Welcome to the Blackstone Valley Art Association webpage! We have been supporting arts in the Blackstone Valley since 1957. Our main gallery is in Uxbridge; we sponsor numerous shows, events, and workshops throughout the year. This website provides hundreds of pages on local art shows, art events, field trips, workshops, museum visits, and much, much more. We even have a lending library. We are warmly inclusive of all levels, backgrounds, and abilities. Feel free to contact us with any questions!
This Uxbridge gallery is supported in part by BVAA member dues, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and by ValleyCAST. The space use is kindly donated to us by ValleyCast, the community outreach department of Open Sky Community Services. Open Sky uses this space for special-needs client activities during daytime weekdays. They allow the BVAA use of the space – and its gallery walls – on evenings and weekends. We actively support their inclusive mission. All are welcome to all of our events and activities!
Our 2023 “Diversity” Community Art Show was judged through a people’s choice voting system. Every person coming in to the gallery was able to vote for their favorites for first, second, and third place. Those votes were tallied up on Saturday, November 18, 2023, when the show was complete.
Here are the winners chosen by our community!
First Place: “Blue Flower Pots and Lemons” oil painting by Young Farwell $350.
Second Place: “Phoenix” colored pencil by Lynne Galluzzo $1250. Size 24″ x 24″
Third Place: “Space Skull” colored pencil by Brandon Drake $350.
Congratulations to the winners!
Here’s a video walkthrough of this art show –
Here are the full details on this 2023 Community Art Show!
Our BVAA Members Annual Holiday Party for 2023 will be held on Tuesday, December 19th, 2023, from 6-9pm. We’ll start from 6:00-6:30pm with our discussion of the BVAA’s past and upcoming events. Then we transition into the party time. This event is for active BVAA members.
Our party will be held, as in the past few years, at the Grille 122 in Whitinsville. We will meet in a private room so we can talk, laugh, and have fun!
The room will be set up with round tables so that groups can easily talk with each other, as well as mingle amongst tables. There will be separate checks, so each person can order whatever they want off the menu, as frugal or extravagant as they wish.
Each person can bring one guest.
Please RSVP to us to let us know if you’ll be able to attend. That way we can have the restaurant plan for the number of tables needed.
Yankee Swap Our BVAA Holiday Parties feature a fun Yankee Swap gift exchange. You can participate or not participate as you wish. If you’d like to join in this fun project, bring a gift-wrapped gift of $10 or less in value.
How it works: We put all the wrapped gifts in a pile. We hand out numbers so every person gets a number. Whoever is number 1 chooses a gift, unwraps it, and shows it to the group. Person 2 then unwraps a gift and shows it to the group. Person 2 can keep the gift they chose or swap it with anybody else who has a gift out. It keeps going until the end, at which point person 1 can choose anything they want. It’s a lot of fun :).
Join ValleyCAST and the BVAA on Friday, December 22, 2023, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM for a Holiday Party! Bring your friends and family to gather and celebrate our wonderful community. Snacks and coffee are provided!
This is a FREE community event. All are invited to attend!
Featuring a special performance by local band Far From Eden!
Located at:
the Singh Performance Center The Whitin Mill Complex 60 Douglas Road Whitinsville MA
This event made possible thanks to the support of the Mass Cultural Council and Northbridge Cultural Council.
The holidays are coming at the Milford TV Station! Come out and participate! This art show is open to all current BVAA Members and is FREE to participate in.
The Milford TV Station is a very active public location which creates a wide variety of cable TV shows. People come and go quite often. Our gallery consists of the walls of their long hallways. This public showcase also gives us the opportunity to make numerous social media posts about the art, and the public can then stop by Milford TV any time they are available to see the art and buy it.
The theme of “Perfect Presents” showcases anything ideal for gift-giving. Usually smaller, less expensive items (relatively) work better for sales. Explore the possibilities!
Drop-Off Thursday, November 16th 6-8pm Bring food or drink to share! We hang out and chat!
If you aren’t able to make it during these specific hours, contact Milford TV directly to see when they would be available for you to swing by with your art.
If you still have art at Milford TV from a previous show, please pick it up during this time. We really need to cycle old art out to have space for fresh art there. Thanks!
Show Details for the Artists The Milford TV Station employees create the labels and perform the hanging for us. There is no need to use the BVAA online submission form to indicate what you’re bringing. Simply be sure to label the back of each piece with its title, your name, contact info, and the price. This show is for BVAA members only and is free to participate in.
The Milford TV station does not take any commission on sales. Neither does the BVAA. This is an ideal sales venue, and we do see sales regularly at this venue.
Most artists bring in three to four items depending on the theme of the cycle. If you do have more that match the theme, please bring a maximum of 8. This allows room for everyone to participate. The items can be any size or shape – Milford has a great hanging system which can accommodate pretty much anything. If you bring giant art, please bring less than 8. The hallway is not infinitely long. If you bring smaller art, 8 is fine!
Please note this is NOT a BVAA show. The Palette Show is a fantastically fun annual show run by ValleyCAST and Open Sky at the Whitin Mill. Our members love to participate, and we do our best to promote it!
Here is the official news from the ValleyCAST team:
The 11th Annual Art Palette Contest invites participants to transform a plain wooden art palette into a unique work of art! This popular event is a chance for people of all ages and abilities to share their artwork and celebrate our local creative community. The contest is hosted by ValleyCAST, the art and culture arm of Open Sky Community Services. ValleyCAST offers a wide variety of events for individuals of all abilities, and reflects Open Sky’s commitment to inclusivity.
Palettes can be purchased for $15 at the Heritage Gallery in Whitinsville, MA from November 3, 2023 through February 9, 2024, or while supplies last, during regular gallery hours 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM or by appointment (508) 234-6232. There are a limited number of slots to participate in the exhibit, with 100 palettes available for purchase. These will be distributed on a first come, first served basis, so get yours now and get a head start on your creation!
Decorated palettes can be dropped off at the Gallery between February 19-23, 2024 between the hours of 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM for inclusion in the show.
The show will open with a reception on Friday, March 8, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM in the Spaulding R. Aldrich Heritage Gallery at Alternatives’ Whitin Mill, 50 Douglas Road, Whitinsville, MA. From the opening through April 5, 2023, gallery guests will be invited to cast a vote for their favorite palettes. Winners will receive cash awards in three different categories and age groups: Children ages 6-12, Teenagers ages 13-19 and Adults ages 20+
The exhibit ends on Friday, April 19, 2024.
Artwork work pick up will be at the Gallery between April 22-26,2024 between the hours of 9:00 AM – 4:00PM and by appointment.
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is sponsoring the 12th Annual Anything Goes Photography Show – this show is open to the public! Prints from all styles of digital cameras, film cameras, cellphone cameras, point-and-shoots, SLRs, cyanotypes, and other photo-related artwork are warmly welcome!
When: January 6 to March 2, 2024
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Participation is open to the public. Each participant may exhibit up to two photos. These will be judged for cash prizes.
Entering the Show The entry fee for the main show, open to all styles of photography, is $15/2 pieces for BVAA members and $20/2 pieces for non-members. The theme is wide open. You can submit a portrait, landscape, still life, abstract, seascape, you name it. Your imagination is the limit.
Photos can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
All photography must be family friendly and properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. 3M stick-on hangers are notorious for falling off – please don’t use those. If you are new to preparing photography for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
All photos which are entered are hung. There is no “pre-selection” process where some are accepted and others are rejected. If you submit artwork, and it is family-friendly and wired properly, it will be part of our show. You can have your photo listed with a price for sale, or you can have it Not For Sale if you wish.
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. The deadline to submit the online label information is midnight on Saturday, January 6th, 2024. Work must be dropped off on Saturday, January 6th, 2024 at 3pm. Please only bring artwork in on Saturday – the staff in the location during the week do not handle artwork processing. All artwork which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
If your submission features an unusual technique, for example you’re using a medium-format film camera or another unusual setup, please add notes in the submission form. We’d love to put those details onto the label. Our show visitors love to learn about unusual styles of photography.
We will arrange and label the show on Wednesday January 10th, 2024.
Judging The judge for this show will be determined soon.
Opening Reception The opening reception for this show will be on Friday, January 12th, 2024 from 5-7pm. Prizes are usually awarded around 6pm.
Pick Up Pickup of the art is on Saturday, March 2th, 2024, from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make this date, please contact us for other arrangements. Please do not stop by the gallery during the week – the weekly staff are not able to process the art items.
This Uxbridge gallery is supported in part by BVAA member dues, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and by ValleyCAST. The space use is kindly donated to us by ValleyCAST, the community outreach department of Open Sky Community Services. Open Sky uses this space for special-needs client activities during daytime weekdays. They allow the BVAA use of the space – and its gallery walls – on evenings and weekends. We actively support their inclusive mission. All are welcome to all of our events and activities!
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is showcasing a delightful selection of photography, watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, jewelry, and more for the month of December 2023. Be sure to stop by and see what we have available! Perfect for gift giving! We’ll also have fun events on every Saturday in December to entertain and intrigue you!
When: November 18th 2023 to January 6, 2024
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Entering the Show This FREE show is open to BVAA members only. The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly. Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
This show is NOT judged (no ribbons, no prizes) – it is primarily about providing visibility and sales for artists during the holiday season. For that reason, you can enter pieces that have been in previous shows. We suggest you enter pieces you think will catch a buyer’s eye and serve well as a gift.
All wall-hanging items must be properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing artwork for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. This show is free to participate in. Each artist may submit up to five items under 11×17 or up to three items if they’re 11×17 or larger.
Drop Off of Works Drop off your works on Saturday, November 18th from 10am – 3pm.
All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
Opening Reception The opening reception will be on Friday, November 24th from 5-7pm. This is Black Friday so hopefully we’ll get some visitors in to rest and relax! And buy!
Pick Up The pick-up for the Great Gifts show will be on Saturday, January 6th from 10am – 3pm.
On October 26th, 2023, the Blackstone Valley Art Association held a community workshop at the Grafton Historical Society Museum. Talented artist Scott Nelson created a still life using antique items from the museum, and showcased how to approach a still life project. The video of Scott’s project is linked to at the bottom of this page.
We’ll also be recording a full tour of the museum. That tour is on Wednesday, November 8th 2023 at 10am. Contact the BVAA if you’d like to join us for that tour.
For those who were not able to attend in person, photographer Lisa Shea took a variety of photos of the item in the museum.
Lisa Shea grants permission to all artists to use these photos as a way to begin their own paintings or sketches. You are able to sketch or paint any version you wish, using these images as guidelines.
If there’s an item you’re intrigued by, and would like to see a different angle or version, let us know. We should be able to get you new versions of any object shown here! Ask with any questions!
To see this same list of photos in a YouTube slideshow format:
To enjoy Scott Nelson’s workshop on painting or drawing a still life, based on objects from the Grafton Historical Society Museum, view:
Here’s the full playlist of all of our Grafton-based videos:
Thank you so much to the Grafton Cultural Council and the Grafton Historical Society for working with us on this project!
The Grafton Historical Society Museum hosts a treasured collection of a wealth of antique items. From historic clothing to beautiful tea sets, from stunning fans to intriguing mechanical objects, there are fun things to every side
From 10:30am to 12:30pm on Thursday, October 26th, 2023, talented artist Scott Nelson will inspire us to look at items with fresh eyes. How would you sketch the scene? How could you paint objects into life?
You are warmly encouraged to bring your own cameras, cellphones, and sketch pads. Take the time to create your own art. Think about items you might want to photograph and sketch from the historic collection. Later, at home, you could create oil paintings, acrylic paintings, watercolors, digital art, and more based on those impressions.
Our BVAA photographers have taken a number of photos and post them to our BVAA.org website, so you can use those as starting points for derivative art if you wish.
We have recorded Scott’s presentation, so if you couldn’t make it in person, you can watch the recorded version at your leisure.
We’ll also be recording a full tour of the museum. That tour is on Wednesday, November 8th 2023 at 10am. Contact the BVAA if you’d like to join us for that tour.
This workshop is FREE and is open to the community!
Location: Grafton Historical Society Museum 71 Main Street South Grafton, MA 01560
The following photos from the Grafton Historical Society Museum have been taken by photographer Lisa Shea. You can use these as the starting point for your own sketches or drawings.
Here is a tour of the Grafton Historical Society Museum led by president Nancy Therrien –
We will created a slideshow of art which portrays Grafton, Massachusetts. If you create photos, sketches, paintings, or other art, please email that in to us to be a part of this project!
To learn more about Scott Nelson, be sure to visit:
It’s creepy and it’s kooky! Mysterious and spooky! 2023 is the year for our 9th annual Macabre art show!
About the Show Spooky. Unsettling. Wisps of mists and dark shadows. Macabre brings out the fascination with the off-beat side of life.
Submissions / Virtual Show The online submission deadline for the Macabre show is Friday, October 27th, 2023. You don’t need to use the online submission form – you can simply email the JPGs to us. You can submit up to five works for the virtual show. It’s open to all BVAA members. This is not a judged show so you CAN enter things you’ve entered in previous shows (including previous Macabre shows).
The In Person Macabre Show
We have our Diversity show reception on Friday October 27th 5-7, and then the gallery is open its normal 10-3 hours on Saturday October 28th. So we’ll have stand-up panels in the gallery for those TWO DAYS ONLY for the Macabre special event. Please bring in 1-2 items for the panels. There will just be a few panels up, so we want to have room for everyone. You can bring your art with you Friday if you want and then pick them up any time after Saturday afternoon (or in later weeks). No rush. The in-person show is just a highlight to …
The Macabre Video The video we release for the reception with be a “moody” version. It will have a soundtrack and the images showing one by one. It will be something you could have going in the background at a spooky dinner to add ambiance.
Virtual Reception We’ll have our premiere of the video slideshow on Friday night October 27th to kick off the Halloween weekend.
