Pick: Art lessons
“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before,” says graphic novelist Neil Gaiman. Second Street Gallery has brightened our community for over 45 years, and while we cannot currently enjoy its compelling displays in person, SSG offers us plenty to look at through its digital initiatives and art exercises […]
Homecoming: Sex and self-love during the coronavirus pandemic
By Lisa Speidel Navigating the coronavirus pandemic has proven challenging as we figure out social distancing, homeschooling, Zoom meetings, maintaining our health and minimizing breakdowns from cabin fever. Sex may be the last thing on our minds. Maybe we have kids at home and little privacy with our partners—or by the time the kids are […]
Shut down: UVA’s dining hall employees unceremoniously dumped by Aramark
By Sydney Halleman When Cece Cowan first heard about Aramark Dining Services, the company that contracts with UVA to staff its dining halls, she was impressed. Cowan liked the global reach of the company and its potential relocation opportunities, especially Georgia, where she wanted to buy a house for herself and her three small children. […]
In brief: Stay home
Settle in “Our message today is very clear: That is to stay home,” said Governor Ralph Northam at the beginning of a March 30 press conference. On March 27, the governor issued Executive Order 53, which shut down schools for the rest of the year, closed all “non-essential” businesses, and asked everyone to social distance, […]
Welcome home: Our guide to city neighborhoods
By Charlie Burns, Carol Diggs, Brielle Entzminger, Ben Hitchcock, Laura Longhine, and Erin O’Hare Life here in Charlottesville has changed drastically since we began working on this feature about city neighborhoods, more than a month ago. But if anything, our neighborhoods have become more important. With schools and many businesses closed, we’ve all retreated to […]
In brief: City changes, missing masks, budget burdens, and more
Suddenly, a new normal Just two weeks ago—two weeks ago!—our schools were open, our basketball team was eyeing a tournament run, and our restaurants were dusting off the patio furniture for long evenings of springtime outdoor dining. But thanks to the spread of the infectious and dangerous novel coronavirus, Charlottesville has had to quickly adjust […]
Sculpture and shadows: Renee Balfour’s “New Work” evokes a haunting stillness
By Ramona Martinez The 11 wood sculptures that make up Renee Balfour’s “New Work” at McGuffey Art Center have a haunting stillness. Hung around the main gallery, some white and some unpainted, they are reminiscent of bones and fossilized plants—like prehistoric objects suspended in time. The exhibition is full of contradictions, or maybe polarities: seemingly […]
Hitting home: Coronavirus closings rattle Charlottesville
Virginia reported its first two coronavirus cases on March 9. By March 13, Charlottesville and Albemarle’s governments had each declared a local state of emergency and Governor Ralph Northam had ordered all public schools in Virginia to close for at least two weeks. Charlottesville’s first positive COVID-19 case was announced on March 16, and as […]
Coronavirus coverage
What’s happening…and what’s not
In an effort to contain the growing coronavirus/COVID-19 threat, a lot is shifting. Schools are closed, government proceedings are different, local venues are cancelling and postponing events, and local shops and restaurants are closing or pivoting to different business models. We’ll keep you updated as best we can on this page. On Monday, March 30, […]
Pick: Adventures in Beekeeping
Honey do: Ian Henry and Buzz Barnett get hive minded in their lighthearted Adventures in Beekeeping talk, discussing honey production and the importance of these hard-working insects to our ecosystem and food sources (a fact that can’t be overstated these days). The pair promises to indulge their swarm of listeners in a local honey tasting […]
Pick: Spider Mites of Jesus
Heart of an icon: If you have connections to Richmond or know your Virginia history, you’ve probably heard of Dirtwoman. He had an eventful life, suffering from spinal meningitis as an infant, working as a drag prostitute as a teenager, and defecating in the back of a police car to earn his nickname. Having screened […]
Pick: The Mousetrap
Agatha twistie: The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play for a good reason. It’s an Agatha Christie original, set in a manor house that’s isolated by a blizzard—a perfect setup for a thrilling plot of deduction. The play has a famously secret and surprising twist, one that Christie herself took pains to keep under wraps. […]
Pick: Nightcleaning
Zest for life: You’ve probably seen Denise Stewart around town. Sometimes she’s sporting a big bouffant and a sequined leotard as one-half of the bawdy comedy duo the Tip-Top Twins. She’s also glanced sideways at a scandalously unclothed Ken doll as she plays a younger version of herself in Dirty Barbie and Other Girlhood Tales. […]
Pick: Swing Into Spring
Swing by: An all-star lineup of local musicians joins the Albemarle High School Jazz Ensemble for Swing Into Spring, an annual evening of jazz standards and pop and R&B hits that includes Terri Allard, 14 Stories, Charles Owens, and Michael Elswick, and will have you cutting a rug in the aisles. Money raised from this […]
Getting real: CHS students join Robert Shetterly in truth-teller exhibition
By Charles Burns arts@c-ville.com In this age of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” there are few values more precious than complete honesty. Robert Shetterly, an American artist, realizes this more than most. Years ago, Shetterly embarked on an ambitious project: a portrait series of citizens committed to addressing pressing issues with the kind of remarkable […]
Through the music: Shagwüf gets darker and heavier in response to local traumas
By Sean McGoey arts@c-ville.com The section of Fourth Street Southeast that bears Heather Heyer’s name still invokes painful memories of August 12, 2017. Shagwüf bassist and vocalist Sally Rose was among the throng protesting against the Unite the Right rally that day. “There’ve been few times where I’ve been scared like that in my life,” […]
In Brief: IMPACT takes on ICE, infiltrators at SURJ, City Manager fires back
Making an IMPACT “It has been almost four years since the father of my kids was deported to Mexico due to his stay in the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail,” said Fanny Smedlie, reading a statement from her friend Karla Lopez. Smedlie, a member of the Executive Committee of the Church of the Incarnation, addressed a […]
Arm’s length: Hug man goes on hiatus over coronavirus concerns
To the community: Due to the approach of the coronavirus, the hug-man will be suspending hugs on the mall until further notice. Because of what I do, I cannot take precautions between each hug to prevent spreading or catching the virus, and it is an ideal way to spread it. And I don’t want […]
Pick: New Works Festival
Fresh perspectives: Student playwrights, screenwriters, choreographers, musicians, and more get their chance to have the fruits of their creative labors appreciated in UVA’s The New Works Festival. This year’s plays feature ruminations on the risks of first dates; a fantasy written from a child’s perspective; a therapizing Uber driver; and a quest for workers’ solidarity. […]
Funny words: Expanding how we learn about sexuality
By Lisa Speidel What is the right way to talk about human sexuality? This debate is as timely and fiercely contentious as ever. Whether sex education is coming from parents or schools, many disagree on what is appropriate content. In the United States, each state mandates what is acceptable for sex education curricula, which means […]
Arts Pick: Ian Rynecki
Rolling in dough: Get your hands on some dough under the guidance of executive chef Ian Rynecki as he teaches the art of pierogi making. The traditional Eastern European dumpling can be stuffed with savory or sweet filling, and you’ll get a couple drink tickets to accompany the rolling. Participants are invited to sit down […]
Arts Pick: Bubbles, Brews and Barbecue
Be there: Bouncing, bubbly, beers, barbecue, blues, and Boar’s Head Resort meet in a family-friendly event around the lake behind the hotel. On the docket for Bubbles, Brews and Barbecue? Nearly 30 craft beers, a selection of sparkling wines, and a smoker full of slow-cooked meat (started the day before). Just ease back with a […]
Arts Pick: Men on Boats
New territory: Men on Boats tells the story of four explorers’ heroic quest to chart the whitewater rivers that make up the Grand Canyon. Set in 1869, the play calls itself the “true(ish)” story of Civil War Captain John Wesley Powell and his brave crew’s attempt to map out one of our most magnificent national […]
In brief: Fire fighters fight the budget, Barracks bikers, and more
Money talks City Manager Tarron Richardson presented his proposed budget for fiscal year 2021 at the City Council meeting on March 2. If that sentence made you yawn, we understand—but the tail end of the hours-long council meeting represents the beginning of the end of the budget cycle, some of the more important city business […]
Arts Pick: The Indie Short Film Series
Best short-timers: The Indie Short Film Series includes highly regarded festival selections as well as local productions such as The Devil’s Harmony, Best International Short Film award winner at Sundance. A disquieting tale of a bullied teenage girl enacting revenge on her enemies and abusers, the movie promises to stick with you long after its […]
Arts Pick: Dan Deacon
Circling back: Dan Deacon has been working his synth-pop magic for nearly two decades. From the self-released CD-Rs of his student days to the hyperactive live shows made legendary through audience participation, Deacon is an established trailblazer in electronic music. At a 2010 Charlottesville appearance, C-VILLE’s James Ford reported that the DJ/composer “led the sweaty […]