LOSTAIRE

MacLaren Jewelers is having a huge sale ...

2012-01-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

My favorite jewelry store is having a huge sale ... stop by the shop in Glen Allen (near the shoppes at Innsbrook) or visit their website: MacLarenJewelers.com

Birthday Sushi at Moshi Moshi

2011-12-16T15:02:00.000-08:00

"I SHOT DANIEL DAY-LEWIS" ~ VMFA Friends of Art Advisory Council celebrates Michael Phillips at Arcadia, Richmond, VA

2011-12-13T05:25:00.000-08:00

Washington & Lee Richmond Chapter Celebrates with President Kenneth P. Ruscio at The Jefferson

2011-12-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

Claire and Matt Gilman

Joe Oglesby and John Watlington

Friends of Art Advisory Council Member Michael Phillips Captures First Image of Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln

2011-12-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' Friends of Art Advisory Council Member Michael Phillips captured the first image of Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln last week in Richmond. This interview with WTVR CBS 6 says it all - forget that Michael is an astoundingly astute lover of Virginia history - he is also a fantastic orator and shows incredible poise in front of the camera! People - these traits do not always exist in the same person! (I'm thinking Michael's talent puts him somewhere in the same lunchroom with Thomas Jefferson and Alex Nyerges!) It's no wonder that Michael was chosen to represent our fine museum with the Friends of Art. The chaos and excitement of his fantastic photo has made for a very exciting start to what is all ready a very exciting month!!! Congrats, Michael!

Hollins Richmond Chapter = Exam Care Packages

2011-12-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

I sort of wish I was doing this right now ... even though I would never do this ...

2011-11-28T10:23:00.001-08:00

Latin American Art Day at VMFA ~ October 29th, 2011

2011-11-06T07:19:00.000-08:00

Christian Benefiel and a mini- St. Cat's reunion at 1708 Gallery

2011-11-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sweet 16 was a total blur - Kay and Carey haven't actually seen eachother since that party in Kay's basement after 8th grade graduation. Manic Panic blue hair dye, anyone?

(Kay and Carey at 1708 Gallery)

Fantastic chat with Christian Benefiel - he uses a lot of maritime items to create inflating and deflating pieces. I particularly enjoyed his interactive piece based on a photo he saw of stacked bombs in Libya. The arrangement of the bombs seemed so casual - and his interpretation reminded me of a wine rack wind tunnel. Fascinating!

So much of Christian's art reminded me of what I had just seen slides of the night before - Tristan Lowe's work with inflatable forms. (Minus the clowns.)

And after at COMFORT!!!

(Kay, Carey and Lizzie)

Tristan Lowe Speaks at VMFA

2011-10-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

John Ravenal (Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at VMFA) played James Lipton with Tristan Lowe in the Cheek Theatre's Artist's Studio-style interview last night. It was a fascinating chat - definitely unlike any other I've heard at the VMFA.

Susan S. and Lizzie O.

Steven and Lanre

Susan, Carey and Lizzie

Susan, Carey, Lizzie + Mocha Dick by Tristan Lowe

The thing I love most about the artists' talks at the VMFA is that you can stick around and chat with the artists as they walk out of the theatre. I snapped this pic of Tristan and his lovely friend (will insert name after I remember) - I think I blinded the guy - he blinked right on cue so I've made him some sunglasses for this pic. Hope he will enjoy them.

Breast Cancer is a WITCH!!! Open House at 5807 - One Thing At A Time!!!

2011-10-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

Every year The Shops at 5807 host a Halloween - themed open house with proceeds benefitting the VCU Massey Cancer Center. It's always a lot of fun!

Sally, Carey, Frances & Rebecca

(Amazing selection of vintage coats for sale at 5807!!!)

Ladies bid on amazingly decorated witch hats with proceeds going to Massey. This hat came with a cool witchy hand!

Sally, Carey & Lizzie

My friend Sara Parsons just opened her new shop this summer, One Thing At A Time, inside the shops at 5807. She sells awesome stationery and does custom design invitations, etc. I bought some cute cocktail napkins from her last night! So much fun! Thank you, 5807!!!

Tristan Lowe TONIGHT at the VMFA!

2011-10-27T04:31:00.000-07:00

Day + Time: Thu October 27, 2011 7 – 8 pm

Location:   Leslie Cheek Theater
Cost:    $8 (VMFA members $5) Free for members of Canvas and Friends of Art, but tickets required
Description:    Tristin Lowe discusses his artistic vision and process, including the creation of his giant whale, Mocha Dick, with John Ravenal, Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Funded in part by Canvas and Friends of Art.

Tinker Day 2011 Pre-Celebration in Richmond!!!

2011-10-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

We [heart] Tinker Day!

Tinker Day Dog!!! (Holly - named after Hollins!!!)

Savon brought Tinker Cake!!! (Courtesy of Martins!)

Krispy Kreme, of course!!!

Kids were wearing their Tinker Day flair!! Class of 2021!!

Thanks for celebrating on such a beautiful fall day at Deep Run!

Oh how I love the BBC ...

2011-10-18T12:43:00.001-07:00

In the Richmond Free Press!!! Burlesque at VMFA still news!

2011-10-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Sandra Sellers & Richmond Free Press for this photo!

Fabulousness...

2011-10-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Hollins University - Richmond Chapter welcomes President Nancy Oliver Gray and Vice President for Enrollment Stefanie Niles

2011-10-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Lizzie Oglesby, Sally Ashby and Ashlee Kneip

Hollins University's Richmond Chapter at Westwood Club, September 28th, 2011

A lovely luncheon for President Gray and the new Vice President for Enrollment, Stefanie Niles

Ann Cassell introduced President Gray...

Delicious quiche!!!

Wonderful words from President Gray! Very inspiring. And a great intro for Stefanie Niles!

It was so great to listen to Stefanie Niles - great news from Hollins!

Thanks to everyone who made this luncheon possible!

Revealed: The BEST yet! Faberge Burlesque at the VMFA ...

2011-09-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard the name Julianne Zimmerman, you must not be spending enough time at the VMFA. She's the brains (and the beauty!) behind the Friends of Art - AND - the genius behind the recent and insanely successful Faberge Burlesque. Congrats, Julianne!

(L to R: Lizzie Oglesby and Julianne Zimmerman at Best Cafe before the show)

Holy Handsomeness!!! Here are just a few of the good-lookin' guys on the Friends of Art Advisory Council

(L to R: Michael, Graham and Lanre)

(L to R: Lizzie O. and Allison S.)

The scene at Best before the show

Enthusiastic VMFA Employees!

(L to R: Lanre, Kerry and Elias)

Best Snacks! I highly recommend the tomato and mozeralla panini!

Lookin' good in the neighborhood: Sara and Graham!

(L to R: Kerry and Lizzie)

(L to R: Graham, Michael, Sara, Lanre and Sam.)

TWO WORDS:

SOLD OUT!

Woah! Our names were in the program! Nice!

(L to R: Sara, Michael, Britney and Sam.)

(L to R: Lizzie, Stephen, Kerry and Elias)

Julianne on stage!!!

More costumes from the VMFA peeps!

This is my fav pic of the night.

After party at Best: Ashley M., Sam J., Julianne Z. and Lanre A.)

My new friend ~ Magnolia Jackson Pickett Burnside!!!

Big party at Best, inside and outside!!!!

Fans of Julianne!

Spellbinding: Eliza and Molly

After, Afterparty, at Can Can: Kerry, Lanre, Lizzie, Magnolia and Graham

The cast of Faberge Burlesque!!!

A fantastic time was had by all!!!

Thanks again, VMFA!!!!

xo LO

Faberge Burlesque Pre-Party at CanCan!!!

2011-09-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - I said I was going to edit these - but I'm too busy planning my outfit for Friday!

The Friends of Art Advisory Council got together last week at Can Can to celebrate the tremendous coup d'état that is the first ever burlesque show at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts!

Many celebratory beverages were consumed - but not by Alison who is pregnant with TWINS! As they say ... o.m.g.

Best watch in Richmond - this item just keeps catching my eye - and right on theme, you can purchase these beauties at a little French store we all love, Target.

This was really fun. It was like the last day of summer - Can Can had their windows open and a few of us stayed for dinner - FRITES!!!

Be sure to look for Julianne (Genius) Zimmerman at the burlesque show - and thank her for making it happen! The VMFA is truly lucky to have this gal! (L to R: Julianne, Ashley and Lizzie)

I can't wait to see what Lanre wears on Friday! He will be lookin' sharp, no doubt, as the runway model face of the FOAAC!

I somehow managed to avoid taking a pic of Graham - he is definitely worthy of a small portfolio for organizing this event. I will have my camera with me Friday night!

Revealed: Faberge Burlesque!

2011-09-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

“Revealed: Faberge Burlesque” will be at 8 p.m. on Sept. 23 in the Leslie Cheek Theatre at VMFA.

A pre-performance social will be in the Best Café at 6 p.m. and a cast party will follow at 8 p.m.

This performance is adult entertainment.

Tickets are $5 for Friends of Art Members, $8 for VMFA member and $12 for non-members.

Tickets may be purchased at www.vmfa.museum or by calling 804.340.1405.

Excitement at the VMFA! Giant Whales and Interpretive Dance Happenings....

2011-08-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Two of my favorite support groups at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will be co-hosting artist Tristan Lowe’s conversation with curator John Ravenal on Thursday, October 27^th, at 7-8pm. Please join the Friends of Art and Canvas for this incredible opportunity.

Ticket information coming soon!!!! Photo of Mocha Dick courtesy of the VMFA website.

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS, ladies and gents!

Picasso's got NOTHIN' on what's comin' up next at the VMFA!!!

REVEALED: THE DANCE OF THE IMPERIAL EGGS

an interpretive dance performance

inspired by the VMFA's collection of Faberge's Imperial Easter Eggs

Friday, September 23^rd 7-9pm

The show will feature six dancers and a host from the Richmond Institute of Burlesque.

Ticket info to come!

I am so excited about this event, and cannot wait to see it set in stone on the VMFA calendar. For my own purposes here, I have created a name for the event, as it is currently without one. This event will truly help ignite further interest in the current and fantastic exhibit, Faberge Revealed. After speaking with a few of the folks who attended the Faber Brunch, I realized there is concern that the Faberge show is not drawing the broad attention that Picasso pulled in, nor will it get as many people through the door of the VMFA. I'm so glad to see so many related events to cushion this show, and according to the VMFA website that many of the events sold out! Keep up the good work, VMFA - and thank you to the Friends of Art for keeping the new program ideas coming. The single idea of including a dance performance, as opposed to endless lectures and films about Faberge, will surely stir new interest and bring new faces into our museum.

Photo of The Minksy Sisters - from their youtube video. Click here to see the full video.

Faber Brunch! I highly recommend!!! Faberge at the VMFA ...

2011-07-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

So the food is nothing special, but Twyla Kitts' talk is well worth getting up on a Saturday morning and heading over to the VMFA ... great mimosas and poinsettias!

If you missed the first Faber Brunch, not to worry!

There will be two more during the current show!

This is well worth the $15 for members or $30 for non. The lecture is fantastic. It paints an excellent picture of the jeweler and of the time period and themes that shaped his work.

Day + Time

Sat July 16, 2011 10 – 11:30 am

August 06, 2011 10 – 11:30 am
Sat September 17, 2011 10 – 11:30 am

Location
Claiborne-Robertson RoomWithVMFA Educators

Cost
$30 (VMFA members $15)
This program repeats three times; tickets must be purchased for each individual date listed. This is not a series ticket.

Description
Learn the basics of Fabergé—from the firm's history to enamel techniques—during a continental brunch. Includes admission to the exhibition, Fabergé Revealed.

Visit VMFA for tickets or click here

And a Happy Anniversary it is ...

2011-07-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

Click here to watch our wedding slideshow! Thank you Patricia Lyons!!!

Finally some fun - First Friday July 2011

2011-07-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

More party pics ... and why we should be thanking the VMFA!

2011-07-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

Photos by Julianne Zimmerman

If you haven't read this - enjoy - and thank your VMFA for injecting $29 Mill into our local economy.

Click here to read more!

The Young Brigade: The Friends of Art Advisory Council wants YOU to enjoy "YOUR ART"

2011-06-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

This might be my fav pic.

The party last week for the new Friends of Art Advisory Council was lovely!

Thanks so much to all of the many museum employees who attended! It was fantastic to meet everyone and see some old faces as well as new ones! I'm looking forward to an exciting year of event planning and all things VMFA! xo LO

Not pictured: My fav VMFA volunteer Ashley Mason!!!! Click here to see an old pic of her, with Julianne. Ashley, how did I not get a pic of you!?!?!?

Denise Bethel at VMFA

2011-06-20T04:55:00.000-07:00

Incredible - nearly 2 hour lecture with powerpoint

Lots of family, friends and teachers from the past!

Lizzie O. and Denise Bethel

Do not miss this: Denise Bethel, Director of Photographs at Sotheby's NYC speaks at the VMFA, Thursday June 2nd!!!

2011-05-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

New York City, 1969, Garry Winogrand (American, 1928 – 1984)

Day + Time

June 02, 2011 6 – 7 pm

Location

Leslie Cheek Theater

With

Denise Bethel, Director of the Photographs Department, Sotheby's New York

Cost

$8 (VMFA members $5)

Description

Denise Bethel discusses the history of photography, current market trends in photography, and collecting photographs as an artistic medium.

Visit the VMFA website to buy your tickets now!!! Before they sell out!!!

Best Google Ever - Martha Grahams 117th birthday!!!

2011-05-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

Watch the performance at http://www.google.com/!

Cheers to Kate the Great!!!

2011-04-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

To Kate! The picture of perfection!

3 awesome things in the world right now: Movie about my favorite cave in theaters April 29th, 2011 - VMFA Julian Schnabel lecture Thursday tomorrow night - And OMG IT'S RESTAURANT WEEK IN RICHMOND, VA!!!

2011-04-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Chauvet Cave played a big role in the inspiration for my thesis at SCAD - I am dying to see this film!!! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1664894/

I've got a golden ticket to see this guy tomorrow night at the VMFA: Artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel sits down with VMFA curator John Ravenal to discuss his painting, career, and the work of Picasso. Presented on the occasion of the exhibitions Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée Picasso and Apocalypse: Monumental Paintings of the 1980s, a collections-based exhibition featuring Schnabel’s 18-foot painting on black velvet, Understanding Self-Hate (1982).

And ............. last but not least ................. it's Restaurant Week in Richmond, VA!!!

Go here to find out which restaurants are participating : http://richmondrestaurantweek.com/restaurants-menus.aspx

All day amazement - thank you puppy cam!

2011-04-26T09:17:00.001-07:00

Live TV by Ustream

Things that make you go hmmm ... at the VMFA!

2011-04-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Olio in Richmond, Virginia ~ First Friday Art Walk April 2011 ~ Final Four at City Limit

2011-04-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Olio ~ the food was fantastic! We went for the wine pairing event - you have to call in advance during the week to reserve and they go ahead and charge your credit card. Well worth it!
Get on their mailing list for the invitation to their First Fridays wine events - copied below is the email:

First Friday Wine Dinner Series! April 1st from 6pm-7:30pm we'll explore four wonderfully traditional Italians... menu is below, please call us ASAP with any major credit card to purchase your ticket ($30, inc tax)!

Francine Kahng, our guest presenter, is the Import Manager for DC/VAat Palm Bay International, a leading importer of Italian wine to the US market. Palm Bay's portfolio is comprehensive and boutique-focused, with representative wines from nearly every Italian wine-making region, and at our April 1st wine dinner we will sample wines from a different region with every course. Francine has traveled to Italy extensively and will regale us with her experiences from the birthplace of wine, Oenotria. Francine is a graduate of Tulane University with a BA in English& Writing and a Masters from George Washington, and has over twenty years of experience the fine wine industry.

Course 1
Mandra Rossa Pinot Grigio, Sicily... Paired with Crab, Scallop & Saffron Risotto

Course 2
Bertani Valpolicella Veneto... Paired with Garbanzo Gazpacho w. Spicy Marscapone and Avocado Drizzle

Course 3
Sella Mosca Terrare, Sardinia...Paired with Piccata Penne w. Tuscan Olives & Fresh Parsley

Course 4
Feudi d San Gregoria Primitivo Campania... Paired w. Selection of Italian Fruits and Cheeses

First Fridays ~ Everyone was wearin' BLACK AND YELLA

Cutest RAMS on the block ~ Diana and friends at QUIRK!

RAMS party at City Limit

The ladies at City Limit were all wearin' Black and Yella

Lizzie and Sally

Best sliders ever!

My friend John started the catchy chant "Ram it up the Butler!"

A fun time was had by all.

Thanks to all of the volunteers who made the VMFA booth in the Art of Learning tent a big success!!!

2011-04-11T05:08:00.000-07:00

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts had a booth at the Fool for Art festival this past Saturday, April 9th, at John Tyler Community College. Thank you so much to all of the volunteers who braved the chilly weather to help with Picasso table at this event!!! The kids really appreciated it, and had a blast making Picasso-inspired faces on little head-shaped canvases!!!

Thursday night, April 7th ~ VMFA Friends of Art ~ Intro to Picasso 6pm at the VMFA

2011-04-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

April 07, 2011 6 – 8:30 pm

Location: Conference Room One, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
With John Ravenal, Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

Cost: Tickets are free for Friends of Art members, non-VMFA member guests are $20 in cash or check (written out to VMFA) payable onsite prior to the introduction.RegistrationSpace is limited, so reservations are required. Please RSVP at FriendsofArt@vmfa.museum by Thursday, April 7th at 5pm. DescriptionJoin Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, John Ravenal, for an introduction to the Picasso exhibition exclusively for Friends of Art members and their guests. After the introduction and questions, you are free to tour the exhibition at your own pace.

After you enjoy the exhibition, enjoy a drink at Amuse! Meet in the cocktail lounge at 7:30 pm and you can purchase a drink if you wish, and discuss the show with all your new Friends. You are also invited to stop by Best Café for Jazz Café; featuring the Steve Kessler Trio. Remember to bring your membership card to receive a 10% discount.

Vote for "Rocket Scientist" by Tray Eppes!!!

2011-04-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

Click here to vote!

Astronaut Serenade: 'My Baby's a Rocket Scientist'

04.01.11 (From NASA's Wesbite - http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/researchernews/rn_epps.html)

By: Jim Hodges

It began when Tray Eppes met Kelly Murphy through their music interests and a friendship ensued.

It advanced to this in 2005:

"I tell you my baby, she’s got what it takes
to work it out in her head and make no mistakes.
To figure what’s up, she’ll turn it inside out.
My baby makes me want to jump and shout.
She’s got looks and brains. I can’t resist.
My baby’s a Rocket Scientist."

From among 1,350 entries, "Rocket Scientist" is No. 3 on the list of the 10 finalists being voted upon by the public in a contest being conducted by NASA. The top two songs will be played for astronauts on the next space shuttle mission: STS-134, due to launch on April 19.

Tray Eppes grew up in Newport News, where NASA Langley "was the neighborhood business." Now he lives in central Virginia and has written a song that is in a NASA contest with a prize of being played to astronauts aboard STS-134. Credit: Tray Eppes
"It's about smart women with not-so-smart boyfriends," said Eppes, who lives in Cullen, Va., near Longwood University in Farmville said of "Rocket Scientist." "I did it for an album I recorded in 2005."

For a video of the song that includes Murphy and several other women at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FvnzQ_XCyI
Eppes was prodded to write "Rocket Scientist" by a neighbor, who knows both him and Murphy.

"Our mutual friend, Pat Ward, pointed out, how could I not write a song when I actually know and admire a rocket scientist," Eppes said.

So the song was included in his album "It's No Act."

"When the NASA contest came out, Kelly called and said 'you've got to send the song in,' " Eppes said. "Well, you do what Kelly says. She's pretty strident."

Murphy works in the Aerothermodynamics Branch at NASA Langley, doing aerodynamic wind tunnel testing on space transportation concepts. Since 2005, she has worked extensively on Orion, the crew module planned for future space exploration, and also has tested on Mars Science Laboratory, going up later this year.

Murphy, who sings and plays some guitar, hosts "house concerts" called "Harris Creek Acoustical" at her home in Hampton and works to help other musicians.

Kelly Murphy works in Langley's Aerothermodynamics Branch. She befriended Epps, who was moved to write a song about her.
Credit: NASA
And, according to Eppes:

"The girl’s got style. She’s got wit and grace. One look sends me into outer space. She could work for NASA. I believe she does.
Takes me for a ride in the wind tunnel of love.
I dream at night of her jet-powered kiss.
My baby’s a Rocket Scientist."

Eppes shares his creativity between his pottery studio and writing, recording and performing his music.

"I've been less-than-employed my whole life," he said. "I write about what I know: cooking, gardening, being in love. I wrote a song for a friend the other day. I played it about five times, then burned it to a disc and sent it to him."

Eppes is familiar with Hampton Roads and NASA, having grown up in Newport News and graduated from Ferguson High School.

"For me, it was the neighborhood business," he said. "I knew a lot of people who worked there."

That makes the possibility of being played for astronauts something special to him. And for Murphy, who is mounting a one-woman campaign for her friend.

To vote in the contest, visit:
https://songcontest.nasa.gov/topOrig.aspx

Black and Yellow Black and Yellow Black and Yellow

2011-04-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Vote for "Rocket Scientist" by Tray Eppes to be the wake up song for the crew of the last NASA mission in Space!!!

2011-03-31T04:53:00.000-07:00

Singer, songwriter, musician, artist and coolest uncle in the world, Tray Eppes, wrote a song called "Rocket Scientist" (available on itunes $0.99). The song was chosen out of thousands submitted internationally for an original composition competition to be the wake up song played for astronauts on the last NASA mission into space on April 19th. "Rocket Scientist" is among 10 finalists, and the competition is now based on the amount of votes each song receives before April 19th. Help Tray's song get to the top by voting as many times as you can before April 19th! Click here to vote!!!

St. Cat's alum is first American victim of tsunami in Japan - what you can do to help Japan ...

2011-03-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

The St. Catherine's family, people in the Virginia area and others throughout the U.S. and abroad are sending their condolences to the School for the family of Taylor Anderson '04. Taylor made a wonderful and lasting impression on so many people around the globe. We are all moved by Taylor's devotion to the people of Japan and her heroism in the face of disaster.

In addition to sharing condolences, many of you have come forward asking how you can help make a difference. In response, the School has established the Taylor Anderson ’04 Memorial Gift Fund. All money raised will be given in Taylor’s memory to benefit the relief efforts in Japan, the country she loved so dearly. St. Catherine’s will work with the Anderson family to direct the funds in the way that best honors Taylor’s legacy. Our hope is to help with the rebuilding of the schools in the region where Taylor taught.

Online donations may be made at www.st.catherines.org/tayloranderson. Please click on the button for the Taylor Anderson '04 Memorial Gift Fund. Complete the information requested and be sure to check the box for the Taylor Anderson ’04 Memorial Gift. Checks should be made payable to St. Catherine’s School Foundation. Please write Taylor Anderson Memorial Gift in the memo line and either drop off the check at the main office in Bacot or mail to Taylor Anderson Memorial Gift, c/o St. Catherine’s Foundation, 6001 Grove Ave., Richmond, VA 23226.

All donations received will be combined with student-initiated community service projects to assist the people of Japan. Students in all three divisions are currently planning activities to use their unique talents and gifts to make a difference. With Taylor as their role model, the girls are developing creative ways to live the School’s motto, “What we keep we lose; only what we give remains our own.”

In some small way, we hope these actions will enable the St. Catherine's community and others touched by Taylor's life to convert the pain they are feeling into energy and tangible results to help those still suffering in Japan.

Last night for Leprechauns in Richmond ... dinner at Comfort

2011-03-24T04:58:00.000-07:00

Leprechaun Invasion Day 3: Re-discovering the history of Richmond...

2011-03-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

The Irish visit 3805...

2011-03-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

The Irish visit MacLaren Jewelers!

2011-03-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

Something Different Country Store!!! Urbanna, VA

2011-03-18T05:09:00.000-07:00

Visit Something Different Country Store's website!

Back in the day ... Paddy's Day 2006!

2011-03-17T13:02:00.003-07:00

Leprechaun Invasion .... Day 2 ... Part I ... the cottage in Deltaville, VA ... The Hope and Glory Inn in Irvington, VA ... The Tides Inn in Irvington, VA ... and Urbanna Harbor Marina in Urbanna, VA

2011-03-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

A view of the Chesapeake Bay from Stove Point in Deltaville, VA

At the cottage on Stove Point Road

The Chesapeake as seen from Stove Point in Deltaville, VA

A view of Fishing Bay as seen from Stove Point in Deltaville, VA

The Hope and Glory Inn in Irvington, VA

Dudley Patteson of The Hope and Glory telling Joe and our Irish friends about the new dinner schedule. Check out the newly arranged dining room! We were very excited to learn that The H&G will be serving dinner Thursdays through Mondays!!!

Joe and Lizzie

We got engaged in this very spot on June 23rd, 2007. We go back as frequently as we can and get someone to take our picture standing right here!!!

Nothing's too good for the Irish!

Lunch at The Tides Inn in Irvington, VA - The Tides has just reopened for the season!!! Day 1 they had 8 rooms booked for the weekend and 80 weddings planned for the year!!! That's every weekend excluding Memorial Day Weekend, 4th of July Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.

An old favorite - Caesar Salad with Fried Oysters!!!

A new menu option - "Bay's Best" - Fried Crabcake with Fried Oysters and French Fries and Cole Slaw. OMG.

An old favorite ... Fried Oyster Po-Boy with fries (note awesome tiny bottle of Tabasco - I [heart] you Tides Inn!)

Joe, Glen and Aoife enjoy the view of Carter Creek from The Tides.

A quick trip to the boat! Glen and Aoife at Urbanna Harbor in Urbanna, VA.

Leprechaun Invasion! Day 1 ...

2011-03-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Leprechaun arrival ... lots of flare ...

Welcome to Virginia!!!

Party in D-ville

www ... wine works wonders after an overseas flight ...

Homemade ... rockfish from J&W Seafood in Deltaville, VA, Byrd Mill grits from

Ashland, VA (these are the best grits you can buy in Virginia - used in many local restaurants) and salad!

Lucky Charms!!!

SO sorry to miss this event at the VMFA... A guided tour by Jeffrey Allison

2011-03-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 10 · 7:30pm - 8:00pm
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Meet in the Atrium
VMFA Friends of Art
Free Exhibition Tour for Friends of Art Members!

"The Fleeting Glimpse: Selections in Modern and Contemporary Photography from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts" is the first major focus on the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' photography collection and marks the first collection sharing project with the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University in Roanoke, Va.

The exhibition features provocative legends of the camera, among them Jerry N. Uelsmann, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Lee Friedlander.
Tour led by photographer and Paul Mellon Statewide Educator, Jeffrey Allison.

Thursday, March 10th
***** 7:45pm-8:15pm********

Space is limited, but now open to the public! Bring a friend!

Please RSVP to FriendsofArt@vmfa.museum
Image: "The Byrd, Richmond" 1993 © Hiroshi Sugimoto, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco

Laissez les bons temps rouler! New Orleans Cam ... what I'm watching today...

2011-03-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

Click here to visit the live camera on Bourbon Street...

Picasso advice: Tips to help you enjoy your visit to the VMFA during the biggest exhibition Richmond has seen ... in a long time!

2011-03-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

The queue for Picasso at the VMFA on Saturday March 5th, around 12:30pm. The line starts under the big blue Picasso sign in the Atrium on the ground level of the museum.

TIP #1: Buy your tickets in advance. Saturdays are the most crowded days for this exhibit. Try coming during the week if you are available.

- When you purchase tickets for Picasso ($20 per ticket) you are purchasing them for a specific day and time. Scheduled viewings of the exhibit are on the half hour. Your ticket will be honored within the hour of your purchased time slot. For example, if your ticket is for 12:30pm, you have from 12:30-1:30 to stand in line and be admitted into the exhibit.

- Buy your tickets online and print them out. If you print your tickets at home, be sure that you have printed a page that has a bar code for each ticket. If you have printed tickets with bar codes you can proceed to the queue in the atrium, bypassing the regular ticket line in the lobby/entrance of the VMFA.

- If you have printed tickets at home but did not print the pages with bar codes, you will have to stand in the regular ticketing line to obtain printed tickets.

- If you purchased tickets over the phone, you will pick them up in the Will Call line. That line is just on the other side of the regular ticketing line.

Volunteers from Altria, the presenting sponsor of the Picasso exhibit. Volunteers direct Altria employees on Altria Family Day at the Museum, Saturday March 5th and March 12th.

TIP #2: Arrive at the museum 30 minutes prior to your selected viewing time.

- Parking is available in the parking deck at the museum, but allow for extra time to wait as all the cars pass through by the parking attendant. If you are a museum member, don't forget your membership card!!! Flash that membership card at the attendant and your parking is free!

- Leave your COAT/PURSE/CAMERA/JUNK at home. There is nothing worse than making your way around a museum and having to carry tons of stuff. The Picasso exhibit is really long. It is room after room after room with limited resting areas per room. IT IS ALWAYS VERY WARM INSIDE THE VMFA. You will not get cold inside the museum. Every event, exhibit and party I've been to at the VMFA, I have been burning up! You cannot take photos inside the exhibits, so there really is no point in bringing your camera, unless you just want to take a few shots of the atrium area.

The line for the regular ticketing queue was to the door around 2pm this Saturday. Not kidding. It was very crowded. And by 3:30pm the last viewing at 4:30pm was sold out.

TIP #3: Grab an extra program if you can when you are admitted into the exhibit. Why? Because you cannot obtain one elsewhere in the museum! They are only giving them out in the exhibit.

Kathryn and Lizzie at the Altria table on Saturday March 5th.

TIP #4: Be nice to the VMFA staff and volunteers! And be nice to your neighbors at Altria, the presenting sponsor of the Picasso exhibit. That's right - Altria paid over half the $$$,$$$,$$$ to get Picasso into our little museum. Who is Altria? Altria is Philip Morris. You might not be their customer, but remember what you have in common! You are both supporting the VMFA and the arts in Virginia!!!

Amanda and Katie directing Picasso traffic in the lobby.

If the VMFA ever hands out awards or gift certificates to their employees - these two gals truly deserve recognition! Amanda and Katie worked really hard on Saturday to get everyone to where they needed to be.

I {heart} Picasso enthusiasts! An entire group came in wearing black berets!!!

CLICK HERE FOR THE VMFA WEBSITE'S FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PICASSO EXHIBIT.

Also - if you get to the museum, don't forget about the equally important IFE exhibit. Tickets for IFE are $8.00 each!

Washington & Lee night at the Museum! Thanks to the Richmond W&L Alumni Chapter for a great party at the VMFA

2011-03-03T04:49:00.000-08:00

For more events and info, check out the W&L Richmond Chapter Blog:

http://richmondwlu.wordpress.com/

A message from Charlie Boisky, Chapter President:

Thank you to the more than 230 Richmond Chapter members who came out to see Pam Simpson and Picasso on Thursday night. This was one of the most successful and special events in our Chapter's history and I wanted to again thank Tim Litzenburg and Pam for their tremendous efforts to make this event happen. With Picasso giving us such a boost in attendance and interest, I thought it would be a good time to send out an informal Save the Date list for folks to pencil in events on their calendars or, perhaps, to print out and stick on the refrigerator. We are working hard to make sure that we have a depth and breadth of programming that will make it worth your while to come out and join your fellow Generals a few times a year. If there's something that you don't see below that you would like to see happen, just let me know and we'll see what we can do to get it off the ground. Again, it was great to see everyone out on Thursday. Please don't be a stranger in the future!

Upcoming W&L Richmond Chapter Events:

Luncheon with Garland Tucker, author of "The High Tide of American Conservatism: Davis, Coolidge and the 1924 Election" Tuesday, March 29th

Volunteer Opportunity, Rebuilding Together- Richmond• Saturday, April 30th 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM/ Peter Paul Community

Strawberry Hill Races Plot and Possible Gate/Shuttle Tickets• Saturday, May 21st•

150th Anniversary of the Civil War Event with Civil War expert and W&L Professor Holt Merchant• July 2011•

CLE Ethics Credit Class with a W&L Law Professor• September 2011

Oyster Roast and Bluegrass at Rock Bottom• October 15, 2011/ 1:00 - 4:00 PM

Hollins Night at the VMFA

2011-03-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

I forgot to post this fun pic of a few gals at the Hollins Alumnae Richmond Chapter cocktail party at the VMFA back in January 2011. It was a really lovely party with great food and at least 70 people.

Click here to see more pics on facebook.

MULTIPLE CHOICE: Who Should Play Katniss In 'The Hunger Games'?

2011-02-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

MULTIPLE CHOICE: Who Should Play Katniss In 'The Hunger Games'?

Go Robots! Congrats to Scottie Caldwell in her efforts to raise $$$ for what is sure to be an amazing show!!!

2011-02-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

Picasso at the VMFA - first look via the RTD!

2011-02-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from the VMFA Friends of Art!

2011-02-21T05:14:00.000-08:00

appy

olidays

from the Friends of Art ~ at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts!

The holiday party finally took place January - after it was cancelled because of snow in December. Friends of Art Coordinator Julianne Zimmerman decorated the tables of the Clairborne Robertson with beautiful red and silver rods, blue and white holiday globes and fish bowls containing white feathers. Art games and books were collected for ChildSavers and a good time was had by all! My photos were featured on the Friends of Art activities board!

Julianne Zimmerman and Ashley Mason

Thanks, Julianne, for all of the work you did to organize this party!

Do not try this at home - moving pix from your old cell phones to your new cell phone...

2011-02-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

What to do, what to do...

A trip down cell phone memory lane:

After I got over the amazement that all these old cell phones still turned on after I matched them up with their chargers - I decided to see if I could do it myself, transfer old phone pix via an adapter I bought on Amazon to my latest bling piece. FYI - it worked about half the time. So I lost a few pix. I took the last phone I had that did not have a micro SD card to a Verizon store and an extremely nice gal transferred all my pics - FOR FREE! Normally about a $30 charge, she said. So I dumped the rest of these oldies but goodies into the "recycle your phone" box. Looks like this:

The phones are reused by Verizon's HopeLine - a service that puts cell phones into the hands of women who are in danger of domestic violence. The phones are programmed to aid as emergency phones only, dialing 911 when the user hits send. The phone and any 911 calls made from it are free.

So if you find any old cell phones - take them to Verizon, don't forget to ask them to remove your pix first, and then drop them in the box!

Best. Valentine. Ever. - A creation by Laurie...

2011-02-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

by Laurie Fisher Karas - Valentine's Day - 2011

Introducing ... Alex Nyerges at Henrico Business Leaders!

2011-02-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of introducing Alex Nyerges, Director of the VMFA today at the Henrico Business Leaders monthly breakfast meeting. What an exciting year he has planned for the VMFA!!! If you are not a member - join today and get your Picasso tickets early!!!

(Photo by Robert Thomas - http://www.robertthomasphotography.com/)

The Countdown ... 5 days 'til Picasso hits Richmond ... thank you VMFA!!!

2011-02-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

If you thought Black Swan was scary...

2011-02-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

Laurie Fisher - art instructor extraordinaire!! Love her in this video!!!!

2011-01-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

Video of my friend Laurie! Check it out!
http://tv.westkentucky.kctcs.edu/videoclips/arts/17232_inspiration/video.htm

St. Cat's graduate is a new spokesperson for WeightWatchers!

2011-01-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

It's official ... I [heart] the Fuji Instax Camera!

2011-01-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

If you thought Polaroid was dead, think again. The Fuji Instax Camera might be the coolest thing ever. I have had more fun with this camera in the past month than I've had shooting in about a year! It's spontaneous, hysterical and all ways a gamble! You never know just what your image will look like (kind of like the good ole days) but with the auto-focus lens and built-in flash, you can't get a bad image!

Oh January ... you know how I feel ...

2011-01-16T08:28:00.000-08:00

Babette and a glass of pinot gris ... wishing for summer weather!!!

The Fried Catfish at COMFORT Restaurant in Richmond, VA - A Must Eat!

2011-01-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

A work of art ... I recently revisited the fried catfish at Comfort Restaurant in Richmond, VA. If you haven't been to Comfort, you don't know what you are missing! The catfish at Comfort is USDA farm-raised - that means it's the best fish for you to eat! Also try their braised greens!

Comfort does not take reservations, so be prepared to wait and have a drink at the bar. The atmosphere is great and it's definitely a kid-friendly place.

Comfort

200 West Broad Street

Richmond, VA 23220

Fun for everyone!

Happy Birthday Rendy!!

HNY!

2011-01-06T10:27:00.000-08:00


Happy New Year! More photos from our latest adventures to come...

2010-12-15T16:42:00.001-08:00

Maru Monday...

2010-11-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

Doc P. gets the SAINTS into the spirit of Harry Potter...

2010-11-19T10:59:00.001-08:00

It's Monday...

2010-11-15T14:22:00.000-08:00

Bloggerettes unite! Weekend encounters with two of my favorite bloggers...

2010-11-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

We go way back ...

Lizzie O. with Carey B. of "Corks and Caftans" - the highly acclaimed wine and fashion blog. Carey has been my best bud since we used to carpool in second grade and played many an Atari video game together.

Lizzie O., Sally A. and Allison H. - New blogger on the scene, Allison Hennessey writes "Manner of Style" - an inside look at the visual inspiration of Manhattan's stylish estates with an eye towards interior decorating.

Salsa Night at the VMFA - Rhumba Havana - Art After Hours!

2010-11-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Dancing and ...

dinner and ...

drinks and ...

Friends of Art and ...

Friends of African American Art and ...

dancing, dancing, dancing!!!

NEXT UP:

Nov 11

Funk & Style!

DJ Pari & Mr. Felty’s Soulpower Dance Party

Wah-wah guitars & horn riffs/ dudes in fly bell

Food: Gourmet Cheese Burgers

Drinks: Champagne Cocktails

Ain't they a good-lookin' bunch!? VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ART AFTER HOURS at the VMFA

2010-11-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

Volunteers needed for

Art After Hours!

Next up:

Rumba Havana!

DJ Steve’s Latin Dance Party-

Salsa, Rumba, Cha-Cha

With Free Salsa Lessons at 7pm!

Come help out with Friends of Art by volunteering for the ever-popular salsa night this Thursday, November 4th
For these shifts:
5:45-7:20 or 7:20-9:00

Volunteers serve as guides for the evening- stationed at gallery entrances to chat with guests, enjoy people watching, and make sure that food and beverages stay within the Marble Hall.

Please email julianne.zimmerman@vmfa.museum if you are interested, and specify a preferred shift
**If you would like to volunteer, please respond by Wednesday, Nov. 3rd at 12 PM**

Celebrate the newly-renovated museum and enjoy free music and fun!

Bring your friends!

IT'S A WITCH! Breast Cancer's A Witch - Presented by The Shops at 5807 in Richmond, VA - To Benefit Breast Cancer Research at the VCU Massey Cancer Center

2010-10-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Lizzie Oglesby and Sally Ashby - Sally is on the board of young professionals for the Massey Alliance

Kirkland Mitchell, Katie Kelly and Molly Trice

The coolest thing for sale at 5807: Willis Custom Craft's "Sleep-N-Swing"

Modeled by: Sara Jessee Parsons

Artists decorated witch hats that were auctioned off throughout the evening.

Thanks to 5807 for a wonderful party, Balliceaux for fabulous cocktails and Spoonfed & Karen's Homemades for fantastic snacks!

Life Is Jolly... a scene from Grandma Katie's 90th Birthday party

2010-10-29T04:54:00.000-07:00

Today would have been Grandma's 94th! Cheers to all who live a full and jolly life!

Don't miss it - VMFA’s Art after Hours - BOLLYWOOD!

2010-10-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

VMFA’s Art after Hours Fall series!

Thursday, Oct. 28! 6-9pm at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA!

This week’s featured DJ is DJ Charles Williams for a Caribbean & Bollywood Dance Party!

Sizzling Island Beat: Soca, Zouk, Chutney & Jump Up

Food: Jerk Chicken Skewers
Drinks: Coconut Rum Punch, Mojitos, Cuba Libre

Free Music - Buy tickets for Snacks and Drinks - CASH ONLY!

Happy Monday...

2010-10-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Meet Your Friends ... Friends of Art Volunteers at Art After Hours

2010-10-20T05:14:00.000-07:00

Friends of Art President Zach Means (far left) and Friends of Art Volunteers

Incoming and Outgoing: New Friends of Art Coordinator Julianne Z. and past coordinator Elizabeth C.

Smurfs R' Us: Lizzie O. and June L.

Volunteers needed for
Art after Hours Fall!

Come help out with Friends of Art at the return of Art after Hours Fall, VMFA’s FREE music series!Volunteers are needed for the following dates – shifts are 5:45-7:20 and 7:20-9:00

October 21

October 28

November 4

November 11

November 18

Please email julianne.zimmerman@vmfa.museum if you are interested, and specify a preferred shift – spots are still available for this week, Thursday, Oct. 21st!

**If you would like to volunteer on Oct. 21, please respond by Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 12 PM**

ART AFTER WHAAAT!? Art After Hours and Fine Arts and Flowers at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA

2010-10-19T05:40:00.000-07:00

Annual Fine Arts & Flowers at the VMFA

Dance Lessons in the Marble Hall

and dancing...

SNACKS! Fried shrimp po-boys and fries...

Flowers After Hours + Art After Hours = The Perfect Date.

ART AFTER HOURS at the VMFA

2010-10-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

ART AFTER HOURS
THURSDAYS, 6-9
OCTOBER 14TH - NOVEMBER 18TH
at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Day + Time: Thursdays 6 pm – 9 pm

Location: Marble Hall

Cost: Free

Oct 14 - Louisiana Swamp Stomp!
DJ Talia Moser’s Louisiana Dance Party
Zydeco, Cajun, Mardi Gras & Swamp Pop
Food: Shrimp Po Boys
Drinks: New Orleans Dirty Martinis
Zydeco Dance Lesson at 7 pm
West Wing Terrace Open

Oct 21 - Salsa Loca!
DJ Steve’s Latin Dance Party
Salsa, Merengue, ChaCha
Food: Beef or Chicken Picante Quesadillas
Drinks: Coconut Rum Punch, Mojitos, Cuba Libre
Salsa Dance Lesson at 7 pm
West Wing Terrace Open

Oct 28 - Island Hot Zone!
DJ Charles Williams Caribbean & Bollywood Dance Party
Sizzling Island Beat: Soca, Zouk, Chutney & Jump Up
Food: Jerk Chicken Skewers
Drinks: Coconut Rum Punch, Mojitos, Cuba Libre

Nov 4 - Rumba Havana!
DJ Steve’s Latin Dance Party
Salsa, Rumba, Cha-Cha-Cha
Food: Pork Sandwiches Cubano
Drinks: Coconut Rum Punch, Mojitos, Cuba Libre
Salsa Dance Lesson at 7 pm

Nov 11 - Funk & Style!
DJ Pari & Mr. Felty’s Soulpower Dance Party
Wah-wah guitars & horn riffs/ dudes in fly bell
Food: Gourmet Cheese Burgers
Drinks: Champagne Cocktails

Nov 18 - Noche Caliente!
DJ Steve’s Latin Dance Party
Salsa, Rumba, Cha-Cha-Cha
Food: Cheese or Chicken Chile Rellenos w/Spanish Rice
Drinks: Coconut Rum Punch, Mojitos, Cuba Libre
Salsa Dance Lesson at 7 pm

Candy Couture - SCAD students for Dylan Lauren

2010-10-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

New York savors SCAD's 'Candy Couture' during Fashion's Night Out

The Savannah College of Art and Design had a sweet starring role in New York City's installment of Fashion's Night Out, which took center stage on Sept. 10 in venues across the globe.

The night — which attracts designers, celebrities, models and fashion editors — featured one-of-a-kind events in participating stores in 16 countries. This year, Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph Lauren and owner of Dylan's Candy Bar candy stores, invited six SCAD students to create a line of "Candy Couture" dresses for display in the store's flagship New York City location. The catch? Each design had to be made from candy.

After careful planning and precise placement of Dylan's Candy Bar's gummy bears, jelly beans and jaw breakers, to name a few, the high-fashion, one-of-a-kind candy creations were debuted for Fashion's Night Out to an awe-inspired crowd of celebrities and shoppers. The six students who participated were fashion and fibers majors, Jaime Barker, Eduardo Calvo, Storm Dorris, Wei-Ting Liao, Kashfia Mariam and Julie Tierney.

The dresses were then judged by a panel including Dylan Lauren, SCAD trustee and Vogue contributing editor André Leon Talley, SCAD President Paula Wallace and SCAD School of Fashion Dean Michael Fink. The top two dress designers, Barker and Dorris were present for the announcing of the winner, and Liao and Tierney also attended. Barker's winning gown, "Jawbreaker," then made the rounds to the "Today" show with style editor Bobbie Thomas.

The handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces will be on display in Dylan's front windows and throughout the store until Oct. 31.

Fink noted of the experience, "This has been a wonderful opportunity for our students to both exercise their creative talents and their technical skills, demonstrating out-of-the-box thinking and the ability to adapt to challenging 'fabrics.' The students have created outfits that are sexy, glamorous and fun."

Now in its second year, Fashion's Night Out was created to boost consumer confidence, the industry's economy and, most of all, to celebrate fashion. SCAD also participated in the night with other activities in New York, as well as events throughout Atlanta, one of the event's sanctioned cities.

Chuck Close at the VMFA - SOLD OUT!

2010-09-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

So, the gallery talk is sold out - but the show runs through November 14th - go see it!

Night at the Museum... VMFA's Friends of Art Kick-off Social!

2010-09-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Friends of Art Kick-off Social, September 16, 2010 in the Claiborne - Robertson room, overlooking the E. Claiborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden featuring the Jun Kaneko installation.

Consider becoming a member of FOA. To give you an idea of all the great benefits of an FOA membership check us out at www.vmfa.museum/foa or on our Facebook fan page – Friends of Art.

Throughout the year, FOA holds several educational and social programs. In addition to socials/happy hours like the one last week, FOA also holds events such as guided gallery tours - we have a private tour of the Chuck Close exhibition ‘People who Matter to me’ with curator John Ravenal lined up for October 21. The gallery talk will have a limited capacity - information regarding times and tickets will be posted online soon!

In order to be a member of FOA, you must first be a member of VMFA. Becoming a member of both is easy – just call our Membership office at 804.340.1520, or stop by the VMFA Visitor Services desk in person. FOA dues are $15 for an individual membership and $25 for a dual membership, and are paid in addition to VMFA membership dues.

November is so close!

2010-09-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

So long, Summer!

2010-09-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of Fall.
I will miss you, Summer!

Sunset on Fishing Bay ~ Lizzie O. 2010

FRIENDS OF ART KICK-OFF SOCIAL!

2010-09-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

Support the arts and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at the VMFA Friends of Art Kick-off Social!

From the FOA President:

Following the grand reopening of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in May, the Board of Friends of Art have spent the dog days of summer tirelessly working to put together a curriculum of both Social and Educational Events centered around one of the most exciting years in Museum history. We will be kicking off Friends of Art's 25th year in style as we host a consortium of museum-goers and Friends of Art Members in the Claiborne-Robertson Room following the Jun Kaneko Lecture the evening of September 16th, so make sure to put it on your calendar.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the fulfillment of our five-year, $50,000 endowment pledge to the Children’s Gallery at the VMFA in just three years!!!! This is a tremendous accomplishment that could not have been reached during these trying economic times if not for the stalwart dedication of our board and VMFA Staff.

With the museum now reopened, we have an immense cultural resource at our disposal and our educational events this year will appeal to both the savvy collector as well as those with a new-found interest. If you haven't attended Friends of Art's Mardi Gras party in the past you don't want to miss our fifth anniversary on March 5, 2011, from "Bourbon Street to Boulevard". It's going to be the same great party you expect with a new twist — this year we will be in the newly opened Atrium: one of the most breathtaking architectural spaces in Richmond. If you aren't doing so already, take the time to sign up to follow Friends of Art on Facebook and Twitter for updates so you don't fail to take advantage of all of these fabulous events.

In closing, we hope you will join us this year as we continue our rich tradition with the VMFA of
fundraising and volunteerism into 2010–2011.

Zachary W. Means, Friends of Art President 2010 – 2011

Amazing...

2010-09-14T08:46:00.001-07:00

Mattaponi Queen ~ Review by John Harris

2010-08-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Book review: Mattaponi Queen
by John H. Harris

There is a new voice on the American literary scene and it speaks with an eastern Virginia accent. The voice belongs to Belle Boggs, who grew up in King William County, attended Virginia Commonwealth University, and earned a master of fine arts degree in fiction writing from the University of California at Irvine. She learned her craft well in that faraway place, for she has written an outstanding collection of short stories to which she has given the evocative title “Mattaponi Queen.”

Mattaponi Queen: Stories. By Belle Boggs. 225 pp. Graywolf Press. $15. Find it on Amazon.

In 2009 Mattaponi Queen received the Katharine Bakeless Nason Prize for Fiction, which the Middlebury College Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference awards annually to the work of an emerging writer. The prize includes publication of the winning entry by the prestigious Graywolf Press.

With two exceptions, all the stories in Mattaponi Queen are set in King William or King and Queen County, many of them on or near the Mattaponi Indian Reservation in King William. Ms. Boggs makes numerous references in her stories to the towns and cities of eastern Virginia—Deltaville, Urbanna, Saluda, West Point, Tappahannock, Richmond, and Fredericksburg, to name the most obvious.

State Route 30 serves as an avenue of escape, a road to redemption, or a pathway to acceptance and love for many of the characters. Several of them—some Native American, some African-American, some white—appear in more than one of the book’s 12 stories. These characters manage to make their way in a fallen world, often within sight of the Edenic banks of the Mattaponi River, and some even achieve a semblance of happiness and joy.

There’s Ronnie in “Good News for a Hard Time,” a young woman who gave up her studies at an expensive art school in Savannah when her debt became overwhelming and returned home to marry Jeremy, a local boy she knew in high school. Now she is pregnant, and Jeremy is recuperating at Walter Reed Hospital after a brief stint with the Army in Iraq, where most of his right arm was blown away. Ronnie’s pregnancy becomes a hopeful symbol of new life and an emblem of renewed commitment to her now-damaged husband, if only she can find the proper moment to tell him that he will be a father soon.

There is Mrs. Cora Tyler “Cutie” Young, a cantankerous octogenarian whose late husband’s family once held sway over the county and who now is searching obsessively for her recently stolen collection of silverware in every antique store and pawnshop that her 1982 Ford Country Squire can reach. Loretta Johnson, a proud African-American woman and Cutie’s nurse, reluctantly accompanies her in this task and drives the car. Loretta’s great-niece, Tamara, just might be the unacknowledged offspring of Cutie’s son. She is the wife of a day laborer named Charlie, who is the likely thief of Cutie’s silver. Loretta is the coy and masterful narrator of “Imperial Chrysanthemum,” the story that delineates this intricate web of assumptions and facts and which gets its name from the pattern of Cutie’s missing silverware.

Loretta also figures prominently in the collection’s namesake story about a 1920s riverboat that once carried partying white folks “up and down the river like a floating wedding cake” (to quote Loretta) between Walkerton and Urbanna. It now sits tied to a pier, unused and unwanted, except by Loretta. She makes installment payments to the boat’s owner, Mitchell White, who had restored it and presented it to his second wife, Joanne, shortly before she ran off with her yoga instructor. Loretta wants to own the Queen and in so doing confer upon herself a certain regal feeling of self-worth.

And finally, though this brief survey hardly does justice to the full gallery of characters found in the book, there is Marcus Conway in “Homecoming.” Marcus is a well-mannered young man from the projects in Brooklyn who arrives in King William to live with his grandmother after the adults in his life up North have been incarcerated for cocaine possession. Marcus thrives in his new setting at first. Soon, however, he becomes ensnared in drug dealing himself when the quarterback of the high school football team, on which Marcus has a starring role as a running back when he’s not injured, enlists his help as a drug courier for some shady D.C. characters. Marcus is caught and has to serve sixteen months at a juvenile facility in Richmond, but his future appears hopeful due to the friendship he has established with a full-blooded Mattaponi Indian called “Skinny,” who is estranged from his own son but serves as a father figure for Marcus.

Find a copy of Mattaponi Queen and read it, not just for the fun of seeing familiar place names in the pages of a sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking book, but also for the great insight into the human condition this young author has brought to her work. In reading about these familiar places, you might spot some familiar faces of people confronting life’s adversities and searching for love and understanding. Indeed, you might find yourself reflected in the pages of this remarkable collection of stories.

Book reviewer John H. Harris is a teacher at Saint Gertrude High School in Richmond who spends many summer weekends in Middlesex County. This review first appeared in The Southside Sentinel.

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council in Oxford, MS could win $20,000 from Tom's of Maine! VOTE FOR YAC ONLINE!

2010-08-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends, Members, and Supporters of the Arts Council:

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council has been selected as a finalist for a $20,000 award in the 50 States for Good program sponsored by Tom's of Maine . Tom's of Maine receives thousands of submissions for this program. They have selected just 41 groups to consider as finalists. It appears that the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council project of renovating the Powerhouse Community Arts Center appears to be the only organization in Mississippi that was selected.

The program has entered the public support phase and we need your help. The program will be announced nationally this week in USA Today, but voting is already active and votes are being counted starting today. We need your help. Each day you can vote for the program you would like to receive the $20,000 in support. Although all the programs that have been selected are worthy we hope you will help bring support to a program in our community.

Please take time to vote right now. Share this link with your network of people. Then save this link, vote again everyday, and remind your friends to vote everyday.

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/community-involvement/living-well/finalists-overview/poll

Thank you for your continued support of the arts.

- Wayne Andrews

My favorite actress, Jane Cortney, is on the stage in Boca... go see her play if you are in the area!

2010-08-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

The Comfort of Darkness
A World Premiere Romance
Written by Joel Gross
August 11 – September 5, 2010
Wednesday – Saturday at 8:00p.m.
Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00p.m.
$38 and $45
$10 Students with ID

Inspired by the passionate love affair between Dr. Anton Mesmer and the beautiful blind pianist Maria-Theresa von Paradis, THE COMFORT OF DARKNESS is a romantic drama about the pioneer of hypnosis, and a forerunner of Freudian psychology. Dr. Mesmer is handsome and charismatic, and the play is sexy, mind-bending, and "Mesmerizing!"

Cast: Stevie Ray Dallimore, Jessalyn Maguire, Jane Cortney, Kenneth Kay. Director: Clive Cholerton.

Caldwell Theater Company
7901 N. Federal Highway
Boca Raton, FL 33487-1619

I heart Maru...

2010-07-24T09:05:00.001-07:00

To family! Congratulations...

2010-07-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

To cousins!

To family - old and new!

Congratulations

Tyler & Bentley

July 10, 2010

To Love!

Happy Anniversary

Lizze & Joe

July 19, 2008

Sometimes I have fun ...

2010-06-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

LOSTAIRE is taking a summer sabbatical ... more to come when I have time to post!

MJ Buyers - Estate Jewelry Consultant

2010-06-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

Photo by Lizzie Oglesby!

A photo I took of Willie Munford appeared in yesterday's Richmond Times Dispatch along with an article by Joan Tupponce about MJ Buyers in Glen Allen, Virginia. Check out the website for MJ Buyers - http://www.mjbuyers.com/ the site also features a few of my photos of jewelry.

Where to get the cheapest business cards...

2010-06-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

I've been getting more and more questions about where to get business cards - and I highly recommend VistaPrint.com, where your first 200 business cards using their templates are free. It's easy to design them, and upgrading to the $$$ templates is also not too expensive. What I like about VistaPrint: for folks just starting a business, you can quickly get some cards made, that look decent, even if they are not tied to your logo. Many of my friends who have started small businesses, or just want to promote their blog or Etsy site - do not have their own logo, or may have a logo that will change over time, so VistaPrint is perfect for the startup. Check it out if you have not all ready - and hurry up and place that order. The 200 free business cards have a very low shipping price if you chose the longest shipping time, about 3 weeks. You also get a free, 3- letter stamp with your first purchase.

Lost In Forks...

2010-06-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

http://www.volvocars.com/us/eclipse/Pages/lostinforks.aspx

The mania continues... enter to win a chance to attend the Eclipse premiere AND to register to play the Lost In Forks game - prize is a chance to win the Volvo XC60 starting June 22nd.

If It Was Your Home - interactive oil spill visualization

2010-06-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/

This is an interesting site - it visualizes the BP disaster according to your IP address. The site also includes info on how to help - AND asks for you to submit your ideas to the EPA on how to fight future oil spills.

So disappointing...

2010-06-07T19:08:00.000-07:00

It was months ago, when it occurred to me that a t-shirt I bought back in 2008 at the debate party in Oxford, Mississippi, might become something like the leftover and kitschy D.A.R.E. t-shirts of the 80s. I bought that green Power Vote t-shirt (pictured on chick in hardhat above) because I thought the logo was sweet, and the message even sweeter - clean energy. I was thrilled to give the Power Shift peeps $15 for it. It was all about the excitement, the possibility, that things could actually change.

After the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, I was convinced. There is no amount of enthusiasm that can actually make a difference. Perhaps change will come after tragedy. I know it's not Obama's fault that the rig exploded, and I know he's not the one who personally planted it out there in the Gulf, but still - I am so disappointed by the slowness of it all. We generally tend to blame leaders, but it's also the consumers' fault for demanding so much all of the time. Coal mines collapse and oil rigs catch fire, it's just part of the dangerous trade.

I don't have any answers. I drive many miles every day and I don't own a Hybrid. I was only 7 hours away by car from the Gulf when the rig blew up, but I didn't drive down there to volunteer or help clean up.

Check out my fellow Oxford Artist's Guild member's blog - KATRINA in MISSISSIPPI - Gara has been writing about and photographing the Gulf coast since Hurricane Katrina, she's recently been posting about the devastating oil that is poisoning the beautiful coastline.