Art Notes

Artisans Center opens new show

There will be an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight at the Artisans Center of Virginia.

The Waynesboro gallery will be showing the “Alleghany Craft Network Exhibition” through Sept. 4.

The exhibition and an online resource directory are the culmination of the Alleghany Craft Network project, which was implemented two years ago following a grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The goal of the project was to catalog all artisans and venues that sell locally produced fine craft in the nine county area of Virginia identified as the Alleghany Highlands region.

This juried exhibition will showcase the abundant talent that exists in the nine western border counties running from Roanoke to Rockingham.

Light refreshments will be served.

ACV is a non-profit, visual arts organization representing Virginia crafts through exhibition, education and retail opportunities. The center is at Willow Oak Plaza, at 801 W. Broad St.

For more information, call (540) 946-3294 or visit artisans

centerofvirginia.org.

Orange pays tribute to animals

“Hoof, Paw, Claw,” an new exhibition for art and animal lovers will open at the Arts Center in Orange during a reception at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The show runs through September 6th.

The event also will feature the unveiling of Evelyn Cowles’ painting selected for the 2008 Montpelier Hunt Races poster.

The exhibition, which features sculpture, mixed media, oils, acrylics, photographs and watercolors, includes works by Elaine Hurst, Aggie Zed, Dorothy Chuey, Dana Thompson, Mary Cornish, Jan Settle, Robin Burkett, Mary Shira, Kitty Dodd, Diane Balister, Jo Hodos, Ed King, Sharon Campbell, Willa Frayser, Karen Trimmer, Laura Burrell, Marian Mercer, Jean-Francois Landeau, Joe Simms and Tyler and Austin Burdick.

A portion of its commission on gallery sales from this exhibit will be donated to the Orange County Animal Shelter and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at Montpelier. The Arts Center in Orange is at 129 E. Main St.

For more details, visit (540) 672-7311.

Bridge, UVa artists get on the bus

Artists from the University of Virginia School of Architecture and the Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative joined forces with Piedmont Council of the Arts on a unique art project for Charlottesville Parks and Recreation.

The team of artists will repaint a yellow school bus, creating a kid-friendly vehicle that will transport young people to recreation programs throughout the year.

The bus will be on display today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Parks and Recreation’s camp Fun Day on at Pen and McIntire Parks.

The lead designer, Sanda Iliescu, an architecture and art professor at UVa, led the design time. Iliescu worked with local artists John Bylander, Mike Parisi and Isabella Scott on the design, workshops and painting processes.

The project was coordinated by Maggie Guggenheimer of PCA with support from Greg Kelly of the Bridge and Erica Sims of Charlottesville Parks and Recreation.

The design team led art workshops with the recreation department’s summer campers in late June. Campers in kindergarten through 12th grade worked on concepts of measurement and geometry, the natural world and color theory with campers.

Community volunteers assisted with the workshops and painting process. Project volunteers included Christy Baker, Kate Daughdrill, Julia Hauser, Tom Hogge, Debbie Ku, Laura Merricks, Kevin Sullivan and Linda Weinecoff.

The painting was competed Thursday outside Carver Recreation Center.

The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative will host a weekend exhibit and celebration from Aug. 1 through 3 at 205 Monticello Road.

For more information, call 971-2787 or visit www.

charlottesvillearts.org.

Kluge-Ruhe expands summer hours

The Kluge-Ruhe Collection has changed its hours. The local art gallery will now be open on Sunday afternoons through Aug. 3. New hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Free guided tours take place each Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

The Kluge-Ruhe Collection is at 400 Worrell Drive, off U.S. 250 east at Pantops.  For more information, call 244-0234 or visit www. Virginia.edu/kluge-ruhe.

From staff reports

This workshop for children ages 8 to 11 will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Kluge-Ruhe Collection.

“Art in Action: Exploring Aboriginal Art through Creative Drama” will be lead by Francie Furlong of the Old Michie Theatre.

Participants will make Aboriginal paintings come alive as they engage in role play, mime, movement and storytelling theatre games.

Space is limited and reservations are required.

Call 244-0234 to reserve a spot.

Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway is accepting online entries for its third photo contest.

Entries will be accepted until Oct. 31.

The categories include flora (including landscapes), fauna (animals), friends and family. The competition is open to amateurs, including a youth category for ages 6 to 15.

All photographs must be taken within the boundaries of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and each photographer may submit no more than three photos for consideration.

To register a photo for the contest, visit the Friends Web site, and click on the “Entry Form” on the 2008 Photo Contest page. Contest rules are posted on the site.

Winners will be notified by Dec. 1.

Winning entries will be published in the newsletter High Vistas and monthly eNewsletters. All entries will also be published on the Friends Web site.

Last year 353 photogaraphs were entered, and three adult and three student photographers were recognized.

For more information, call (800) 228-PARK (7275) or visit www. BlueRidgeFRIENDS.org.

From staff reports