Arts

All-nighter: UVA’s TechnoSonics festival returns for 16th year

“The connection between music and many people’s sense of their spiritual nature is one of the essential engines driving our mad (yet perfectly reasonable) devotion to music,” says Ted Coffey, associate professor in composition and computer technologies at UVA’s McIntire Department of Music. Each year, CCT faculty members lead the process of selecting a theme […]

Sarah Lawson | October 13, 2015

Arts

Fired up: New studios and upcoming exhibition at City Clay

When City Clay owner and artist Randy Bill started her business in 2011, she knew that her rented space on West Main Street wasn’t long for this world. Though the specter of the new Marriott loomed large, Bill refused to be daunted by it. “I knew it was the best location possible for visibility and […]

Sarah Lawson | October 6, 2015

Arts

On (not over) the hill: The McGuffey Art Center looks back at 40

With its stalwart presence atop the hill at the northwest end of downtown, there’s no doubt that the McGuffey Art Center is a defining part of the local arts community. Its sturdy brick exterior commands respect while its large sash windows hint at the building’s original use as a school. Built in 1916, McGuffey was […]

Sarah Lawson | September 29, 2015

Arts

Out of The County: Lord Nelson spotlights community on debut album

Growing up in Nelson County, Kai and Bram Crowe-Getty picked up instruments at a young age. Since then, they’ve each played on a variety of stages and in a handful of different bands—but they both agree that their current band, Lord Nelson, is different than the rest. And with this week’s release of the band’s […]

Sarah Lawson | September 22, 2015

Arts

Connecting the pieces: Haitian handicrafts meet high fashion at Mi Ossa

“There’s plenty of artisanal food in Charlottesville, so we were just trying to find out what was missing,” jokes Shannon Worrell. Together with Nora Brookfield, Worrell is co-founder of Mi Ossa, a design lab and fashion line that’s located in Charlottesville’s Tenth Street Warehouse. Their business model focuses on fair trade and environmentally friendly ways […]

Sarah Lawson | September 18, 2015

Arts

Space exploration: An orchestra of gongs takes the stage at The Haven

“I have two arms and two legs to work with my instruments,” says musician Tatsuya Nakatani. Indeed, in his solo performances he makes full use of all four, improvising with countless approaches to sound with drums, gongs and other instruments. For those who have seen him at The Bridge PAI or Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, it’s […]

Sarah Lawson | September 8, 2015

Arts

A new leaf: UVA law library takes a bookish approach to art

As the school year gets underway, a group of artists from the McGuffey Art Center is hitting the books. Or rather, they’re cutting, sewing, painting and otherwise transforming books as part of a new exhibition at UVA’s Arthur J. Morris Law Library. Titled “Discarded,” the show draws its name quite literally from a common medium: […]

Sarah Lawson | September 1, 2015

Arts

Art on parade: New City Arts makes a move and opens a second gallery

Last weekend marked the annual ritual of the UVA undergraduates move-in, when students and parents haul semester survival gear from SUVs to dorm rooms. This year, the weekend also celebrated a move of a different kind—one with less heavy lifting but far more gusto. On Saturday, New City Arts Initiative moved out of its office […]

Sarah Lawson | August 25, 2015

Arts

Movable type: Virginia Arts of the Book Center makes a shift

If you only know one thing about the Virginia Arts of the Book Center, it’s probably that its tagline is “Beneath The Art Box.” This hints at the rich history of underground presses but also provides a literal reminder to help geolocate the community printmaking studio in its off-the-radar location. However, that motto needs an […]

Sarah Lawson | August 18, 2015