Arts Drive: Charlottesville
- Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson, is a must-see on the Charlottesville tour agenda.
Charlottesville’s most famous artist, Thomas Jefferson, expressed his creative genius on a grand scale. He designed his home, Monticello, and the campus of the University of Virginia, both of which are recognized architectural masterpieces. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, he crafted some of the enduring principles of American democracy.
Tourists may make pilgrimages to Jeffersonian sites, but Charlottesville and its environs offer many other lures. A compact city of 40,000 in a picturesque setting at the edge of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville combines historical charm and urban sophistication.
Local galleries provide a similar contrast. What they have in common is enthusiasm and excellent quality; this small city does art in a big way. To savor the area’s artistic pleasures, plan on taking a walk in town and a drive or two into the countryside.
The university campus is a fine place to start. After paying tribute to Jefferson at the signature Rotunda and strolling the lawns of his “academical village,” visit the University of Virginia Art Museum, whose extensive collections span nearly every continent and many centuries.
Then drive or hike to Water Street. In five short downtown blocks, it boasts three galleries that would be at home in any major city.
In a space as contemporary as the art on display, Les Yeux du Monde exhibits paintings and photographs by modern masters and regional artists, as well as handcrafted jewelry and furniture, and Mata Ortiz pottery from Mexico.
Nearby, in a modernistic metal clad building, is Second Street Gallery, central Virginia’s first artist-run alternative art space. It is committed to encouraging the public’s appreciation of cutting-edge contemporary art. “We designed the space to welcome people into the ‘white cube,’” says gallery director Leah Stoddard, “sacrificing wall space for windows to let daylight in.”
At Migration: A Gallery, owners Laura and Rob Jones have filled their airy space with a blend of two- and three-dimensional art by emerging and established artists. “I like to be a mix between the Smithsonian’s Renwick and Hirshhorn,” Laura says. The name Migration reflects their belief that beautiful, meaningful art takes one on a transformational journey.
A block north, parallel to Water Street, is the heart of Charlottesville, the lively Downtown Mall. Thirty years ago this stretch of Main Street was converted to a pedestrians-only park-seven inviting tree-lined blocks whose historic brick buildings are filled with shops, restaurants, theatres, even an ice rink. Kids love the Virginia Discovery Museum, and the outdoor Charlottesville Pavilion is a popular venue for concerts and community celebrations.
As you amble along the Mall, you’ll find several galleries to entice you. At Sage Moon, you can browse through three floors of art as classical music plays in the background. Watercolorist John Ruseau shows his work at the John Ruseau Gallery, and Vivian’s Art for Living offers jewelry, leatherwork, pottery, glass and sculpture by many artists. Three artist-run cooperative galleries attest to the wealth of local talent: Art Upstairs and BozArt emphasize paintings, while C’ville Arts features handcrafted objects in many mediums by more than 60 artists. A quick walk from the Mall brings you to what local writer Laura Parsons calls a “big playground for local artists.” Housed in a former elementary school, the nonprofit McGuffey Art Center has galleries, a gift shop, art classrooms and studios where you might catch a glimpse of a potter, sculptor or printmaker at work.
By now, Blue Ridge vistas are beckoning. As you drive toward the mountains, stop at The Barn Swallow at the western edge of Charlottesville. Ceramic artists Janice Arone and Mary Ann Burk have turned a barn built in the 1800s into a charming rustic gallery in a garden setting. They carry pottery, jewelry, glass, textiles and furniture by more than 20 artists, much of it with nature themes.
A detour south on Highway 151 brings you to a century-old building. Once the Wintergreen Country Store, it has taken on new life as Spruce Creek Gallery, filled with pottery, paintings, wood and glass. “We started in 1997 when five Nelson County artists got together to have a showcase,” says gallery manager Sue Bernard. “Now we show 70 to 80 artists at any time.”
In Waynesboro there is an essential stop-the Artisans Center of Virginia. Designated the state’s official center for fine crafts, the nonprofit membership organization encourages and promotes the state’s 3,000 craft artists. A jury selects the artists who display work in the large retail and exhibition gallery, where the items range from elegant glass vases to fine furniture to off beat quilted teapots. “What always excites me,” says executive director Michael Dowell, “is hearing the ‘aha’ gasp when people come in for the first time and see the variety and quality of craft we have in Virginia.”
When you return to Charlottesville, bring your visit to a fitting finale with a tour of Monticello, where Thomas Jefferson began the tradition of artistry that his hometown continues in elegant style.
