Born in 1878 in the town of Saint-Étienne near Lyon, France, Émilie Charmy was groomed for the proper profession of teaching. But Charmy, whom I had never heard of before the Fralin show, had other ideas, taking up painting instead. Initially, she focused on traditional scenes of domestic life in an Impressionist style. But, she […]
Unique folk project Humble Tripe graces local fans with a celebration of its sophomore release, The Giving. The album is a collection of the unique Americana the players are known for, and incorporates odd instruments like the theremin (producing a sound often found in old horror flicks). The soulful, and often tough to categorize, ensemble […]
In 1932, a group of 21 African-American artists and intellectuals, including Langston Hughes, traveled from Harlem to the Soviet Union. The trip was part of an outreach effort by the Meschrabom-Film studio, which hoped to produce a propagandistic feature film, Black and White, criticizing segregation and racism in the U.S. The intention was to forge solidarity […]
Cynthia Burke is a local artist who paints in a style similar to that of Alex Gross and Mark Ryden. Her studio at the McGuffey Art Center is filled with inspirational objects, and dozens of quirky paintings hang on the walls. We paid her a visit to find out more about her work and her artistic vision. Tell me a […]
From placid trunks and tusks to lively predators racing across plains, the African landscape holds a certain romance for most Westerners, and few are as familiar with it as National Geographic photographer Michael “Nick” Nichols. Nichols has worked with African elephants for over 20 years, capturing poignant images of these gentle giants, and his new […]
Get an insider’s view of the creative process at The Makers Series, an artist salon that’s returning to Charlottesville after a four-year hiatus. Presented by The Garage and New City Arts, the series relaunches with featured artists Emma Rathbone, author of The Patterns of Paper Monsters, Clay Witt, visual artist, and singer-songwriter Carl Anderson. The […]
“The Difference That Makes a Difference” is the theme of discussion for the open mic night being presented by TEDxCharlottesville, an independently organized offshoot of the ever-popular TED Talks. Thirty participants have been chosen to give their best two-minute presentation. Contestants deliver from a variety of talents including spoken word, poetry, and dance, all in […]
It’s been a busy year for Welsh alternative rock trio The Joy Formidable. In addition to touring North America virtually nonstop, they released their sophomore album Wolf’s Law in January, contributed to Record Store Day in April, and released an EP, Silent Treatment, in July. But they wouldn’t have it any other way. Bassist Rhydian Daffyd took […]
Passion Pit’s sophomore album, Gossamer, stitches light-filled pop anthems with grown-up lyrics and a fluid style that shifts from bombastic synth slashing to singer-songwriter slow jams. Consider its lead single, “Take a Walk,” which pairs the story of an émigré’s failing marriage and financial ruin with a dance-worthy, uptempo beat. Get moving—and feeling—when the Boston-based […]
It’s that time of year between the end of summer and the beginning of the Oscar races when, traditionally, the genuine crap starts hitting the multiplexes. (You’ll also find crap from January to March, and, depending on your point of view, all year.) Rush, Ron Howard’s latest, is not crap. It isn’t Oscar-worthy, either, but […]