Community Calendar

Thursday’s Painting Group is a meeting of artists who want to paint! Artists bring their own supplies and gather at SVAC on Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at no cost to participants. Take advantage of your fellow painters for inspiration and light critique if you are interested. Come relax, share ideas or techniques, and independently work in the medium of your choice! Please call Shenandoah Valley Art Center if you are interested in joining and reserving a space! (540-949-7662, August 7, 14, 21, 28, 416 W. Main St., Waynesboro 22980)

Are you looking to buy your first home but feeling overwhelmed? Join our in-person seminar where we'll walk you through the entire process! From understanding mortgages to closing on your dream home, we've got you covered. Our experts will answer all your questions and provide valuable tips. Don't miss this chance to kickstart your home-buying journey! Reserve your spot now.

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: Acrylic Foundations, Techniques and Textures for all levels with Rainbow Willard. For new or experienced artists, this course offers a hands-on, supportive environment to explore the versatile world of acrylic painting. Students will learn the fundamentals of the medium through weekly exercises and guided explorations, covering color mixing, blending, layering, texture, and a variety of tools and surfaces. Each session builds on the last, leading up to a final expressive piece that allows students to put their new skills to use. Rainbow Willard is a practicing artist and art educator with a BFA in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has experience teaching all ages and specializes in drawing, painting, mixed media, and printmaking. Rainbow creates a welcoming, encouraging space where students can build confidence, explore new techniques, and make art that feels personal and fun. In lieu of paying the materials fee, students should check the class materials list at www.svacart.com (Fee: $175 and a $20 materials fee due to instructor at beginning of class. register at www.rainbowwillard.com/shop, 6 week course, Wednesdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24, October 1, 8, 10:30 am-12:00 pm., 416 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, VA 22980.)

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents: Drawing and Sketching for Painters with John Hancock. Introducing beginners to the basics of drawing, this course begins with essential incremental steps providing students with the basics of drawing from observation with regular practice. You will start with pencil, then move on to using conté and inks. Expect loads of demos and handouts! Students will work on many small projects and exercises but also leave the course with several finished pieces. Let’s explore drawing with an eye greater visual impact and just maybe better accuracy too!
Suitable for beginners and advanced students or artists seeking to brush up on essential skills. Experience the challenges and the joys of drawing in this 6-week, Wednesday afternoon class. Loads of helpful handouts as well as group and personal feedback. (Fee: $295, Wednesdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24, October 1, 8, 1:30 – 4:00 pm, Register: www.johnahancock.com/new-products/drawing-and-sketching-for-painters-at-svac , 416 W. Main St. Waynesboro, Va 22980.)

Everyone’s favorite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, will be in Charlottesville, VA to deliver a talk titled “Delusions of Space Enthusiasts.” The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal recipient; graduate of Harvard University and Columbia University; and holder of 21 honorary doctoral degrees will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at John Paul Jones Arena.

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)

Mary Baldwin University is thrilled to host the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation’s dynamic “Head, Heart, Hustle” workshop — a fast-paced, 60- to 90-minute experience where participants map their skills and lived experiences (Head) to the issues they care about most (Heart) and leave with one concrete, bite-sized next step (Hustle) they can launch immediately.

Guided by seasoned Sullivan facilitators, you’ll dive into rapid-fire reflections, small-group coaching, and the famous “divide-the-dream-by-500” challenge, emerging with fresh clarity, a written micro-action plan, and a network of fellow changemakers.

Open to students, faculty, staff, and our wider Staunton community, this free session is perfect for anyone who wants to turn passion into purposeful action and see real impact start this week.