Community Calendar

At 10 a.m. Saturday, January 24, at James Monroe’s Highland, the Piedmont Master Gardeners will present a free Garden Basics class on “Starting Plants from Seeds,” followed by a seed swap. Participants will learn basic techniques for starting flowers and vegetables from seed and the special needs of some seeds. They are also invited to bring seeds (packaged and labeled with species information) to share with other attendees. All will leave with seeds they can use to try out their newly learned skills at home regardless of whether they bring seeds to swap. The first 50 people through the door will receive a swag bag. To reserve a place in the class, register at https://piedmontmastergardeners.org/events/. Walk-ins are welcome.

Join us on Saturday, January 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., as we welcome the Piedmont Master Gardeners for a FREE program on starting plants from seed. Starting flowers and vegetables from seed is inexpensive and satisfying, but a lot can go wrong. In this Garden Basics session, you will improve your success rates by learning basic seed-starting techniques and the special needs of some seeds. Bring seeds (packaged and labeled with species info) for our Seed Swap. You will share seeds with others and take home seeds to try out your new skills.

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents Kitchen Lithography Workshop with Joan Graybeal Menard. This class will show you the basic idea behind the Lithography printing process. It relies on resistance of oil and water and you can create prints using items you can easily find or have at home. You will make a simple art print using Aluminum Foil as your base, draw an image with marker, crayons, or colored pencils, and then etch it with Coca Cola, of all things! We will print them on the center's printing presses, but this technique can also be hand printed at home. We will explore adding color to the original black and white prints with watercolor monoprint made on kids "Shrinky Dink" plastic." This is a fun process you can do with easy to obtain items. Bring your old kitchen apron, a sketch idea or 3, and the instructor brings the rest. Joan Graybeal Menard is a multi-media artist. Having majored in Printmaking and pottery, selling and displaying both for 40 years, she is now focused on sharing her knowledge and various printmaking techniques with her students. For questions, contact Joan via email or text at menardjoan24@gmail.com or 304-646-0297. (Register: www.svacart.com or call 540-949-7662, fee: $50 + $10 materials fee due at beginning of class, skill level: beginner - experienced adult printers, Sunday, January 25, 2026, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., 416 W Main St, Waynesboro, VA 22980)

This course explores how the Hero’s Archetypal Journey shapes fiction, personal growth, and cultural meaning. Comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell believed that this universal monomyth underlies all literary works and recurs across cultures. The archetype is especially useful for personal stories that have universal relevance. Over our eight weeks together, we will analyze the Hero's Path alongside modern narratives, map it onto real-life change, and create original work that uses it as a structural and reflective tool. Each meeting will include in-class writing time and the opportunity for optional feedback, along with suggested reading, writing, and film viewing between classes. Open to both beginning and experienced writers.

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents: Modern Lithography with Pronto Plates with Joan Graybeal Menard. The latest form of lithography is Pronto Plate Lithography. It is a less toxic method that allows artists to make multiple prints. In this six week class you will explore the different ways to put personal images onto a plate and the process of printing. There are many options: direct drawing, playful washes, stencil printing, photo transfer, transfer of existing drawings or digitally created art, and collaging images. The concentration will be on black and white images. You will need to bring a complete art image no bigger than 6 x 9" on an 8 ½ “ x 11" paper to the first class. You will work on site with a laser printer. Joan Graybeal Menard is a multimedia artist who believes in exploring different art techniques. Her main studies in college were in printmaking. With the access to printing presses at SVAC, Joan relearned the newer, less toxic print methods that she is now sharing. For questions, contact Joan via email or text at menardjoan24@gmail.com or 304-646-0297. (Fee: $250 + a $10 supply fee for materials due to instructor at the beginning of class, Mondays, October 20, 27, November 3, 10, 17, 24 , 10:00 am – 1:00 pm., 416 W. Main St., Waynesboro, VA 22980, register www.svacart.com/print-studio or call 540-949-7662)

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents: Compositions that Work with Peg Sheridan. Do you wonder why your paintings don't seem to "pull together" at the end? Would you like to understand how to use compositional tools to make your paintings better? In this hands-on class, you will learn powerful, practical compositional tools that work. Whether you are painting landscapes, figures, still life or abstracts, you will learn how to arrange shapes for better impact and balance. Through guided exercises, you will learn compositions that are proven winners. Peg will provide weekly demonstrations for each of the six weeks of class. She will provide color worksheets, one-on-one help and weekly reviews of student paintings. She has been painting in watercolors for 45 years, and teaching watercolor painting for 35 years, and is known to be the most popular watercolor instructor in the Piedmont/Blue Ridge region. See Peg's work, and more about her classes and materials list at www.pegsheridan.com . (Fee: $250, Tuesdays, September 23, 30, October 7, 14, 21, & 28, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, at 126 S. Wayne Avenue., Waynesboro, VA 22980, register: www.pegsheridan.com or call SVAC at 540-949-7662)

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents Advanced Skills in Watercolor II, a six week course with Peg Sheridan. Are you seeking to advance your skills in watercolor painting and increase your confidence with the medium? This course offers a structured exploration of watercolor techniques, emphasizing both creativity and technical competence. Participants will explore wet-in-wet as well as dry brush methods, negative painting approaches, layering color, the use of additional mediums, and the integration of lines using watercolor pencils and crayons. The curriculum also includes practice with larger-scale paintings. Instruction consists of demonstrations, color worksheets, and individual support. Students will have the opportunity to select their subject matter, with an emphasis on experimentation throughout the course. A materials list is available at www.svacart.com or call 540-949-7662. (Register with Peg Sheridan directly at www.pegsheridan.com, and click on “Upcoming Classes” and then "Registration for Advanced Skills in Watercolor II," follow the instructions. Register by January 20th. Refunds of a $50 deposit cannot be issued for cancellations after January 20th. Fee $260, Tuesdays, January 27, February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., 416 Classroom, 416 W Main St, Waynesboro, VA 22980)

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents a free Bi-Monthly Printmaking Demonstration! These sessions are not only free but open to the public. Our goal is to have you join us to learn more about this amazing medium and experience the possibilities of the Tom Brown Printmaking Studio! (Tuesdays, January 13 and 27, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., 416 W. Main St. Waynesboro, VA 22980.)

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents Stretch & Release Yoga with Paula Figgatt & Leslie Chisnell. Gather in the Heart of Downtown Waynesboro for a meditative experience that benefits the mind while increasing your range of flexibility and centeredness in the body. Stretch & Release Yoga targets the fascia and connective tissues including tendons, ligaments and bones while creating suppleness, openness and health for our inner organs and muscles. By stilling the mind, bring the awareness deeply inward to create peace and relaxation. Restore and Renew the Spirit. Tuesday, January 27, 6:05 - 7:00 p.m., (Fee: $10, 12 weeks pass January 27 – April 14, $100, Register: www.svacart.com or call 540-949-7662, 416 Gallery, 416 W Main St, Waynesboro, VA 22980)