Month: November 2010

In works like “Leviathan”—a work in cut paper, mineral pigment, polymer emulsion, gesso, gold leaf and rust on canvas mounted to panel—Clay Witt pushes his working materials to their natural limits. Witt speaks at the gallery on December 5 and hosts a holiday lunch December 8. Visit www.lesyeuxdumonde.com for details.

If the themes of the exhibit don’t excite your particular tastes, there’s a good chance the craftsmanship will. To call Witt’s work painting would be like describing NCAA sports as an exercise program for students. Over the two months it can take a single piece to emerge, Witt will apply layers of gilding, clay, gesso, ink, emulsion, cut Japanese paper, varnish and wax, then strip away strategic bits with tools ranging from a rag to an automotive sander. 

“I’m building a world,” he says. Where you see hundreds of fish, there are likely hundreds more hidden within the piece so he can make the image three dimensional by rubbing away translucent coats of material. To depict a circle of fire on the ocean, Witt fed a digital image of waves into his computer plotting cutter, so he could apply the resulting slivers of paper to the canvas in layers to create depth. The flames are water gilding, a delicate process that involves films of gold so thin they come packed 250,000 sheets to an inch and disintegrate when touched with bare hands.

“I do these gold surfaces and then destroy them,” the artist says, “almost as a corrective to this preciousness.”

That’s not entirely true. The gold in his work may be obscured or coated with strategically cracking varnish in places, but it still shines brilliantly where it needs to and gives the images their trademark contrast. Don’t trust the newsprint reproduction on this one. If you want any sense of what this stuff looks like, its metallic element requires you see it in person. 

For his part, Witt’s background is as multifaceted as his work. He picked up gilding when a frame shop where he once worked needed help with an urgent restoration job. He apprenticed in Arabic calligraphy in Syria after degrees at UVA and the University of Massachusetts. At the opening, Witt greeted gallery visitors wearing an impeccable pinstripe suit with a white satin pocket square. But the ink stains around his fingernails let on to the long hours in the studio with his dog, Agnes, contemplating the way animals see the world and pushing the limits of half a dozen materials at once. The fruits of his labor are visually intriguing and unlike anything you’re likely to find from another artist.

Some folks say good things come in small packages. We’d like to amend that: When it comes to holiday shopping, we say good things come with small price tags. That’s why we’ve combed the city for the best gifts under $25, be they for mom, bro, BF or canine. Happy shopping!

CHIN-EASE
Kids’ chopsticks from The Happy Cook
For your wee foodie: Tiny fingers will have no trouble grasping these skewers, which help budding sushi lovers learn how to manage chopsticks properly.
($8.50, Barracks Road Shopping Center, 977-2665)

TRUNK SHOW
Men’s briefs from Urban Outfitters
Your fella can never have too many of these: Brightly colored and super soft, he won’t want to take them off.
($12 or 3 for $24, 316 E. Main St., 295-1749)

STRING THEORY
CLO Fortuna thong from Derriere de Soie
It’s tricky to buy undies for your special someone, but that’s why we like these lacy babies: They’re one size fits all. The elastic band adjusts just like a bra strap. Genius.
($20, 105 E. Main St., 977-7455)

STICKY FINGERS
Mike’s Honey from Market Street Wineshop
Produced in Barboursville, this sweet stuff is all-natural, all local and all delicious.
($7.99, 311 E. Market St., 979-9463)

WORKS FOR THE WEAR
Russell Richards T-shirt
Wearable art from a local illustrator? Yes, please. Nab this cotton tee for a bike enthusiast, art lover…or someone who’s running low on clean shirts. (We kid!)
($19.99, russellrichards.com)

PIN PUSHIN’
Enamel pins from Antics
Vintage chic in coordinating colors is the perfect addition to any friend’s lapel.
($7.50-12, 103 Fifth St. SE, 293-9082)

PIG PEN
Wool pens from O’Suzannah
How cute will a few of these look nestled in your kiddo’s pencil pouch? Try to resist assigning them names. Go ahead, try it.
($8.50, 114 Fourth St. NE, 979-9467)

CONFECTION PERFECTION
16-piece custom assortment from Gearharts Fine Chocolates
Spread the love with a hand-picked (by you) collection of 16 flavors. But, a word to the wise: Get your order in early. These treats go fast.
($23, 416 W. Main St., 972-9100)

FU FIGHTER
Candles from Patina Antiques, Etc.
Half-lion, half-dragon, Fu Dogs placed at the front of the house guard against unwanted visitors (e.g., visitors without gifts in tow).
($9, 2171 Ivy Rd. #5, 244-3222)

WORD WAGER
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine at New Dominion Book Shop
A National Book Award winner by a local lawyer-turned-writer, Mockingbird tells the story of Caitlin, an 11-year-old with Asperger’s, as she struggles with the death of her brother.
($15.99, 404 E. Main St., 295-2552)

RETRO CHIC
Thomas Paul canvas cases from Rock Paper Scissors
How fun! These bags keep your modern technology safe, while harkening back to inventions of yore. We dig the silkscreened gramophone.
($14-25, 225 E. Main St., 979-6366)

GOOD TO GO
Metal lunchbox from Blue Ridge Eco Shop
Just what every Earth-lover needs: A metal lunch pail to satisfy man-sized cravings. Shiny, stackable containers that hold everything from baby carrots to brisket.
($24.95, 313 E. Main St., 296-0042)

LIT FROM WITHIN
Twig candle holder from Crème de la Crème
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but this candle holder won’t break the bank. Bonus: It’s got that whole I’m-snowed-in-at-a-log-cabin, rustic chic thing going on.
($14, North Wing, Barracks Road Shopping Center, 296-7018)

SNIFF COMPETITION
Crazy Sticks solid perfume from Sustain
The best thing about these itty-bitty scented sticks? Roll one on the wrist and behind the ear to find out—the subtle scent lingers all day.
($20, 406 W. Main St., 244-0028)

SHOOT FOR THE MOON
Moon Deluxe by Andrew Cedermark at Sidetracks
Evocative, edgy. No coincidence that Cedermark is the master of C-VILLE’s arts section.
($12, 218 W. Water St. #L, 295-3080)

PRETTY AS A…
Paper portrait by Eliza Evans
You could toss a photo in a frame from Target and be done with it, but that’s so impersonal when compared to a hand-painted portrait by a local artist.
($25, elizanevans@gmail.com)

BOWLED OVER
Finger bowls from Caspari
Snag one of these sweet bowls for the woman who has everything. We can see one holding loose jewelry or change. Plus, they come in about 12 bazillion colors. Good luck choosing!
($12.50, 100 W. Main St., 817-7880)

TEAR IN YOUR EYEGLASS
Onion Goggles from Seasonal Cook
Shaped like glasses, these spectacles protect the wearer’s eyes from nasty fumes while chopping onions. The chef in your life will thank you.
($22.95, 416 W. Main St. #A, 295-9355)

WARM AND FUZZY
Faux fur pom pom beanie from Gap
Give this cozy cap to a friend, then ask her on a hot cocoa date.
($24.50, Fashion Square Mall, 973-5026)

FALL FOR FLATS
Zippered flats from Francesca’s Collections
We’re loving the delicate, lighter-than-air shape combined with a rough, get-down-to-business zipper.
($24, Barracks Road Shopping Center, 296-9556)

SHINE ON
Superskinny glitter belt from J. Crew
For your favorite fashionista, a sparkly belt that magically makes any outfit runway-worthy.
($24.50, Fashion Square Mall, 975-2889)

GET A TRIM
Corona Bypass Pruner from Ivy Nursery
A gardener’s gateway tool, this pruner carries a lifetime guarantee and is specially sized for smaller hands. Grip, trim, done.
($24.99, 570 Broomley Rd., 295-1183)

GIVE A DOG A BONE
Tuff Enuff dog toy from The Dog & Horse Lovers Boutique
Virtually indestructible, this fleece toy can withstand the tough grip of Fido’s K9s. Bonus: You can take it to the lake. It floats!
($12.95, 503 E. Main St., 220-4540)

WINE ON
Chester Gap Cellars’ 2007 Viognier from Wine Warehouse
Crisp and dry, with honeysuckle and peach notes, Viognier is practically becoming the state white wine of Virginia. We especially like this beauty from Rappahannock County.
($19.99, 1804 Hydraulic Rd., 296-1727)

HIKE IT UP
Best Easy Day Hikes by Bert and Jane Gildart from Blue Ridge Mountain Sports
A beginner’s guide to hiking the Shenandoah National Park, this pocket-sized book tops our list for its detailed description of each trail.
($9.95, Barracks Road Shopping Center, 977-4400)

The fate of the parking lot at the Amtrak train station on West Main Street may be at a turning point. The owners of the lot, local developers Gabe Silverman and Allan Cadgene, will finally pave it.

“That’s what we have been trying to do all this time, is to pave the parking lot,” says Silverman. The lot has been unpaved since the developers bought it in 1997.

After an attempt by the owners to use a product called Durasoil to abate the dust problem, area residents and business owners were prepared to pursue a lawsuit they had temporarily shelved. Peter Castiglione, co-owner of Maya Restaurant, previously retained lawyer Edward Lowry, who contacted Cadgene and Silverman about the threat of legal action if the dust problem was not resolved. Cadgene, a lawyer based in San Francisco, responded to a request from Lowry for “binding assurance” to try and bust the dust with Durasoil—which, according to its website, is an odorless fluid meant to bind with any surface.

Ultimately, says Castiglione, “Durasoil was worthless.” The restaurateur says he saw twisters of dust rise from the lot a few days after the product was used and, after the heavy rain of last week, “big new puddles” materialized throughout the lot. Silverman claims that Durasoil resolved the lot’s problems. “There doesn’t seem to be dust anymore…I’m happy about that,” he says.

Now, with neighbors and developers on the same page regarding plans to pave, the lot owners’ next step is putting the paving contract out to bid. Although Silverman says the document will be ready in the next couple of weeks, he does not know how long it will be before the lot is paved.

“It really depends on the people who are going to bid, and when the contract is signed,” says Silverman. “I would hope that it happens in the next month or so.”

Meanwhile, the City of Charlottesville recently approved an amendment to a site plan for the parking lot. Valid for five years, the site plan calls for landscaping, new street lights and a rain garden—a storm management feature‑—in the center of the lot. According to City Planner Nick Rogers, the lot will be leveled first, then paved.

In an earlier interview, Silverman said outside buyers were interested in purchasing the lot, on the market for $13.5 million, for a multi-story development. However, things now may be different. “No updated information about that. We are just going ahead and paving the lot,” he says.