Wednesday 7/2 – Sunday 8/17
McGuffey Art Center presents a collection of summer shows covering lepidoptera, nostalgia, and the human form. In the Sarah B. Smith Gallery, Deborah Davis’ “Drawn to Light” offers a collection of moth portraits in acrylic on canvas, capturing subjects observed at the artist’s home in southern Albemarle County. In the First Floor Galleries, Somé Louis and Hanna Taubenberger explore concepts of memory, childhood practices, cherished relationships, and time in “Soft Remembering,” an interdisciplinary, collaborative exhibition featuring textiles, video, bronze sculpture, and more. In the Second Floor North Gallery, the group exhibition “Drawn Together: The Living Figure” showcases a year of work created in a community setting, celebrating the enduring tradition of drawing from life, a practice that predates the Renaissance and remains a cornerstone of artistic training and expression. An opening reception celebrating the shows takes place on July 11 from 5:30–7:30pm. McGuffey Art Center, 201 Second St. NW. mcguffeyartcenter.com
Featured Image: Deborah Davis, Honey Locust Moth (Syssphinx bicolor), 2023, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches.
Crozet Artisan Depot 5791 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. “Balancing of the Unlikely,” boldly colored, patterned, and textured pieces of wearable art in the form of jewelry and handbags, by Teresa and Joel Howard. “Nature’s Palette,” paintings in watercolor, pastel, and acrylic that blend the figurative and abstract, by Christine Rich. Both shows run through July 31. Meet the artists event July 12, 11am–1pm.
C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery 118 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. “Artistic Musings on Nature,” an interdisciplinary collection of works inspired by the profound beauty, serenity, and power of the natural world, including painting, sculpture, and photography by more than 50 local and regional artists. July 4–31.
The Doyle Hotel 499 W. Main St. In the café, “Traveling Light,” photographs from travels on foot through parts of Spain and the Americas over the past decade, by Sophia Zeteo. Through July 31.
The Fralin Museum of Art at UVA 155 Rugby Rd. “Structures,” a selection of 20th- and 21st-century works exploring the ways that art can speak to or question the formal, physical, environmental, social, and institutional structures of our world. “Celebration,” features works by five African American artists highlighting the ways these artists honor history, culture, and heritage through various media. “Joan Mitchell: Uncovering 100 Years,” Abstract Expressionist paintings. “Between Hand and Scroll: Torah Pointers from the Barr Collection,” a selection of more than 80 Torah pointers (yads) made of gold, silver, pearls, jewels and additional materials. “Belonging(s),” drawing together artworks and objects from various cultures, geographies, and histories to explore different meanings and experiences of belonging, relating to all aspects of life—from childhood memories and everyday life, to death, burial, and the afterlife. All shows run through July 20. Museum closed for exhibition changeover, July 21–August 29.
The Gallery at Studio IX 969 Second St. SE. “TRAD: A Celebration of Irish Musicians,” featuring studio portraits of traditional Celtic folk musicians by photographer Christopher Bickford. July 4–August 31. Opening reception August 1, 5–7pm. Artist talk August 28, 5–6pm.
IX Art Park 522 Second St. SE. “The Looking Glass,” an immersive art space featuring a whimsical enchanted forest and kaleidoscopic cave. Ongoing.
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA 400 Worrell Dr. “In the Beginning: Paintings by Senior Artists of the Spinifex Arts Project,” presents the bold, dynamic work of internationally renowned artists from the Spinifex Arts Project. Through March 8, 2026. “Tjukurpa | Handle It,” sculpture and mixed media works by Robert Fielding. Through January 11, 2026.
Jefferson School African American Heritage Center 233 Fourth St. NW. “A Constellation of BLACKTIVISTS,” an exhibition exploring themes of gender and global racial histories by Veronica Jackson. Through August 9. Permanent exhibition, “Pride Overcomes Prejudice,” exploring the history of peoples of African descent in Charlottesville. Ongoing.
Les Yeux du Monde 841 Wolf Trap Rd. “Color in Conversation,” an exhibition of works exploring chromatic expressions in multiple media, by Jessie Coles and Jackie Watson. July 11–August 24. Opening reception July 11, 5–7pm. Luncheon and artist talks August 10, 12:30pm.
New City Arts 114 Third St. NE. In the Welcome Gallery, “Birds on the Block,” an installation by Spring 2025 artist-in-residence Lauro López, featuring a zine and prints that engage with the everyday birds of downtown Charlottesville. July 10–26. Opening reception July 11, 5–7:30pm.
The PVCC Gallery V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. The 2025 Student Art Exhibition, featuring ceramics, photography, printmaking, drawing, graphics, and more from a diverse range of PVCC classes in art and design. Through September 6.
Second Street Gallery 115 Second St. SE. In the Main Gallery, “Pattern Gardens,” mixed media works exploring the aesthetics of botanical life by Nikki Painter. In the Dové Gallery, “Beach People,” expansive photographs of beaches throughout the world and the figures that occupy them by Ézé Amos. Both shows run through July 18. Artists in Conversation gallery talk with Nikki Painter and Lauren Rice, July 10, 5:30–6:30pm.
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital 500 Martha Jefferson Dr. “Virginia Landscapes,” oil, acrylic, and watermedia paintings by Terry M. Coffey, Christine Rich, and Kate Wittig. Through August 4.
Visible Records 1740 Broadway St. “Return of the Triumphal Mother,” featuring video installation, photography, and drawings by Dani and Sheilah ReStack. Through August 23.
Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge 250 Pantops Mountain Rd. “Reflections,” Bozart fine art collective members Judith Ely, Julia Kindred, Andy Stafford, Cindy Stegmeier, Juliette Swenson, and Carol Williams explore the theme of reflections in various media. Through July 31.
Images courtesy of the galleries and/or artists.
