Month: July 2014

Categories
Arts

Film review: The fourth Transformer movie fails to dazzle

Transformers: Age of Extinction is a battle of good versus evil in which robots try to extinguish the human race. Image: Paramount Pictures

There are so many bad movies out there that it’s not reasonable to suggest Transformers: Age of Extinction is the worst movie ever made. It’s entirely reasonable, however, to suggest it’s the dumbest movie ever made. It’s also criminally dull, but designed to feel exciting.
Here are five examples that make the latest Transformers flick a major piece of (dumb) shit:
1. Mark Wahlberg is Cade Yeager, an inventor (!!) and scientist (!!!) born and raised in Texas but who speaks with a conspicuous Boston accent.
2. The only viable comic relief in the movie, comedian T.J. Miller as Cade’s business partner, Lucas Flannery, is killed in roughly the first 30 minutes. Then we’re saddled with John Goodman as a wise-cracking fat Autobot.
3. Optimus Prime figures out a way to a kill a more or less unkillable Transformer 45 minutes later than he could have.
4. Nicola Peltz, as Cade’s daughter Tessa, exists solely so that stereotypes based in sexism and misogyny can linger on, creepily, well into 2014.
5. Every person of Asian descent in this installment who has more than 30 seconds of screen time is a martial arts expert.
(Bonus) 6. Each Transformer is impossible to kill…until he’s not.
(Anti-bonus) 7. This movie, which has no plot and no reason to exist other than to make money (not a bad thing when a film is mildly diverting), goes on and on and on and on for 165 minutes. That’s two hours and 45 minutes, which is only six minutes shorter than The Godfather, a movie with infinitely more nuance and better action sequences than anything that happens in Transformers: Does This Mean the Franchise is Extinct?
Getting away from the grievances and onto the summary…oh, fuck it. Why bother?
If you’ve seen the trailer, you know what happens: He-man Mark Wahlberg accidentally finds Optimus Prime and then shit starts blowing up. When I write that there’s no plot, I don’t mean literally there’s no plot, but I do mean nothing that makes any sense, even on the movie’s own terms, happens in its gargantuan running time. Jesus, they don’t even get to the Dinobots until the last half-hour.
For all its tiny-dick gun-toting bullshit, there are a few things Transformers: Pay No Attention to the Movie’s Failure to Understand Basic Physics gets right: Stanley Tucci is brought in for much needed gravitas in the is-he-or-isn’t-he-a-villain department. Kelsey Grammer gives an appropriately slimy performance as a CIA suit with the charisma of Donald Rumsfeld, the soullessness of Dick Cheney, and the warmongering bloodlust of both.
Finally, in all this bloat, there are two good action sequences. One takes place as Mark Wahlberg and a CIA killer (Titus Welliver) jump down an apartment building’s exterior in China, and another takes place when a bad Transformer uses a magnet as a weapon. That they both happen well after the two-hour mark, however, is another sign of what makes this movie so dumb. And how is it that no human caught in mid-air by a Transformer is subject to Newton’s Third Law?
Whatever. There are two more Transformers films in the works, so the idiocy is inescapable. Good luck, planet Earth. If the Decepticons don’t get you, the franchise will.

Transformers:Age of Extinction PG-13, 165 minutes
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Playing this week
22 Jump Street
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
America
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Belle
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
Chef
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
Edge of Tomorrow
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
The Fault in Our Stars
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Ida
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
Jersey Boys
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Maleficent
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Obvious Child
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
The Rover
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
Super Mensch: The Legend
of Shep Gordon
Regal Downtown Mall Cinema 6
Tammy
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Think Like A Man Too
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
Movie houses
Regal Downtown Mall
Cinema 6
979-7669
Regal Stonefield 14
and IMAX
244-3213

Categories
Arts

ARTS Pick: Grizfolk

Borrowing elements from southern rock, jazz, and ’80s synth, Grizfolk traverses genres in search of originality. Publicity image

“The Struggle” by Grizfolk

Smell the roses

When five musicians from different parts of the globe meet in a Southern California beach town, the serendipity results in Grizfolk, a band whose music embraces the essence of discovery. Lyrically reflecting on the spirit of travel, the band takes audiences on a journey through hardship and joy while never falling into clichés, reminding us to enjoy the experiences along the way.

Wednesday 7/2 $8-10, 8pm. The Southern, 103 S. First St. 977-5590.

Categories
Arts News

Radio city: In a nearly saturated market, the diversity behind the mics of Charlottesville’s radio stations keeps the airwaves fresh

Just how much radio can Charlottesville support? Our little city already has a relatively large number of stations for its size: a total of 15 at last count.

Categories
News

With Central Virginia poised to become a gas pipeline cut-through, conservationists urge caution

The conversion of coal-fired power plants to natural gas—like Dominion’s Bremo Power Station in Fluvanna—is part of what’s fueling the push to expand gas transmission lines into the southeast. File photo

In the span of three months, a trio of pipeline proposals through Virginia has turned the Commonwealth into a key player in the country’s rapidly expanding natural gas industry. The projects, two of which follow preliminary paths that come close to Albemarle County, aren’t exactly unexpected. Still, they have some nearby landowners worried, and conservationists say there’s reason to be concerned about Virginia’s new status as a gas corridor.

April saw the first hints of Dominion Resources’ Southeast Reliability Project, a proposed $2 billion, 450-mile pipeline that would cross into the Commonwealth from West Virginia in Highland County, cutting through Nelson County on its way to Lumberton, North Carolina.

Then came news that Houston-based Spectra Energy is planning a $4 billion, 427-mile line originating in Pennsylvania and traveling through Culpeper, Orange, Louisa, and Madison counties before terminating somewhere in North Carolina.

And earlier this month came the announcement of a third possible project. Pittsburgh-based EQT Corporation says it will partner with Juno Beach, Florida’s NextEra Energy Inc. to build the Mountain Valley Pipeline, running 330 miles through southwestern Virginia to the Carolina border in Pittsylvania County.

Below are company-provided maps for both Dominion’s and Spectra’s proposed pipelines, both of which are routed through Central Virginia (click to see them larger). Both companies stressed that the routes of their “study corridors” are still preliminary.

The proposed route of Dominion Resources' Southern Reliability Project, a 450-mile natural gas pipeline.

Spectra Energy's proposed natural gas pipeline. Image courtesy Spectra Energy

The companies have yet to seek approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a step that will subject them to scrutiny from a five-member panel that will examine environmental impacts and alternatives. But they’re moving fast: After a round of letters to landowners, Dominion and Spectra have begun making house calls to survey possible routes within their respective 400’ to 600’ “study corridors.” All say they plan to have the projects online by the end of 2018.

Why Virginia, and why now? It comes down to geology and demand, say industry officials and conservationists.

“We’ve fracked our way to cheap gas,” said Dan Holmes, director of state policy for the Piedmont Environmental Council, which holds easements on some of the land that could be affected by the Spectra project. The Marcellus shale deposit, a vast gas field that stretches across parts of Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia and was untapped in 2008, now produces up to 16 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day. But it’s a trapped resource, said Holmes. “What are you going to do when you’ve got a supply and you’ve got to get it to market? That’s what these proposals are doing.”

At the other end of the line are southeast power companies and communities hungry for shale gas as an alternative to dirtier coal. It’s looking even more appealing in light of a new mandate from the Environmental Protection Agency to drastically reduce carbon emissions by 2030.

“You have these large industries and electric utilities looking to generate [power] with natural gas rather than coal, and you have local distribution companies looking to supply it,” said Dominion spokesman Jim Norvelle. Virginia is, quite literally, in the middle. “If you look at a map of the natural gas transmission pipelines in this section of the country, you’ll notice there are few,” he said.

The dominoes were set, and an announcement from Duke Energy was the finger that flicked the first one. The Charlotte-based electric company—which is the largest in the U.S., and has recently built or is planning half a dozen new gas-fired power plants—said on April 1 it was partnering with a gas supplier to request proposals for pipeline projects into North Carolina “to meet growing demand.”

Already, landowners and conservation groups are raising concerns. Only rough maps of the project paths have been released, but it appears Dominion’s cuts through 26 miles of the George Washington National Forest and many properties with conservation easements that restrict development. That has the attention of Charlottesville’s Southern Environmental Law Center. 

SELC senior attorney Cale Jaffe recently met with Nelson County landowners whose properties lie in the path of Dominion’s proposed pipeline, some of whom have formed an anti-pipeline community group. He said there are a lot of questions left to answer: Federal law says gas companies can use eminent domain to seize land from unwilling owners for infrastructure projects, but what happens when that land is in conservation? And could a pipeline through the GW encourage gas drilling there, something the SELC has fought for years to prevent?

“We are committed to digging a little deeper to try to understand what the threats to some of Virginia’s natural areas are,” Jaffe said.

The Spectra path, which could come close to Albemarle’s border with Orange and Louisa counties, is also under scrutiny. Holmes pointed out that the proposed line marches through many agricultural areas, and if the company buries a pipe on their land, farmers will have to negotiate the careful treatment of soils.

And, like the Dominion project, it would bisect a lot of land that’s held in conservation. Some of the easements on land in its path are held by the Department of the Interior, Holmes said, which would exempt them from eminent domain law. Also in the way, he said: Montpelier, the plantation estate of James Madison.

“These are resources I would not expect any company that had done its homework to hit,” said Holmes.

Dominion and Spectra representatives have stressed that the projects are still in early stages, and said they’re now meeting with landowners who may be affected and talking with local, state, and federal officials ahead of what will be a careful evaluation by the FERC. Holmes pointed out that even if all three pipeline proposals currently charting courses through the Commonwealth pass muster, there’s no guaranteeing that they’ll all get built. That’s partly up to whomever steps up to finance the projects.

But Virginians should be looking critically at any plan to turn their state into a gas crossroads, Holmes said. First, there’s the very real potential of leaks and accidents.

“To suggest that these things are placed and you never have problems is, I think, naive,” said Holmes.

And he and Jaffe agree that there are bigger energy issues at play. Jaffe said many in Nelson are unhappy about the fact that the gas that could be piped through their backyards would be generated by fracking, a controversial drilling process that many oppose on environmental grounds. And Holmes pointed out that natural gas is still a fossil fuel, and some studies show that the heavy environmental impact of drilling, transporting, and burning it may mean it doesn’t have a big edge over dirtier energy sources. 

Those who may be playing host to pipes should have a role in those debates, said Holmes.

“There are some larger policy questions that should be considered from the state level, as well as questions that should be considered by each of these affected communities,” he said.

Categories
Living

Sandwich science: Bring Hamiltons’ Sandwich Lab thinking into your own kitchen

Chef Curtis Shaver and the culinary team at Hamiltons’ are roling out a limited number of one over-the-top sandwich per month, and they’re calling it Sandwich Lab. Photo: Emily Moroné

Making only 12 delicious sandwiches a month for an entire city is just plain cruel. And Hamiltons’ Sandwich Lab isn’t likely to stop the torture any time soon.

The first elusive Sandwich Lab sandwich was announced on Facebook on April 3. The guys in the kitchen of Hamiltons’ at First & Main, the posh Downtown restaurant that’s been around since the 1990s, would make bread-bound treats for the first dozen callers. The lucky few would pick up their lunchtime booty at the bar at the stroke of noon the following Wednesday.

The second installment came May 2. The third, June 18. Each time, the dozen sammies were spoken for within a couple hours. The most recent round of sandwiches was gone in 60 minutes. Nick Cage couldn’t have stolen one of those babies if he had Bill Hamilton on speed dial.

So what do you do? First, you like Sandwich Lab on Facebook and try like hell to land one next month by being one of the first to call in your order. Second, you take lessons from the lab technicians and up your own sandwich game.

“Sandwiches around the world have the same basic ingredients—roasted meat, good cheese, some pickle or vegetable,” said Greg Vogler, managing partner at Hamiltons’.

Chef Curtis Shaver said the idea is to take those ingredients and try to hit all the taste and texture sensations with the ammo stuffed between two bread slices.

“We’re thinking about every taste bud,” Shaver said. “It needs to be sweet, sour, and salty. It should have some soft aspects and some crispy textures as well.”

Each Sandwich Lab creation has come together in a slightly different way, Shaver said, but there are some common elements.

“It’s really as simple as throwing out ideas,” he said. “It might be [sous chef Hannah Moster] and I going back and forth. We will start with this idea and say, ‘that’s cool, but what else we can do?’”

For the first project, Shaver and the team combined pork belly with green tomato relish, collard green slaw, pimento cheese, and sriracha mayo on an Albemarle Baking Company hoagie roll.

“I wanted to do something real southern inspired, and we had that pork belly on the brunch menu,” Shaver said. “The collard green coleslaw is actually on my lunch menu now, and it came from Sandwich Lab.”

The sandwich was delicious—the fat in the hickory-smoked, grilled Double H Farm pork belly wasn’t completely rendered, allowing the meat to melt into the dressing—but the Lab was still working out some kinks. Some of the ingredients were muddled and didn’t shine through. (I detected almost no sriracha.) And I might quibble that the roll wasn’t cut quite to my liking, but all told, this was a successful sandwich to kick off an ambitious project.

For the second effort, the Lab went through several iterations to make sure the results matched the hypothesis. The opening salvo was pickled local ramps with smoked corned beef brisket. From there sprang the idea to approximate a Reuben-style sandwich, with the first two ingredients heaped onto thick-cut rye Hamiltons’ already had on hand.

How to up the game of the Russian dressing on a Reuben? Shaver happened to be reminded of comeback sauce—a spicy, mayonnaise-based dressing popular throughout the South—while flipping through magazines for new ideas.

“Then it was like, what can we do on this sandwich to put it over the top?” Shaver said. “Put French fries on it.”

Toss the fries with some truffle oil and add that cheese Vogler was talking about, and you end up with the finished product: “slabs of house-smoked, Wagyu corned beef brisket stacked with truffle fries, cambozola cheese, comeback sauce, and pickled ramps on thick-cut, grilled rye.”

Sandwich three (duck confit with a poblano-citrus sauce, local beet relish, fresh arugula, Caromont Plank Road Round, and crispy wasabi onions on a kaiser roll) had the makings to wake the Earl of Sandwich himself. According to Shaver, the sandwich started humbly enough, with the local beet relish being a current kitchen favorite. The team also had some short ribs on hand, but they decided something lighter like duck would better fit the season. Then, playing off the flavors of a beet salad, local arugula and goat cheese were added to the mix.

“It was missing a crunch factor, so someone suggested the fried onions, and it was like, ‘how can we make that cool?’” Shaver said. “What goes well with beets? Horseradish. What is cooler than horseradish? Wasabi.”

Vogler said Sandwich Lab-quality sandwiches are all about taking your favorite dough-borne meals and flipping them on their head. The one sticking point for home cooks who want to get into sandwich science is that they aren’t likely to have the resources of a restaurant kitchen on hand. Vogler suggested there might be a glimmer of hope for those who just can’t get past that fact—the Sandwich Lab could, at some point, start cranking out more than just one sandwich per month.

“We would stop doing it if it stopped being fun, but right now it’s not something that’s a burden,” he said.

Categories
Arts

Mark Tomasko works to preserve the art of engraving

Researcher Mark Tomasko’s presentation promises to be a veritable treasury of engraving samples including this note on The State Bank of Michigan (circa 1859-1864) produced by American Bank Note Company. Image courtesy of Rare Book School.

I’ll be honest, I was an avid coin collector as a kid, but it was never about the art. The intricacy of the designs on coins or the colors of ink used on bills are often an afterthought.

For me collecting was about rarity. I wanted to be the only person in town with a 1944 steel wheat penny, but the texture of those wheat fronds never much caught my eye. As an adult, I collect bills and coins from every country I visit, mostly for the memories—and the unspoken hope that I’ll return someday with some spare change to get me started on my next adventure.

Mark Tomasko also collects money, but when he looks at a bill his interest is driven by artistry, technique, and historical context. Tomasko is a writer and researcher with a specific interest in bank note engraving. He is also the author of The Feel of Steel: The Art and History of Bank-Note Engraving in the United States. On July 7, as part of the 2014 Rare Book School Summer Lecture Series at UVA, Tomasko will give a talk on the topic.

It’s perhaps simplest to think of a bank note as any form of paper money. However, the engraving process for bank notes has also been used for other items in need of security, such as stock and bond certificates and stamps. Paper securities are rarely used today, though, and U.S. stamps are generally no longer engraved, which really just leaves bank notes as the primary use for this type of engraving.

Tomasko’s interest in bank note engraving was originally piqued by a simple gift. “I collected coins when I was young and then, when I got a little older, I became interested in paper currency, and later my grandmother gave me some shares in the Marmon Motor Car Company, which opened my eyes to the largest format for bank note engraving, stocks and bonds,” he said. Influenced by this, Tomasko’s work concentrates on documenting the individual artists and companies as well as the processes involved.

These processes are primarily intaglio printing and the engraving needed for it. Intaglio printing refers to the technique in which an image is carved into a surface to be printed. This is undertaken with a steel tool, called a burin, used to carve into a steel plate through a process called etching. The surface is covered with and subsequently wiped of ink. A sheet of damp paper is then put on the plate and fed through high-pressure rollers to press the paper against the carved areas, picking up the ink, and thereby creating a raised print. The result is a highly tactile piece of art.

According to Tomasko, “Before the Civil War, almost every bank could issue its own notes, so there was a great variety.” Counterfeiting was a large concern, as it remains today, and engraving and intaglio printing processes were an attempt to combat this and ensure authenticity of value. At that time, close to 2,000 state banks across the country had issued almost 7,000 separate types of bills, making it nearly impossible to detect fakes.

In the recent past, there’s been a decline in the art of engraving. “America was the leader in this art until the mid-20th century,” said Tomasko, and the American Bank Note Company provided bank notes to countries around the world. Technological advancements and global politics have taken a toll. 

Digital design allows for currency that’s faster and cheaper to produce, more detailed and easier to differentiate between denominations, and more effectively able to incorporate features such as 3-D security ribbons, color-shifting inks, and embedded security thread. And all of this leads to paper money that is difficult, but not impossible, to counterfeit.

The traditional skills of an engraver are difficult to master, and take a significant amount of time to create by hand. Tomasko believes that “intaglio will survive on bank notes, but the hand work of picture engraving is the challenge.” The craft has always been taught through apprenticeships, which are time-intensive and rigorous.

Despite the ubiquity of coin collecting as a hobby, bank notes don’t have the same accessibility. Though the term numismatics is frequently used to refer to the study and collection of coins, it applies to all currency, including bank notes. However, even within numismatic groups, bank notes often get short-changed.

It’s a simple endeavor to find an upcoming coin show (the 2014 Charlottesville Coin Show will take place on August 23 at the Elks Lodge) or browse online slideshows of historic coins. It can be difficult, though, to find similar resources for bank notes.

The National Numismatic Collection is part of the Smithsonian Institution and is the world’s largest collection of currency, with more then 1.1 million pieces of paper currency. However, it’s rare that a significant portion of this collection is on public display. The Museum of American Finance in Manhattan is a better bet, with a viewable collection of bank notes and other artifacts related to money and banking in the United States. 

Many bank notes are visually compelling, with a wide assortment of colors and artistry involved. Tomasko’s own collection is extensive and diverse, but aesthetic appeal isn’t always the attraction. “Many people usually find it interesting because it’s related to money,” Tomasko said.

Mark Tomasko’s Rare Book School talk begins at 5:30pm in the auditorium of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library on July 7.

What do you collect? Tell us below.

 

Categories
Living

Overheard on the restaurant scene: This week’s food and drink news

File photo.

Bye, guys 

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is down to two Charlottesville locations. The Downtown Mall spot, which was often bustling with lunch breakers and bar-goers, closed its doors for good earlier this week. The restaurant’s owner did not return calls for comment by press time.

Lettuce celebrate 

Next week, Local Food Hub will celebrate five years since its opening day. For the past half-decade, the nonprofit has been working directly with small, local farms, developing a system that distributes their products to large markets. Since its inception in 2009, Local Food Hub has purchased more than $3 million of locally grown fruit, vegetables, meat, and eggs, and distributed it to area restaurants, grocery stores, schools, hospitals, and senior centers. Visit www.localfoodhub.org/get-involved for information on volunteering opportunities.

A midsummer night’s wine dinner 

On Saturday, July 12*, Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards is hosting an evening of cocktails, custom crush wines, and cuisine featuring the area’s freshest ingredients. The “Summer’s Eve Winemaker’s Dinner” begins at 6pm, and includes a four-course meal created by chef Amalia Scatena, each course paired with a Pippin Hill wine. The menu features shrimp mousseline tortellini, pan roasted chicken breast with grilled Albemarle peaches, and watermelon and lime granita. Tickets are $120, or $100 for Wine Club members. For more information visit www.pippin hillfarm.com/blog.

Relay says goodbye to Whole Foods  

Since its humble beginnings in 2007, the Charlottesville-based online grocery service Relay Foods has relied heavily on local businesses and grocery stores like Whole Foods to enhance its food supply. The startup has expanded to include pickup locations and distribution centers across the region. But it’s time for the business to stand on its own two feet. Last week, president and co-founder Arnie Katz announced that Relay will sever all ties with Whole Foods, a step toward becoming an independent grocery store and no longer relying on chains. Relay is phasing out Whole Foods brands 365, 365 Organic, and Whole Foods Market, and while the products can’t be replaced, Katz assured customers that Relay has “worked hard to improve our selection to provide you with very close alternatives.”

Cider to the danger zone

As if the tongue-in-cheek renditions of classic ’80s songs performed by Charlottesville’s bluegrass band Love Canon weren’t enough, the group is now taking a stand to promote the importance of Virginia farmers and local products. Last week, Love Canon announced its new partnership with Bold Rock Hard Cider, the 2-year-old cidery in Nelson County that crafts internationally acclaimed hard ciders crafted with Virginia apples. Bold Rock’s new taproom and outdoor stage are still under construction, but after its August opening, Love Canon will host a number of music events, so you can sip a glass of Crimson Ridge while rocking out to a fiddle-enhanced performance of Kenny Loggins, Cyndi Lauper, and ZZ Top classics.

*A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the event will be held on Saturday, July 14. 

Categories
News

Hardy Drive murder suspect surrenders

Avery F. Gray, 39, has been charged with first-degree murder after surrendering to police earlier this week. Photo: Charlottesville Police

A man wanted in connection with the May homicide on Hardy Drive turned himself in on Monday, June 30, according to Charlottesville Police Lieutenant Ronnie Roberts. Avery F. Gray, 39, has been charged with first-degree murder in the May 17 death of 36-year-old Charlottesville resident Oscar Nathaniel Brown. At press time, a preliminary hearing date had not been set. 

In mid-June, police arrested 29-year-old Buckingham resident Brittany Deshawna Alamo, who had also been sought in connection with Brown’s death. According to court records, she has been charged with being an accessory after the fact in a felony and with destroying evidence and is scheduled to appear in Charlottesville District Court on August 7.

Brown’s death was the second homicide in one week, following the May 10 death of Antonio Lamar Washington, who was stabbed in a late-night altercation at Alhamraa restaurant. Nineteen-year-old Taneak Quvaughn Turner, arrested June 2 in Spotsylvania County, is charged with first degree murder and multiple other felonies in Washington’s death. A second man, Antwan Terrell Roberts, has been charged with principal in the second degree to first degree murder and with malicious wounding in connection with the homicide, according to court records. Both men are also scheduled to appear on August 7 in Charlottesville District Court.

Categories
Arts

July First Fridays Guide

First Fridays is a monthly art event featuring exhibit openings at many Downtown art galleries and additional exhibition venues. Several spaces offer receptions. Listings are compiled in collaboration with Piedmont Council for the Arts. To list an exhibit, please send information two weeks before opening to arts@c-ville.com.

First Fridays: July 4th, 2014.

C’Ville Arts 118 E. Main St. “Wings and Things,” jewelry by Stephen Dalton. 6-8pm.

McGuffey Art Center 201 Second St. NW. “Summer Group Show” featuring work from McGuffey members. 5:30-7:30pm.

JULY 11th OPENINGS

CitySpace 100 Fifth St. NE. “VSA Annual Art Show,” collaborative exhibit with artwork from VSA members. 5:30-7pm.

WVTF and Radio IQ Studio Gallery 216 W. Water St. New City Arts presents “Souvenir,” mixed media works by Laura Snyder. 5-7pm.

OTHER EXHIBITS

Angelo 220 East Main St. “Urban Paintings,” new paintings by Krista Townsend. Opening reception July 5, 4-6pm.

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection 400 Worrell Dr. “We Are Tiwi” featuring artists from the communities of Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi on Melville Island.

Les Yeux du Monde 841 Wolf Trap Rd. “Amazonas,” paintings by Barry Gordon, Gwyn Kohr, Kathy Kuhlmann, Lindsey Oberg, Patte Ormsby, Martha Saunders, and Elizabeth Schoyer. 

Pigment 1229 Harris St. #13. “Parvum,” mixed media works by Justin Poe. Opening reception July 12, 4-6pm.

Spring Street Boutique 107 W. Main St. “A Collection of Works,” featuring 14 artists of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Art Association.

Warm Springs Gallery 105 Third St. NE. “Man’s Best Friend, Cat or Dog?” featuring the work of 8 invited artists who explore the relationship between people and their pets. A benefit for the Albemarle SPCA. 6-8pm.