use a variety of materials and methods as they consider perceived audience to craft personalized, collage creations.
This event is aimed toward adults, but it’s also suitable for children ages 8+ and they are welcome to attend! They just need to be registered with a participating parent or adult.
The workshop is available at $20 SSG members / $25 non-members. This fee covers workshop instruction and access to all workshop materials for the activity.
Capacity is limited to 25 attendees; act fast to secure your spot! RSVP HERE.
Artists in Conversation: Lou Haney + Kristen Chiacchia
Join us on Thursday, April 18, 5:30-7:00PM, for the next installment in our Artists in Conversation series. Second Street Gallery’s Executive Director & Chief Curator, Kristen Chiacchia, will sit down with artist Lou Haney to discuss her exhibition, Leisure Suit, on view in the Dové Gallery, April 5 - May 24, 2024.
The event is free to attend, but space is limited and RSVP is required. Please register in advance HERE.
The talk will also be streamed live on Instagram (no reservation needed for IG).
Leisure Suit is a Season 50 Call for Submissions pick and is generously sponsored by The Galdencio-Pontillo Family, Pond Life, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Kids Art Smash at Family Studio Day
This event is now SOLD OUT. Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org if you’d like to be added to the wait list for April 13. We will be hosting one more Art Smash on May 3, 6PM, during First Friday if you can join us then. Click HERE to register for that event.
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Join us in the Main Gallery on Saturday, April 13, for a Kids Art Smash!
One of the current exhibition’s paintings is secretly a sleeper artwork filled with candy inside! Gallery staff will invite kids to smash open the artwork – in the tradition of piñata, pignata, and general artwork iconoclasm – turning our traditional notion of art appreciation on its head. This activity will occur promptly at 11AM (so please plan to arrive a few minutes early!)
Outside of the smash activity, we will have Charlottesville-based artist Roberto Kamide on-site as part of Family Studio Day. Using the beautiful shade of blue inspired by the art on view in the gallery, Roberto will help us create expressive line drawing that leads into block color and pattern-making to make your very own fantastic art!
You'll also find representatives from the Community Attention Foster Families (CAFF) ready to share valuable information on-site! Learn about the rewarding journey of becoming a foster parent straight from the experts. The CAFF representatives will shed light on various local opportunities for fostering and assisting fostering families, thus helping you to understand how you can make a significant difference in a child's life right in your community.
Please note that attendance to Family Studio Day does not guarantee the ability to participate in this activity; pre-registration to “smash” the artwork is required with a limited capacity. This activity is only open to children ages 2 - 8. Register HERE!
This activity is held in conjunction with Jac Lahav’s exhibition, FOSTER PAINTINGS, on view in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery April 5 - May 24, 2024.
Family Studio Day: April
Join Second Street Gallery when our free Family Studio Day resumes on April 13 from 10AM - 2PM! Charlottesville-based artist Roberto Kamide will be present to help us create unique visual story-line designs. Guests will have fun exploring expressive line drawing that leads into block color and pattern-making to make your very own fantastic art. We will use various shades of blue inspired by the art of Jac Lahav on view in the gallery.
Family Studio Day invites families with kids of all ages to spend time creating art together in the gallery. We take inspiration from the current exhibitions on view and propose a range of kid-friendly activities, offering access to free art materials, prompts, and coloring pages. These activities get families engaged in not only the act of creation, but also in having thoughtful conversations about the artworks in the exhibition.
Space is limited and will be first-come, first-serve. If there is no space when you come by, please check back in within 15-30 minutes as families regularly come and go! All children must be accompanied by a guardian.
NOTE: Photographs and video footage may be taken throughout Family Studio Day. These will be used by Second Street Gallery for marketing and publicity, on our website and in social media or gallery email campaigns.
Kids Art Smash with Jac Lahav
This event is now SOLD OUT. Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org if you’d like to be added to the wait list for this date. We will be hosting another Art Smash on April 13, 11AM, if you can join us then. Click HERE to register for that event.
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Join us in the Main Gallery on Saturday, April 6, for a Kids Art Smash led by exhibiting artist Jac Lahav!
One of the paintings in Jac’s exhibition is secretly a sleeper artwork filled with candy inside! Jac will ask kids to smash open the artwork – in the tradition of piñata, pignata, and general artwork iconoclasm – turning our traditional notion of art appreciation on its head. This activity will occur promptly at 11AM, so don’t be late!
Beginning at 10:30AM we’ll have some fun hands-on art activities for kids and parents: guests can complete original coloring pages designed by Jac, or they can choose from our craft supplies to custom-create decorative and wearable vines similar to the ones featured in the exhibition.
You'll also find representatives from the Community Attention Foster Families (CAFF) ready to share valuable information on-site! Learn about the rewarding journey of becoming a foster parent straight from the experts. The CAFF representatives will shed light on various local opportunities for fostering and assisting fostering families, thus helping you to understand how you can make a significant difference in a child's life right in your community.
Pre-registration to “smash” the artwork is required with a limited capacity. This activity is only open to children ages 2 - 8. Register HERE!
This event is held in connection with the exhibition, FOSTER PAINTINGS, on view in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery April 5 - May 24, 2024.
First Friday: Jac Lahav + Lou Haney
Join us for First Friday on April 5, 5:30-7:30PM, as Second Street Gallery celebrates the opening of two new exhibitions! Both shows will be on view April 5 - May 24, 2024.
Second Street Gallery is pleased to present Foster Paintings, a solo exhibition of works by artist Jac Lahav, to be held in the Main Gallery. Foster Paintings showcases an installation of immersive vining sculptures and abstract painting that intertwine the themes of fostering children and the nurturing power of plants. Each work references a phone call Lahav’s family received for a foster placement, whether they could help or not. The paintings represent points of contact and beautiful moments in time during periods of trauma.
Foster Paintings is generously sponsored by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Leisure Suit, a solo exhibition of works by Charlottesville-based artist Lou Haney, will occupy the Dové Gallery. Haney creates paintings of domestic spaces that employ nostalgia as a means of temporary escape from the corrupt and chaotic realities of present day life. Using oil, acrylic, fiber art, and mixed media, she explores themes of memory, yearning, and femininity to evoke tension between fantasy and reality. Inspired by the Pattern & Decoration Movement of the mid-1970s to early 1980s, Haney’s work incorporates floral imagery, pattern, and decoration, dismantling the hierarchy of fine art over craft and blurring the line between art and design.
Leisure Suit is generously sponsored by The Galdencio-Pontillo Family, Pond Life, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Australian Wine Tasting with Sommelier Erin Scala of Market Street Wine
This event is now SOLD OUT.
Join us on Wednesday, March 20 from 6:00 - 7:30PM in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery for a unique and exclusive Australian wine tasting event. Delight your senses and unveil the unexplored depths of Australian wines with our special guest, Erin Scala, a world-class sommelier and owner of Market Street Wine in Charlottesville. Erin Scala is renowned for her extensive knowledge and deep passion for fine wines. She brings her incredible understanding of wine history and geography to the event, ensuring an enriching and educational experience for both wine novices and connoisseurs alike.
This tasting event will be nestled among Second Street Gallery’s current First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala exhibition, providing an immersive cultural ambiance.
Taste a carefully curated selection of Australian wines.
Learn about the history, terroir, and unique characteristics of each wine from Erin herself.
Experience the rich culture and art of the First Nation Australia exhibition.
Network with other wine and art enthusiasts.
This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to taste, learn, and experience the magic of Australian wines and art together in one evening. We can't wait to share this extraordinary pairing with you. See you there!
The tasting is available at $15 for SSG members/$20 for non-members.
Space is limited and RSVP is required. Sign up to secure your spot HERE!
Painting with Earth Pigments with Laura Josephine Snyder
This workshop is now SOLD OUT. Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org if you wish to be added to the wait list.
Join us at Second Street Gallery on Thursday, March 14, 5:30-7:00PM, as exhibiting artist Laura Josephine Snyder introduces us to the growing practice of painting with earth pigments.
In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to make their own watercolor, oil and egg tempera paints from scratch. Participants will have access to earth pigments collected by the artist, mixing tools, mediums, watercolor paper and brushes; everyone is encouraged to experiment! Each participant will also create a set of watercolor paints to take home.
Space is limited and RSVP is required. Click HERE to reserve your spot!
Gallery Talk with Henry Skerritt
Join Second Street Gallery and special guest Henry Skerritt on Saturday, March 9 at 10:30AM for a free talk about the current exhibition, First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala, on view in the Main Gallery. Skerritt will discuss the exhibition and answer visitor questions about the artists and the work in the show. Don't miss this unique opportunity to delve deeper into the rich artistic heritage of First Nation Australia. The talk will start precisely at 10:30AM, but visitors are welcome to arrive when the gallery opens at 10AM to view the exhibition before the talk.
Henry Skerritt is Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Curator of Indigenous Arts of Australia at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia. His research centers on the engagement of Indigenous peoples with the institutions of art, with a particular methodological focus on the role of Indigenous communities in curating their own art histories. Skerritt has worked on over twenty exhibitions in the United States and Australia, including Madayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala, currently on view at The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia.
First Nation Australia features the work of 12 artists from the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre: Gunybi Ganambarr, Yinimala Gumana, Dr. Djambawa Marawili AM, Dhuwarrwarr Marika, Galuma Maymuru (dec), Barayuwa Munuŋgurr, Yimula Munuŋgurr, Garawan Waṉambi, Binygurr Wirrpanda, Ḻiyawaḏay Wirrpanda, Djirrirra Wunuŋmurra, and Moyurrurra Wunuŋmurra. The exhibition includes a selection of contemporary Aboriginal bark paintings, works on metal, and ḻarrakitj (memorial poles).
First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala is organized by Second Street Gallery in partnership with the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala and Agency Projects. The exhibition is generously sponsored by Pamela Friedman & Ronald Bailey, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
No fee to attend, but RSVP is required. Please register in advance and secure your spot HERE!
Artists in Conversation: Laura Josephine Snyder + Kristen Finn
Pre-Registration is now FULL; walk-ins welcome, space permitting.
Join us at Second Street Gallery on Thursday, February 29, 5:30-7:00PM, for the next installment in our Artists in Conversation series. Laura Josephine Snyder will be speaking with photographer and collaborator Kristen Finn about Tending, Snyder’s exhibition on view in the Dové Gallery, February 2-March 22, 2024. The focus will be especially directed towards unraveling the creative process behind Tending, a notable piece from 2018, after which the exhibition gets its name The pair will discuss Snyder’s meticulous and thoughtful process of assembling 42 separate watercolor paintings into the singular large-scale work on view in the gallery. Finn partnered with Snyder to document this project via photographs and video, the latter of which accompanies the exhibition.
The event is free to attend, but space is limited and RSVP is required. Please register in advance. Click HERE to save your spot!
The talk will also be streamed live on Instagram (no reservation needed for IG).
Tending is a Season 50 Call for Submissions pick and is generously sponsored by Camille Gerrick, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Family Studio Day: Indigenous Art Takeover
UPDATE: EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
February’s Family Studio Day is a special occasion! Come participate in the Indigenous Art Takeover studio day, a program coordinated in partnership with the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia.
Join Second Street Gallery and the Kluge-Ruhe on February 10 from 10AM - 12PM to learn about the artwork in our current First Nation Australia exhibition. We will discuss the sources and meaning of earth-based pigments and natural papers used in Aboriginal art, like ochre and iron minerals. Knowing the cultural meaning behind materials and mark-making, your family will create your own art using similar techniques inspired by the beautiful art in the gallery.
*This 2-hour family day will follow a different format than usual. Due to the fragile nature of the artwork in the exhibition, we are requiring pre-registration for this event. Space is limited.
RSVP is required; register HERE.
SSG members: $10/group (up to 4 people); non-members: $15/group (up to 4 people)
Traditional Brush Making and Ochre Workshop with the Artists
This workshop is now SOLD OUT. Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org to be added to the waitlist.
Join us at Second Street Gallery on Saturday, February 3, from 10 to 11:30AM for a hands-on workshop and artist demonstration that explores the materiality of bark painting from Yirrkala. Drawn from techniques used for thousands of years and materials sustainably harvested from the string bark forests of north east Arnhem Land in Australia, this workshop will allow attendees an opportunity to delve into the process of ochre painting on eucalyptus bark.
Visiting Yolngu artists will demonstrate how they make natural brushes of human hair and grind ochres to create natural pigments. Participants will gain perspective on this unique approach to painting that’s been passed on through generations of leading artists. We will also learn about the importance of these contemporary artists becoming custodians of the patterns and designs displayed in works on view in both the exhibition at Second Street Gallery and Maḏayin, currently on view at the The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia.
RSVP required for this rare opportunity; availablity is limited. Secure your spot HERE!
First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala is organized by Second Street Gallery in partnership with the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala and Agency Projects. The exhibition is generously sponsored by Pamela Friedman & Ronald Bailey, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
First Friday: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala + Laura Josephine Snyder
Join us for First Friday on February 2, 5:30-7:30PM, as Second Street Gallery celebrates the opening of two new exhibitions! Both shows will be on view February 2 - March 22, 2024.
Second Street Gallery is pleased and honored to present First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala, to be held in the Main Gallery. The exhibition will feature the work of 12 artists from the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre : Gunybi Ganambarr, Yinimala Gumana, Djambawa Marawili AM, Dhuwarrwarr Marika, Galuma Maymuru (dec), Barayuwa Munuŋgurr, Yimula Munuŋgurr, Garawan Waṉambi, Binygurr Wirrpanda, Ḻiyawaḏay Wirrpanda, Djirrirra Wunuŋmurra, and Moyurrurra Wunuŋmurra. Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre is the Indigenous community controlled art centre of Northeast Arnhem Land. Exhibiting artists from the Yolŋu (Aboriginal) delegation will be present at the First Friday opening.
Objects on view will include contemporary Aboriginal bark paintings, works on metal, and ḻarrakitj (memorial poles). Part of the Charlottesville-wide Indigenous Art Takeover, First Nation Australia at Second Street Gallery will coincide with the major touring exhibition organized by Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection that will take place concurrently at the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia.
First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala is organized by Second Street Gallery in partnership with the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala and Agency Projects. The exhibition is generously sponsored by Pamela Friedman & Ronald Bailey, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tending, a solo exhibition of works by Charlottesville-based artist Laura Josephine Snyder, will occupy the Dové Gallery. The exhibition will feature personal drawings in conjunction with a film created in collaboration with photographer Kristen Finn.
Snyder explores memory, emotion, and relationship through visual abstraction. Her work references cartography and inquires into the ways in which the signs and symbols found in our physical environment influence the movements of our minds and bodies. You will encounter elements of humor, disruption, and play via visual repetition of line, shape, pattern, and symmetry or lack thereof. Snyder is currently engaged in a study of natural pigments, their historical significance and their intrinsic reference to place. The artist will be available at the First Friday opening to chat with visitors.
Tending is a Season 50 Call for Submissions pick and is generously sponsored by Camille Gerrick, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Breakfast and Conversation with the Artists
Get an exclusive first-look and engage in enriching discussions at our special exhibition preview featuring visiting artists from the distinguished Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre. Delve into a fascinating exploration behind their art before the exhibition opens to the public. This special event promises guests an intimate exchange with the artists that is not to be missed.
Join us at Second Street Gallery on Friday, February 2, from 10 to 11:30AM for this artist talk moderated by Kade McDonald of Agency Projects, Melbourne. Coffee and light breakfast will be served. RSVP is required; register HERE.
First Nation Australia: Contemporary Artists from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala is organized by Second Street Gallery in partnership with the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala and Agency Projects. The exhibition is generously sponsored by Pamela Friedman & Ronald Bailey, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Family Studio Day: January
Come celebrate the start of a new year at our next Family Studio Day on Saturday, January 13, from 10AM - 2PM. Using exhibiting artist Akemi Ohira’s exhibition as a springboard, we’ll create portraits from unexpected yet common objects of daily life, such as fruits, vegetables and flowers. Artist Michelle Gagliano will be present to help guests tap into this unique approach made famous by 16th century Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
This FREE event invites families with kids of all ages to spend time creating art together in the gallery. Each Family Studio Day, we take inspiration from the current exhibitions on view to create a range of kid-friendly activities and projects. All visitors will have access to free art materials, prompts, and coloring pages to play with during their time in the space. Drop by anytime during the open studio day and stay as long as you like - no appointment necessary.
January’s Family Studio Day is generously sponsored by Harrison and Benjamin.
Space is limited and will be first-come, first-serve. If there is no space when you come by, please check back in within 15-30 minutes as families regularly come and go! All children must be accompanied by a guardian.
Artists in Conversation: Akemi Ohira + Megan Marlatt
Join us for a free, in-person artist talk between exhibiting artist Akemi Ohira and fellow artist and UVa colleague Megan Marlatt on Thursday, January 11 at 5:30PM. The pair will discuss Ohira’s solo exhibition, Under The Skin, on view in the Dové Gallery December 1, 2023 - January 19, 2024. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the event.
Space is limited, CLICK HERE to reserve your place at the event!
The event will also be streamed live on Instagram (no reservation required for IG).
Lost in the Woods with Clay Witt
UPDATE: THE WORKSHOP HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 20, 11AM-2PM. Contact the gallery at info@secondstreetgallery.org with any questions.
PLEASE NOTE: THE WORKSHOP IS NOW SOLD OUT.
Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org if you would like to be placed on a waitlist.
Second Street Gallery invites you to get Lost in the Woods with Clay Witt on Saturday, January 6, 11AM - 2PM, by creating your own forest of light and shadow. The Charlottesville artist will share how he effectively builds drama in his work by adding and removing multiple layers of pre-cut paper, paint and varnish. With a focus on contrast in light and form, participants will learn to incorporate this layering/deconstruction process into their own practice. Ultimately, they will uncover means to evoke curiosity and intrigue in completed works of art.
The workshop is available at $15 SSG members / $20 non-members. This fee covers workshop instruction and access to all workshop materials for the activity.
The workshop is limited to 20 attendees and will take place in person at Second Street Gallery.
Email us at info@secondstreetgallery.org if you would like to be placed on a waitlist.
Artists in Conversation: Clay Witt + Kristen Chiacchia
Join us for a free, in-person artist talk between exhibiting artist Clay Witt and Second Street Gallery’s Executive Director & Chief Curator, Kristen Chiacchia, on Saturday, December 16 at 11AM. The pair will discuss Witt’s solo exhibition, THE LABYRINTH, on view in the Main Gallery December 1, 2023 - January 19, 2024. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the event.
Space is limited, CLICK HERE to reserve your place at the event!
The event will also be streamed live on Instagram (no reservation required for IG).
Handmade Book and Card Making with Akemi Ohira
Join us on Thursday, December 14, 5:30-7:00PM, for a paper-based workshop with exhibiting artist Akemi Ohira! Make your own custom blank book or creative card using age-old techniques, like the Turkish map fold and buttonhole binding. Akemi has taught creative papermaking and bookbinding to countless students through UVa, in Charlottesville and beyond. Here she will guide us through a fun and unique process in which you will walk away with a wonderful gift or personal art object to fill with your creativity!
* You’re welcome to bring any photo, writing, or other personal memento you might wish to include inside your book or card.
The workshop is available at $10 SSG members / $15 non-members. This fee covers workshop instruction and access to all workshop materials for the activity.
The workshop is limited to 25 attendees and will take place in person at Second Street Gallery.
Click HERE to reserve your spot!
Family Studio Day: December
Come join us for Second Street Gallery’s next Family Studio Day on Saturday, December 9, 10AM - 2PM! This recurring event invites families with kids of all ages to spend time creating art together in the gallery. This month, we’ll be joined by artist and educator Andrew Sherogan as we explore the versatility of stamps and mixed media to decorate cards, personalize gift tags, and design custom wrapping paper. ‘Tis the season to be creative!
The event is held in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery, and it’s always FREE and open to all! Visitors will have access to a range of art materials, prompts, and coloring pages to play with during their time in the space. Drop by anytime during the open studio day and stay as long as you like - no appointment necessary.
December’s Family Studio Day is generously sponsored by Daniel and Rosemary Chiacchia.
Space is limited and will be first-come, first-serve. If attendance is at capacity when you come by, please check back in within 15-30 minutes as families regularly come and go! All children must be accompanied by a guardian.
Akemi Ohira Artwork Raffle
Purchase tickets for the chance to win a lithograph by Charlottesville-based artist and UVA professor Akemi Ohira! Ohira is an artist who specializes in intaglio, lithography, and relief printmaking processes, as well as egg tempera, acrylic and oil paintings.
In conjunction with Ohira’s solo exhibition, Under the Skin, we are offering the opportunity to add Affection to your private collection. Individual raffle tickets are $10. The raffle drawing will take place in the gallery at 7PM during the First Friday exhibition opening on December 1. Valued at $400, this framed print will be available to take home that evening! Buy your tickets HERE.
Want to increase your odds? Purchase a $25 membership between now and December 1 and receive 3 raffle entries as a thank you for your support. Click HERE to sign up or renew your membership.
All proceeds benefit Second Street Gallery, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
First Friday: Clay Witt + Akemi Ohira
Join us for the First Friday opening reception on December 1, 5:30-7:30PM, as Second Street Gallery celebrates two new exhibitions! Both shows will be on view December 1, 2023, to January 19, 2024.
THE LABYRINTH, a solo exhibition of new works by Charlottesville-based artist Clay Witt, will be held in the Main Gallery. Immersed in the rich symbology of early American mourning art, Witt’s work reiterates the simple but enduring lessons of memento mori — reminders of the inescapable nature of death. His process is meticulous: his work consists of many-layered constructions of mineral-pigmented glazes that have been heavily abraded and destroyed, contrasted with the graphic edges of painstakingly cut Japanese washi paper. This deliberate, practiced decay grants his work a naturalistic feel, emulating the cycles of deterioration and regeneration in nature itself. This technique demonstrates both strong contrast and harmony within his work, juxtaposing the frailty and resilience of life.
The Dové Gallery will feature Under the Skin, a selection of paintings and works on paper by artist and UVA professor Akemi Ohira. Challenging the standardized perception of art, Ohira’s portraiture illuminates and teases stereotypes, first impressions, preconceived notions, and the daily anomalies that momentarily make us pause. Ohira draws the viewer’s direct engagement through the shattering and reassembly of forms in her portraiture, encouraging potential to alter the viewer’s perspective of their world. Through her work, she invites the viewer to dive beyond the obvious and immerse themselves attentively in their visual and emotional experiences.
Learn more HERE about the exciting chance to win one of the artist’s intriguing works during First Friday.
THE LABYRINTH is generously sponsored by The FUNd at the CACF, Charlotte and Ralph Dammann, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Under the Skin is generously sponsored by Brian Fox, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Clay Witt VIP Reception and Exhibition Preview
Come join Second Street Gallery on Thursday, November 30, at 6:00PM for a special VIP Reception and Preview in honor of Clay Witt’s highly anticipated exhibition of new work, THE LABYRINTH. The Charlottesville-based artist will be in attendance to speak with guests. Be one of the first to learn about this latest body of work, and celebrate this exceptional, local talent before the exhibition opens to the public on Friday, December 1.
Event tickets are $35/$25 for gallery members. Everyone who purchases a ticket to the event will be automatically entered into a raffle to win an artwork by Clay Witt. Individual raffle tickets (for artwork only) are $20 and also available for purchase.
Click HERE for tickets!
THE LABYRINTH will be on view in the Main Gallery December 1, 2023 - January 19, 2024.
Special thanks to our VIP reception and exhibition preview sponsors: Market Street Wine and Cake Bloom.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by The FUNd at the CACF, Charlotte and Ralph Dammann, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Family Studio Day: November
Come join us for Second Street Gallery’s next Family Studio Day on Saturday, November 11, 10AM - 2PM! This monthly event invites families with kids of all ages to spend time creating art together in the gallery. All visitors have access to free art materials, prompts, and coloring pages to play with during their time in the space.
Each Family Studio Day, we take inspiration from the current exhibitions on view to create a range of kid-friendly activities. This month, we’ll be taking cues from exhibiting artist Mike Egan's use of vibrant colors and bold outlines to assemble colorful "windows" reminiscent of stained glass using a rainbow of tissue paper and tape. Richmond-based artist Ginny Krueger will be present to lead and support visitors as they create these visual delights.
The event is held in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery from 10AM-2PM, and it’s always FREE and open to all! Drop by anytime during the open studio day and stay as long as you like - no appointment necessary.
November’s Family Studio Day is generously sponsored by Martin Horn, Inc.
Space is limited and will be first-come, first-serve. If there is no space when you come by, please check back in within 15-30 minutes as families regularly come and go! All children must be accompanied by a guardian.
Needle Felting Skulls with Tobiah Mundt
Join Charlottesville-based fiber artist Tobiah Mundt at Second Street Gallery on Wednesday, October 25, 6 - 7:30PM to make your very own needle felted skull. Learn the ins and outs of needle felting on paper while creating a fiber skull in the tradition of Memento Mori - a reminder of the shortness of our human experience. All felting materials and instruction will be provided, and participants will walk way with a complete project as well as new friends and a greater appreciation for life.
The workshop is available at $15 SSG members / $20 non-members. This fee covers workshop instruction and access to all workshop materials for the activity.
The workshop is limited to 25 attendees and will take place in person at Second Street Gallery.
Click HERE to reserve your spot!
Family Studio Day: October
Come join us and artist Heather Owens for our next Family Studio Day event on Saturday, October 14 from 10AM-2PM! Heather will be helping guests decorate pre-formed masks using fiber elements and a host of other embellishments. Just in time for costume season!
Second Street Gallery’s monthly Family Studio Day is a free studio day which invites families with kids of all ages to spend time creating art together in the gallery. All visitors have access to free art materials, prompts, and coloring pages to play with during their time in the space.
Each Family Studio Day, we take inspiration from the current exhibitions on view to create a range of kid-friendly activities and prompts. Drop by anytime during the open studio day and stay as long as you like - no appointment necessary.
The event is held in the Main Gallery at Second Street Gallery from 10AM-2PM, and it’s always FREE and open to all!
October’s Family Studio Day is generously sponsored by Charlottesville Skin and Laser Center.
Space is limited and will be first-come, first-serve. If there is no space when you come by, please check back in within 15-30 minutes as families regularly come and go! All children must be accompanied by a guardian.
2024
May 3, 2024
May 3, 2024
April 27, 2024
Artists in Conversation: Lou Haney + Kristen Chiacchia
April 18, 2024
April 13, 2024
Kids Art Smash at Family Studio Day
April 13, 2024
April 6, 2024
First Friday: Jac Lahav + Lou Haney
April 5, 2024
Australian Wine Tasting with Erin Scala
March 20, 2024
Gallery Talk with Henry Skerritt
March 9, 2024
Artists in Conversation: Laura Josephine Snyder + Kristen Finn
February 29, 2024
Family Studio Day: Indigenous Art Takeover
February 10, 2024
Traditional Brush Making & Ochre Workshop
February 3, 2024
First Friday: First Nation + Laura Josephine Snyder
February 2, 2024
Breakfast and Conversation with the Artists
February 2, 2024
January 13, 2024
Artists in Conversation: Akemi Ohira + Megan Marlatt
January 11, 2024
2023
Artists in Conversation: Clay Witt + Kristen Chiacchia
December 16, 2023
Handmade Book and Card Making Workshop with Akemi Ohira
December 14, 2023
December 9, 2023
December 1, 2023
First Friday: Clay Witt + Akemi Ohira
December 1, 2023
VIP Reception and Exhibition Preview
November 30, 2023
November 11, 2023
Needle Felting Skulls with Tobiah Mundt
October 25, 2023
October 14, 2023
The Changeling: A Shadow Puppetry Performance (First Friday)
October 6, 2023
First Friday: Mike Egan + Tania Yager
October 6, 2023
The Changeling: A Shadow Puppetry Performance (VIP Event)
October 5, 2023
September 27, 2023
Responding to Nature: Mixed Media Floral Workshop with Laura Wooten
September 23, 2023
A Teeny Tiny Mixed Media Workshop with Karen Eide
September 16, 2023
September 9, 2023
Creative Self-Portrait Workshop with Lev Keatts
September 6, 2023
First Friday: Teeny Tiny Trifecta 6 + Lev Keatts
September 1, 2023
TTT6 VIP Presale Party & Season 50 Launch
August 31, 2023
June 17, 2023
May 13, 2023
Gallery Rally 2023
April 15, 2023
Visual Letter Poems with Valencia Robin
March 18, 2023
Call for Writing Submissions: Valencia Robin
February 1 - March 10, 2023
March 4, 2023
February 11, 2023
First Friday: Valencia Robin + James Everett Stanley
February 3, 2023
Volunteer Info Session + Mixer
February 22, 2023
Pocket Shrine Workshop with Ramona Martinez
January 14, 2023
Artists talk and Guided Meditation with Mariana Parisca
January 19, 2023
January 21, 2023
2022
Artists in Conversation: Ramona Martinez + Sri Kodakalla
December 10, 2022
November 12, 2022
December 17, 2022
Artists in Conversation: Megan Marlatt + Akemi Ohira
November 5, 2022
October 22, 2022
Big Head Brigade Parade w/ Megan Marlatt
October 7, 2022
Extended Hours with Somé Louis
September 29, 2022
Wiggle Painting with Sophie Gibson
September 28, 2022
Mixed Media Play with Alexa Luna
September 22, 2022
Family Studio Day with Draw Cville
September 17, 2022
TTT5 VIP Party & Early Access Presale
September 1, 2022
2021
2020
Live Embroidered Portraits with Michael-Birch Pierce
December 13, 2020
Create & Critique: Anuja Jaitly
November 11 & 18, 2020
October 20, 2020
Create & Critique: Sharon Shapiro
October 7 & 14, 2020
Create & Critique: Needle Felting 101 with Tobiah Mundt
September 23 & 30, 2020
Curator & Artist Talk: Teeny Tiny Trifecta 3
September 16, 2020
Create & Critique: Sri Kodakalla
September 2 & 9, 2020
August 5 & 12, 2020
July 15 & 22, 2020
This Familiar Space Artist Talk
June 25, 2020
Create & Critique: Sarah Boyts Yoder
June 17 & 24, 2020
This (un)Familiar Space Virtual Workshop
May 13, 20, & 27, 2020
Lunch and Gallery Talk with Henry Skerritt
February 28, 2020
Evening Salon with Beatrix Ost
January 9, 2020
2019
December 16, 2019
Glassblowing Ornament Workshop with Chip Hall
November 22-24, 2019
November 16, 2019
Making 3D Bugs and Butterflies with Doug Young
November 2, 2019
Lunch with the Artists of “She’s in Monochrome”
October 25, 2019
October 15, 2019
VIP Reception for Teeny Tiny Trifecta 2
September 5, 2019
June 6, 2019
Sponsor Preview Party for Lady Painters
May 30, 2019
Figure Drawing Open Session with Megan Read
April 18, 2019
Visual Narrations with Michelle Gagliano
April 13, 2019
Open Studio with Sharon Shapiro
March 16, 2019
March 2, 2019
Studio Visit & Artist Talk with Stacey Evans & Guillermo X Ubilla
February 28, 2019
Studio Visit and Lunch with Russ Warren and Bill Moretz
February 27, 2019
Creating Tiny Worlds with Jessica Burnam
February 23, 2019
Artist Talk and Reception with John Grant
January 11, 2019