jacksonville center news

Information on the Sustainable Living Education Center

2007-03-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

The Sustainable Living Education Center, (SLEC), at the Jacksonville Center campus is offering a unique, hands-on educational experience in the construction of a straw bale building. The building was started in 2005 as a class project by Leon Davis, who was a Virginia Tech architectural student at the time. Upon completion, this building will be a SLEC demonstration exhibit. SLEC already has a working wind generator, solar panels and a rain water collection system already in place.

Leon Davis’s interest in green building comes from his past experience working with rammed earth and visiting straw bale structures around the United States. After graduating, Leon spent the following year working on Mt. Rainer in Washington as a climbing guide. Now, before returning to Washington for another climbing season, Leon has returned to Floyd for the next five weeks finishing the plastering on the straw bales.

Since the building process is intended to be educational, if you are interested in straw bale construction and plastering, this is the best time to learn and ask questions. Leon is looking for volunteers to help with the plastering. No experience is necessary and an extra set of hands is always appreciated. Please contact Leon by email at leonvernondavis@gmail.com or call The Center at 745-2784 to leave a message for him. Volunteers should bring a lunch and a pair of durable rubber gloves (not the dishwashing kind).

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2007-03-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

hi everyone
hope you are well

here are Chris C. and Chris L. playing in the silo yesterday

many thanks to all who made this weekend's events at the Jacksonville Center so interesting and fun.

bye, have a great day and thanks for reading. -Suzy

Press release from Studio Row & the Traces Library

2007-03-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

The Jacksonville Center welcomes you to a reception on Friday, March 23

Studio artists at Jacksonville Center will hold a New Works reception on Friday, March 23 from 5-7 pm. Glass artist Linda Osborne will highlight her personal bead collection and her wide variety of jewelry and handmade bead items. Sarah McCarthy, home from displaying at the New Jersey arts and crafts show, will show her gas fired pottery vases, bowls, glasses and tableware. Wood fired pottery will be just a part of McCabe Coolidge's functional works display. And Karen Day will show handmade books.

In addition guest artists will share the studio spaces. Look for Gretchen St. Lawrence's pastels, Anne Vaughn's jewelry, Glenda and Don George with shibori fabric and wood working. Traces Library Open House will be highlighted by Suzy Nees and live music will be provided by Billy Miller.

Traces Library installation sites during this event include studio 119, the silo conservatory, and the Maple, Oak, and Kentucky Coffee rooms in the Center's residence building. Leon Davis will also be answering questions and hosting tours during this event to introduce visitors to the Jacksonville Center's straw bale building, which is in the final stages of completion.

Refreshments offered in abundance, all at Jacksonville Center just south of town on Route 8. This is a free event, and all are welcome!

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Discover your local ambient library!

2007-03-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

Ideapark.org press release
For immediate release - March 15, 2007

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The Traces library for creative literacy is currently housed in studio 119 and in the student residence building at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, Virginia. Traces is a public art project and ambient library designed to foster awareness about land care, cultural conservation, and sustainable, compassionate living.

From now until April 1, visitors at the Traces reading room in studio 119 will find artwork, writings, antique maps and locally made musical instruments on display along with furnishings from the collection of the Traces library. This exhibit is open to the public from 9 to 5 on weekdays and noon to 5 on Saturdays.

Other items from the Traces library collection are also installed in the Oak and Maple rooms of the Jacksonville Center's residence building, known to some as the Little House at the Jacksonville Center. The Oak and Maple rooms of the Little House will be open to visitors on March 23 and April 14, 2007. Music samples, ceramic work, Japanese handicrafts, and stone sculpture are just a few of the exhibit items to be found in the Oak and Maple rooms during this installation.

On the evening of Friday, March 23, 2007, a free public reception will be held at the Jacksonville Center to celebrate a collection of new works now on display on Studio Row on the first level of the main building at the Jacksonville Center. These works include handmade books, photography, drawings, ceramic work and much more. Live music and refreshments are being offered during this event, and all are welcome.

The Jacksonville Center is located about 1/2 mile south of the stoplight in Floyd. For more information on the Jacksonville Center, please call 540-745-2784 or visit their website at www.jacksonvillecenter.org.

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2007-02-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

images - scenes from the Traces almost-spring exhibit & celebration on February 24 at the Jacksonville Center.

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Spring is nigh! Come celebrate with us.

2007-02-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

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You are invited

to an art & music party
at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, Virginia
on Saturday, February 24 2007
from noon to 5 pm.

Hosted by audiopark.org and friends of the
Traces library for creative literacy

All are welcome! Please join us as we...

...enjoy old & new music from Virginia and around the world

...trade art cards etc. and browse through the
Traces library collection

...celebrate democracy, independent learning,
community ties, and the miracle of Spring.

If you like, bring: CD's, musical instruments,
art cards, barter goods, snack items, friends!

Free live music will begin at 2 pm.
Hope to see you there!

Location: Jacksonville Center residence building,
221 Parkway Lane South, Floyd, VA

To learn more about the Jacksonville Center
in Floyd, please call 540-745-2784 or visit
jacksonvillecenter.org.

To learn more about this event, please visit
audiopark.org > news.

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News post from RTM

2006-12-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

hi everyone
I just read something in the Floyd Press about new things happening with the Round the Mountain Artisan Network...below is a bit of copy.
Many thanks to everyone who made the Winterfest such a fun event.
-Suzy

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Abingdon - Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Network (RTM) is now recruiting membership from throughout the region's artisan communities.

Diana Blackburn, Executive Director of this non-profit organization, is excited to be at this point.

"The Steering Committee, Board of Directors, and staff of RTM, along with artisans in the region have been working toward this movement for over a year.

RTM defines artisans as "people who make handmade objects without the use of kits, commercial molds, and whose primary components are not manufactured. This includes producers of agricultural specialties and farmers who have a direct connection with the culture and heritage of the region."

Blackburn emphasizes, "The term "artisan" is widely used and we worked to refine the common definition to be more specific to those that we serve and to be inclusive to the many creative and talented craftspeople and farmers in our service area."

Round the Mountain serves the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, Wythe, and the cities of Bristol VA, Galax, Norton, and Radford.

For more information on Round the Mountain, please call 276-492-2079.

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tags for this post - rtm artisan network

slideshow from December 3, 2006

2006-12-04T20:58:00.000-08:00

hi everyone
below is a slideshow of some pictures I took yesterday
thanks so much to everyone who made the Winterfest such a wonderful event!

Floyd slideshow - December 3

-Suzy

Winterfest and the Peace on Earth parade today

2006-12-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

hi everyone
thanks so much to everyone who joined us for Winterfest yesterday
we are celebrating again from noon to 5 pm today...
also please note - the "Peace on Earth" parade will start at 3 today (Sunday) I believe...
bye, have a wonderful day. -Suzy

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tags for this post - floyd virginia art music

help celebrate Winter this weekend in Floyd

2006-11-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

You are invited

Please join us
for a Winter celebration in Floyd, Virginia
on Saturday, December 2, and Sunday, December 3, 2006

These are free events, and all are welcome!

Venues

the Jacksonville Center

Winterfest will be taking place all day at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd this coming Saturday and Sunday. Exquisite ceramic work by Sarah McCarthy and many other talented Floyd artists will be offered for sale, along with a wide assortment of locally created artwork, music, and craft items. Please phone the Jacksonville Center to learn more about the exciting music lineup for Winterfest this year!

Café del Sol

A public reception for Suzy Nees’ 2006-2007 Winter exhibit will take place on Saturday from 5 to 7 pm. Billy Miller will play music from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

South Locust Street

A “Peace on Earth” parade will take place on Sunday afternoon at around 3 pm. Don’t miss the Pet Welfare advocates on parade!

Paper note cards, music samples, and other items from the Traces library will be distributed to the public at these and other venues on this day in celebration of the 2006-2007 Winter Giving Season.

Hope to see you there!

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About Traces

The Traces Library is a public art project and ambient library with roots in Floyd, Virginia, USA. It has been installed on the Internet since Y2K.

About Café del Sol

Café del Sol serves coffee, lunch, etc., and is located in downtown Floyd. To reach Café del Sol, please call 745-ACUP.

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Kidfest tomorrow

2006-10-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

You are Invited

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Please join us at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, Virginia on Sunday, October 29 from noon to 4 pm for the Kidfest Halloween celebration.

This is a FREE event and ALL are welcome!

Activities & events planned for this day include:

- Pumpkin customizing activities for all ages, including carving, painting, etc.
- A non-competitive costume contest
- Freaky music in the silo at 3 pm
- Much more!

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suggested queries for this post - floyd virginia art music community

scenes from the 2006 National Folk Festival

2006-10-18T01:11:00.000-07:00

hi everyone
hope you are well

here is a picture or two I just took at the National Folk Festival
this was a three-day festival that just took place in Richmond, Virginia

more images coming soon...

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image tags - Hazel Dickens, Nat Reese, (sp?), Friends of Mali, Billy Miller

Rio on the Roanoke Times webcast

2006-10-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone
Just wanted to let you know that Rio Semione is on the Roanoke Times webcast today
She is demonstrating pumpkin carving techniques similar to those she will be teaching at the Jacksonville Center this weekend

This can be viewed at roanoke.com > webcast

bye, have a great day. -Suzy

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tags for this post - floyd virginia art

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2006-10-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

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image tags - sarah mccarthy, studio 120 at the jacksonville center, floyd virginia art

Jacksonville Center news for october 4 2006

2006-10-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know that Rio Semione will be appearing in a multimedia article in the Roanoke Times next Tuesday. The Roanoke Times print version will feature information about Rio's upcoming pumpkin carving class at the Jacksonville Center, and a slide show will appear on the front page of roanoke.com that day.

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suggested queries for this page - floyd virginia jacksonville center

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2006-10-03T01:19:00.000-07:00

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National Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia

2006-09-28T00:59:00.000-07:00

hi everyone
hope you all are well

here is an image from an exhibit of work by Joseph Kelley
mukashi, mukashi*, when the traces project was installed in room 110

Joe will be at the 2006 National Folk Festival in Richmond Virginia along with several other artists, artisans and representatives of the Jacksonville Center

I believe that Joe will be giving whittling demonstrations. If you plan to come to the festival, please look for the Jacksonville Center entourage near the Crooked Road/Bull Mountain/Round the Mountain booths

hope to see you there! warm wishes, Suzy

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suggested queries for this page - floyd virginia art

Pumpkin carving at the Jacksonville Center on October 14

2006-09-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
Many thanks to all who attended the open studio event at the Jacksonville Center recently, and to visitors who have been coming to see the Pennies of Promise installation.

Below is some news on a pumpkin carving class my friend Rio will be teaching soon.

bye, have a wonderful day.
-Suzy

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Pumpkin carving class at the Jacksonville Center for the Arts

Saturday, October 14
12 noon - 4 pm

Suggested donation: $10 per person/20 per family

Learn fun and easy carving techniques for creating one-of-a-kind glowing sculptures from pumpkins. Floyd artist Rio Semione will demonstrate ways to use wood gouges as pumpkin carving tools. This class is open to all ages, but children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Bring your own tools if you would like, or purchase tools at the class for around $10 a set.

For more information on this class, please email Rio Semione at rio@swva.net or call the Jacksonville Center at 540 - 745 - 2784.

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tags for this post - floyd, virginia, halloween, activities

"Spotlight on Marsh Fork" press release

2006-08-29T01:12:00.000-07:00

Press release

For immediate release - August 29, 2006

Spotlight on Marsh Fork

A Traces installation in studio 124 at the Jacksonville Center, Floyd, Virginia USA.

From September 1 to 30, 2006, there will be an installation of artwork, photography, reading materials and found objects at studio 124 in Floyd, Virginia. This exhibit is designed to raise awareness about Marsh Fork Elementary and the “Pennies of Promise” campaign.

Marsh Fork is an elementary school near Sundial, West Virginia located directly in the flood-path of approximately 2 billion gallons of coal sludge. The “Pennies of Promise” campaign is focused on raising funds for a new school for the 230 children who attend Marsh Fork Elementary.

Exhibit items being displayed in studio 124 for this exhibit include:

- Coal samples from the old Hoge Mine in Montgomery County, Virginia

- Aerial photography of the Shumate sludge dam and Marsh Fork Elementary

- Work by area artists & activists, including Jeff Chapman Crane, Bo Webb, and Suzy Nees

- Reading materials related to the conservation of culture and resources

- Information on retired coal miner Ed Wiley’s walk to Washington, DC from Charleston, WV

This installation is being sponsored by the Traces Library for Creative Literacy, an ambient library and public art project focused on the ideals of democracy and compassionate, sustainable living. Web coverage for this exhibit is being provided by ideapark.org.

The Jacksonville Center is located on route 8 in Floyd, Virginia, just ½ a mile south of the stoplight. To learn more about this exhibit, please call 540.745.2784 or visit ideapark.org > news.

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tags for this post - marsh fork

photos from the Traces end-of-summer exhibit

2006-08-09T07:45:00.000-07:00

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press release - Chris Shackelford at Over the Moon Gallery in Floyd

2006-08-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Chris Shackelford Show Opens

In its fifth show of the year, Over The Moon Gallery is featuring the sculpture of local artist Chris Shackelford from August 11^th through the 28^th. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday the 19^th.

Mrs. Shackelford is a well known figure in the Virginia arts scene in her role as Educational Programming Director at the Jacksonville Center and as an arts instructor in various forums on the East Coast. Due to her passion for promoting the arts, few in the local community are aware of her hard earned credentials as a sculptor and her exceptional talents in this medium.

Chris Shackelford has been a sculptor since 1987 and earned a BS in Philosophy from The University of Michigan and a BFA in Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, Chris has studied at the prestigious Corcoran School of Art in Washington DC, Parsons School of Design in Paris, and Touchstone in Pennsylvania. She maintains an active exhibition schedule outside of Floyd and has taught at VCU, Corcoran and Touchstone. Chris has studied and taught with renowned sculptor Thad Moseley for over five years at Touchstone and serves as his recommended replacement to conduct the 2006 annual wood carving course. Like most sculptors, Chris is fully immersed in process and her teaching style reflects great reverence for her materials and equal respect for students’ personal and artistic goals. Chris and her family live in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, an area which continuously inspire and inform her work in wood, stone and clay.

Chris will be demonstrating on Saturday, August 12^th from 12 noon-4pm. The reception on Saturday September 19^th is open to the public and will be open from 6:30 until 9:00PM. Additional information can be obtained at Over The Moon Gallery at 540-745-2782.

news for August 8

2006-08-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

hi everyone

hope you are well
I just got word that Chris S. will be having an exhibit at Over the Moon, more details on this soon

also, there will be a reception for Floyd Artists exhibit in the Hayloft Gallery this coming weekend, I will post the invite for this as well as soon as I get the chance.

in studio 124 I am installing some things related to the "Pennies of Promise" campaign for the kids at Marsh Fork Elementary near Sundial, West Virginia

these items will be up until Labor Day weekend, possibly longer if I get some financial assistance with the gallery rent. If this happens the summer exhibit stuff will get cycled out and replaced with more "Pennies" exhibit items, which will be installed until October.

If not please look for the next installment of the Traces library in Blacksburg, where I have a group exhibit of music, art & culture in the works.

Bye, thanks for reading. Have a wonderful day! -Suzy

stone & earth exhbit

2006-07-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

hi everyone

hope you are having a nice day
there is still a day or two to see the stone & earth exhibit at the jacksonville center, so please stop by if you have a chance.

many thanks to everyone who made July 22 such a wonderful event.

Dr. David Hedges brought one of those old-timey cameras which was neat
Billy & I sang a Hank Williams song together
A very cute baby showed up and Cleo made lots of new friends.

I am currently organizing some exhibits in different areas of the Jacksonville Center.
If you would be interested in participating, or adding a venue to this list, please stay tuned to my other blogs for further announcements.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely

Suzy Nees

art & music party in Floyd on Saturday, July 22

2006-07-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

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You are invited
to an art & music party
at the Jacksonville Center
in Floyd, Virginia on
Saturday, July 22
from 4 to 7 pm.

All are welcome!

Please feel free to bring:

- Friends
- Musical instruments
- Picnic things
- Art samples &tc.

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The Jacksonville Center
is located on Rt. 8 in
Floyd, just 1/2 mile
south of the stoplight.

To learn more about this
event, please call
(540) 745-2784
or visit
ideapark.org > news

Hope to see you there!

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update on July 22 events

2006-07-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

hi folks

so far we have several studios who have confirmed that they will be participating in the open studio thing on Saturday July 22 from 5 to 7

Sarah & Karl will have their place open
Also SLEC will be open and Traces will be open
I will post more information as it becomes available.

thanks for reading! -Suzy Nees