artists’ cooperative - C'ville Arts, a Gallery for Crafts & Art on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall

The Art of Spring Cleaning – New from Herbalist Brigitte Rau, thru March 2015

Brigitte Rau, our herbalist and alchemist will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of March. She will be at the gallery on Friday, March 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. demonstrating natural remedies for Spring Cleaning, during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

After learning that a large number of her super-sensitive customers can only use her “Harry” body soap for all their personal and home cleaning needs, Brigitte took it as a challenge to treat home care in just as sensitive a way as her hypoallergenic body care.

Food-grade ingredients, time-tested formulas, simple ‘kitchen chemistry’ and eco-friendly ethics – that is what our herbalist Brigitte Rau has been practicing since 2001, when she started her organic skin care line ‘Brigit True Organics’. Her gentle products have a true following nationwide, especially her hypoallergenic, unscented body care for sensitive skin.

Join us for the premier of Brigit True Organics’ new line ‘Casa Mia’ – easy, economical and food-grade home cleaning. See and try the new eco-friendly, bio-degradable home care. New from herbalist Brigitte Rau.

Find her on Facebook at Brigit True or on her website www.BrigitTrueOrganics.com

“Wonderful World of Wool” – Work by Janet Stegall-Seibert, September 2014

C'ville Arts Gallery, downtown Charlottesville, VA

Janice Stegall-Seibert, our fabulous felt-maker will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of September. She will be at the gallery on Friday, September 5th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. demonstrating a variety of felted crafts, during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

Janice uses wool fibers to fashion wonderful, whimsical felted creations. Her works range from fantasy folk figures, fairies, gnomes, and Santa’s to functional warm woolen hats, colorful tea cozies and felt soaps. Janice also creates lovely floral felted pins, little wise ole’ owls, fanciful frogs, and acorns in an array of colors.

Her business, Felt Song Fiber, grew out of her love for creating handmade gifts to give to family and friends. Janice especially enjoys crafting custom orders. Perhaps you’d like a unique fairy in colors of your choosing, or a felt chicken or bunny? Janice would be happy to create one just for you! She also delights in teaching felting classes and sharing what she loves to do with this ancient craft.

Janice welcomes you to her wonderful world of wool!

Find her on Facebook at Felt Song Fiber or her website FeltSongFiber.com

Making Time – “Stuff from Stuff” Creator Allan Young featured through April 2014

MAKING TIME – Clocks from Recycled Stuff by Allan Young opens Friday April 4th at C’ville Arts Gallery on the Charlottesville downtown Mall.

Our inventive and clever clock maker Allan Young will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of April. He will be at the gallery on April 4th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

Allan Young has been taking things apart trying to figure out what makes them tick for as long as he can recall. His life changed one day when he created a clock from an old computer hard drive and everyone he knew wanted one too! So he kept tinkering and searching for materials ranging from old hard drives to mother boards and all sorts of odd but interesting parts he thought had good clock potential. He began looking at all things differently and discovered “good clock potential” everywhere from old records to bicycle parts anything he put his hands on would soon be considered for a clock. One thing led to another and his passion came to life.

In 2007, Allan left his ‘real job’ to make clocks full time and has not looked back. “It has been a great adventure!” Young said describing what he does, “I have met some incredible people who eagerly donate materials and nostalgia. What I love most about my work is this; it’s not work! I love what I do! I love that I am being creative and helping the environment by recycling old junk that would likely end up in some land fill. Re-purposing old stuff into cool new stuff is what my craft is all about.”

Each clock is an original, one–of-kind handmade time piece with a history we can only imagine. Every ding and every dent tells a story. Some folks say “time will tell” and it has spoken for Allan Young, who is spending his time, making time that tells a story.

“Dancing in the Sun”, Batik Paintings by Lisa Woods through October 2013

Tempura batik paintings by Lisa Woods, C’ville Arts Gallery downtown

Our local painter and woodcarver, Lisa O. Woods will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of October. She will be at the gallery on Oct. 4^th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

There’s a breath of fresh air in this collection of new work by Lisa O. Woods. She presents a simple focus on one subject: the flower. Lisa’s unusual painting style, known as Tempera Batik, is a technique she learned early in life. It’s characterized by a vivid use of color, and an appealing textural surface that she builds on using water color crayons to highlight the tempera colors used in the first phase of the process.

This show is a bouquet of imaginary blossoms inspired by her surroundings in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Woods intuitively expresses her passion with a freedom that promotes joy and a contagious smile from the natural world. The colors and compositions glow with an organic spirit.

Lisa is fascinated with these beautiful creations, the flowers. “Their color, structure and purpose are so full of life, they are complete.” said Woods, describing her interest. Lisa feels privileged to have the opportunity to reflect on the simple and pure pleasures in life. Her paintings are one way she expresses her joy. To learn more about Lisa’s work visit her web site www.PunksPeak.com

“A Fiber Garden”, work by Carolyn Seaman throughout July 2013

Our extremely talented and popular Quiltmaker, Carolyn Seaman will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of July. She will be at the gallery on July 5th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

“What’s your favorite color?” This is one of the toughest questions for Carolyn Seaman because, she loves them all. From browns and earthy tones to reds and vibrant blues, Carolyn is inspired to create by the colors, patterns, and textures she finds in the garden. Turning raw materials into functional pieces for everyday living is a very rewarding process, and it shows. Her years of dedication are matched with the skills of a master and high quality materials which make Carolyn’s products really stand out.

Foremost a quilt maker, Carolyn follows the ways of traditional techniques and days gone by where nothing goes to waste and items are made to be used and enjoyed every day. The TURTLEWORKS Home & Baby collection now includes pillows, baby bibs, crayon cozies, wall hangings, baskets, sachets, and other beautiful and practical items for yourself and your home.

July’s show is primarily inspired by the garden and all the magic that happens in the natural world. Colors are plentiful, blooms thrive and then fade, and wonderful creatures frolic day and night. Using artist inspired fabrics is particularly appealing for this designer “It’s almost as if every item is a collaborative effort” says Seaman describing her creative process, “I get energized by selecting the patterns and transforming raw materials into functional items with new life to be used and enjoyed!” Go to www.facebook.com/TurtleWorks1 to learn more about Carolyn’s work.

For additional information, contact Amy Melville at 434-972-9500. The gallery’s web site is www.charlottesvillearts.com. The C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery, located on the historic Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, is open Monday-Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m.

Natural Virginia: Panoramic Landscape Photographs by Ben Greenberg, June 2013

BGPGreatBlueHerononaMistyJamesRiver,Richmond,VA — Great Blue Heron on a Misty James River

In this show, Ben Greenberg, a lifelong resident of Virginia, is celebrating the natural beauty of the state and the preservation of that beauty with his panoramic color photographs. These photographs are the subject of his upcoming book, Natural Virginia. His award winning photographs from throughout the state are known for their rich color, dramatic lighting and strong compositions. Ben has a passion for finding panoramic scenes and a talent for interpreting these magic moments with his cameras. Ben’s images are testaments to his commitment to finding special locations in Virginia and capturing those locations as spectacular images. (Ben’s Artist Statement)

With decades of experience as a landscape photographer, Ben utilizes the best of traditional mediums and the newest digital technology to create his dramatic images. He follows through with a devotion to preservation by using the highest quality materials and archival standards so that each print provides a lifetime of enjoyment.

His panoramic landscapes are captured primarily in early morning and late afternoon when the natural light brings out the outstanding scenic beauty of the state. Virginia is full of natural splendor from the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay in the east to the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains in the west. Ben is committed to capturing and preserving the Commonwealth’s great natural diversity through his timeless landscapes. To learn more about Ben’s work visit his web site at www.bengreenberg.com.

Please visit the Gallery throughout the month of June to view these stunning Virginia landscape photographs by Charlottesville artist Ben Greenberg.

“The Moon Sings Tonight”, New Work by Mary Ellen Larkins through May 2013

C’ville Arts Gallery presents our gifted glass master, Mary Ellen Larkins as the featured artist for the merry month of May. Join us in toasting her talents during the historic downtown mall’s First Friday event. The opening festivities will be held on Friday, May 3rd from 6 – 8 pm.

Mary Ellen works in an explosion of colors, weaving themes of both flora and fauna intricately into her works. These dramatic landscapes capture your attention immediately. Then the viewer is drawn to the details revealed by the glowing moon. Her renditions feel three dimensional. Larkins achieves this sculptural appeal by layering the glass using multiple kiln firings. Her painstaking efforts and attention to placement for each composition is easily seen. Mary Ellen loves to create larger free standing work using several creative techniques she has developed over the years. Each individual piece can take up to two weeks to create.

Her latest collection is impressive. These are rich and complex layers of inspiration fired multiple times to create natural scenes with wizened trees silhouetted against silvery full moons.

“I am interested in art as a means of living a life; not as a means of making a living.”

~ Robert Henri ~

It is clear to see Mary Ellen is inspired by the creative process itself and believes in making the process count. To learn more about Mary Ellen, visit her web site at maryellenlarkins.com

Flowers of the Earth, Jewelry by Claire McIlwain through February 2013

C’ville Arts Gallery is delighted to present our talented jeweler and gem artist, Claire McIlvain as the featured member for the month of February. Please join us for the exclusive chance to meet this artist during the historic downtown mall’s First Friday event. The opening reception will be held on Friday, February 1st from 6 – 8 pm.

Claire McIlvain will delight your appetite for the loveliest, sparkling quality that can dance across one’s collar bone or grace one’s ear. Using top quality semi- precious gems combined with a creative spirit and dedication to her trade, Claire can assemble the most dazzling designs. Her devotion to exploit the beauty of natural stones is clear and it shines with excellence. Claire is also a gardener with a keen interest in garden design. Working in nature and being connected to the organic world through gardening is the foundation for her inspiration in the studio. Each design blossoms with new life.

“After spending over ten years designing and producing jewelry, I can always find new ideas in the garden.” Claire explains, as she describes her process. “Nature is an endless resource that I value deeply. Building on the patterns that I see and making each vision become a treasure gives me great satisfaction.”

February is the month we celebrate love all around the world and Claire’s work will inspire the most genuine sentiments expressed without words. Her handmade treasures of gemstones are “Flowers from the Earth” to give on Valentine’s Day. They have a radiant quality that can capture your attention, and charm the warmth in your heart on a cold winter day. Her creations will traverse every season as a prized necklace or glimmering earrings that brighten every room they enter.

Tanya Tyree Creates Sculpture in Raku, New Show Opens December

Our highly popular member Tanya Tyree will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of December. She will be at the gallery on December 7th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

Tanya Tyree creates feminine figurative clay sculptures and her current work is an exploration of happiness, love and wisdom. Her raku fired clay sculptures are hand-built and created primarily from flat slabs of clay with some altered wheel-thrown elements. Focusing on simplified forms with intricate surface development, each sculpture is incised with abstract drawings that build on its mystery.

The pieces are bisque fired and then treated with copper and colored glazes. The glazed pieces are fired in a small gas kiln, removed while red hot, burned, and reduced in combustible materials, and quickly plunged in coldwater. This violent process is called “Raku” and it curiously alters the glazes by flashing unpredictable hues and tones, making each work unique in form, design and surface.

“My goal is to create works that convey a mood, connecting you to its mystery.” Tanya said, as she described the painstaking process of Raku. To learn more about this artist visit her web site www.2artstudios.com

“Seasons of Color”, New Work by Fiber Artist Maryann Lincoln

Our gifted fiber artist, Maryann Lincoln, will be C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery’s featured artist during the month of November. Please come and meet the artist! She will be at the gallery on November 2nd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., during the Historic Downtown Mall’s First Friday event.

For Maryann Lincoln, the creative journey began with a couple of books about fabric landscape design by Valerie Hearder. Since then, her path to inspiration has been stitched with colors and patterns forming wave-like compositions that convey a sense of peace at times, while other works offer a sparkle and flare standing tall on the wall with a shining brightness. Whether it’s a landscape or cityscape, this self-taught artist shows her dedication to an inquisitive nature by selecting fabrics purposefully, creating a dance of patterns that become harmonious so naturally.

“I find a valuable sense of quiet and balance in my life when I am designing. It is equally weighted with passionate self motivation, creativity, and gratitude” said Maryann, as she reflects on her journey. “I believe we are all given a gift or talent we share with each other. Be it a word of kindness, a smile, or a helping hand. My quilted fabric art in “Seasons of Color” is an avenue to share these experiences with others.”

Over the last few years, Lincoln continues to gain motivation and encouragement from visits to Boston’s Fine Art Museum, recent color theory classes, quilting classes and membership in the quilting guild. To learn more about Maryann visit our web site www.charlottesvillearts.com