Category: BVAA Shows and Events

It’s creepy and it’s kooky! Mysterious and spooky! For 2022, our 8th annual Macabre art show is both in person and virtual!

About the Show
Spooky. Unsettling. Wisps of mists and dark shadows. Macabre brings out the fascination with the off-beat side of life.

Submissions
The online submission deadline for the Macabre show is Wednesday, October 26th, 2022. 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 Show

We have our Diversity show reception on Friday October 28th 5-7, and then the gallery is open its normal 10-3 hours on Saturday October 29th. So we’ll have stand-up panels in the gallery for those TWO DAYS ONLY for the Macabre special event. 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 them with you Friday if you want and then pick them up any time after Saturday afternoon. No rush. The in-person show is just a highlight to …

The Video
Sometimes when we make a video show, we have each artist talking about their motivations behind making the images. Many of our viewers love learning the inspiration and techniques. With Macabre being such an atmospheric topic, we’re going to try two things.

First, the main 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.

Then, separately, for each artist who wants to, we will create individual videos of the artists talking about how they staged a scene, or set up the lighting, or why they were inspired, or so on. These are very popular with our fans and help us all build our skills. So the ‘talking workshop’ versions will still be available for those who are interested.

I suppose, thirdly, if any artist likes doing videos and wants to make their own moody take on their art, and send that video to us, we would be happy to include that as well! The more macabre the better!

Virtual Reception
We’ll have our virtual reception – a premiere of the video slideshow – on Thursday October 27th at 8pm to kick off the Halloween weekend. If you aren’t able to participate online, the video will be available for watching at any point after that.

Theme
This show is Halloween. Spooky. Shadowy.

Here’s the video from our 2022 Macabre art show!

Here are photos from previous years –

 Macabre Show 2016

Twisted Dolls Show 2015

We look forward to seeing your spooky work!

Here’s the video from this 2020 show!

Here’s the video from the 2021 Macabre show –

Be sure to also watch Dennis Smith’s super-spooky video –

The Blackstone Valley Art Association is proud to host the FREE 2022 Diversity Community Art Show! The public is warmly invited to participate! This show is open to all forms of artistic expression. We would love to see watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, sculptures, pottery, mixed media, drawings, pastels, photography, cyanotypes, and other forms of art. THERE IS NO THEME. Your art can be about any topic at all! We celebrate the diversity of our artistic community. All levels of artist warmly encouraged to participate!

Up until 2022 we called this show “Tapestry” to indicate it represented all types of threads from the community coming together. Every time we referred to it as “Tapestry” artists thought it was a fabric arts show and wouldn’t enter. So we have updated its name! It is now “Diversity”! Same show, same theme, just a new name!

When:
October 22nd to November 19th, 2022

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.

BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Art Gallery Information

Entering the Show
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.

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 two items. The deadline to submit is Saturday, October 22nd at 3pm EST.

Drop Off of Works
Work must be dropped off Saturday, October 22nd between 10am and 3pm. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).

Reception
We will be having an in-person reception at the Uxbridge gallery on Friday, October 28th from 5-7pm! We would love to see you there.

Pick Up
Pick up is on Saturday, November 19th from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, please contact us for other arrangements.

Address any questions via our BVAA Contact Information

Ask with any questions! We look forward to seeing your entries!

Here is the 2021 Community Art Show to get some ideas!

Here’s the 2018 show video:

Here is a flyer for this show for you!

The BVAA is excited to bring you a full ‘soup to nuts’ demonstration of how to shoot, develop and scan black and white film. Bob Evans will be leading this workshop. We will be using a roll of Ilford HP5 400 film which will already have shots taken of local scenes. We will then shoot some photos in the gallery, unload the film, place it in a developing tank, develop using Ilford Simplicity Starter Pack, wash, dry and then scan using a digital camera.

During the demonstration we will also discuss how film exposure and development actually works. Also, we will touch upon developing color film, which is not as difficult as it sounds!

This is something that anyone can do at home and enable them to enter the exciting world of film photography and home development.

Our October 2022 monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 18th from 6:30-9pm.

Location:
BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery
5 South Main Street
Uxbridge, MA 01569

The space is fully handicapped / disability accessible with no stairs. It is immediately next to a large free parking lot.

This meeting and workshop is free and open to the public. No experience is necessary. The fun of our workshops is that we all try new things we’ve never done before.

Our meetings cover BVAA organization business from 6:30-7:00pm and then go into the workshop part of the evening. Feel free to come for whichever half interests you the most. In general, our monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise announced.

All are welcome – this workshop is open to members and non-members. Feel free to bring along a friend! We’d love to see you there to try some new things and explore your creativity!

Ask with any questions!

Recording of Part 1:

Recording of Part 2:

Our meetings are supported in part by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Every year, the Blackstone Valley Art Association holds an Uxbridge SketchFest celebration. This month-long experience encourages artists to explore the town of Uxbridge and sketch its beauty.

For various reasons, some artists are unable to go on site to visit locations. For that reason, members of the Blackstone Valley Art Association have created an Uxbridge Photo Library. These photos are donated by BVAA members to serve as source inspiration for sketches. The photographers still hold the copyright to their images. They are granting sketchers the ability to use the photos as a starting point to create their Uxbridge SketchFest artwork.

We are just starting to assemble this photo library – more photos will be added in the coming days.

Let us know if you have any questions, and best of luck with your sketching!

Lisa Shea / Scafuto’s Old Time Barber Shop (2 South Main)

Mike Zeis / Old Unitarian Church on Uxbridge Common in Scaffolding

Mike Zeis / Old Unitarian Church on Uxbridge Common in Scaffolding

Mike Zeis / Uxbridge Fire Station

Bob Evans / 10 South Main

Bob Evans / Bernat Mill

Bob Evans / Bernat Mill

Bob Evans / Riverbend Farm

Bob Evans / Old Unitarian Church on 122 by Uxbridge Common

Bob Evans / Old Unitarian Church on 122 by Uxbridge Common

Photo gallery from Lisa Shea from our 2023 SketchFest session on the common:

Link to our current Uxbridge SketchFest project:

6th Annual Uxbridge SketchFest – Fall 2023

The Blackstone Valley Art Association is sponsoring our annual members-only Fall Show! This show is open to all active members of the BVAA. Entries can include all forms of artwork on any theme. This show will be judged for cash prizes.

When:
Saturday, September 24th to Saturday, October 22nd, 2022

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.

BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Art Gallery Information

Entering the Show
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.

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. The fee to participate is $8/piece or 3 for $20 for members. You can submit up to 3 pieces. As this is a judged show, you cannot enter anything which has been entered into a previous BVAA judged show. The deadline to submit is Saturday, September 24th, 2022 at 3pm EST.

Drop Off of Works
Work must be dropped off on Saturday, September 24th between 10am and 3pm. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).

Opening Reception
The reception is Friday, September 30th from 5-7pm. Please bring a snack or drink to share! Winners are generally announced around 6pm.

Pick Up
Saturday, October 22, 2021, from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, contact us for other arrangements.

Address any questions via our BVAA Contact Information

Ask with any questions! We look forward to seeing your entries!

A frame is an integral part of most hanging works of art. For some formats like photography and watercolors, the frame and mat help to keep the artwork surface separate from the protective glass, so the two do not stick together. On other artwork, like oil and acrylic, the frame around the edge of the artwork creates a border to highlight and complement the piece.

A well-done frame can elevate a piece of art from “lovely” to “must buy”. I’ve heard from several buyers in our gallery that part of the reason they bought a piece was because of how well the frame matched it. I’ve also heard from judges who adored a given art-frame pairing and felt it brought the whole piece together.

Come join us on Tuesday, Sept 20th as master framer Sue Dion steps us through how to mat and frame a piece to bring out its best qualities. Sue is both a talented artist as well as an experienced, professional framer. She’s taught framing at the Worcester Art Museum. Please follow her on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/SueDionArt/

Sue is also on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9aoUdh6KJ6tQb4PBmcjmmw

Our September 2022 monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 20th from 6:30-9pm.

Location:
BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery
5 South Main Street
Uxbridge, MA 01569

The space is fully handicapped / disability accessible with no stairs. It is immediately next to a large free parking lot.

This meeting and workshop is free and open to the public. No experience is necessary. The fun of our workshops is that we all try new things we’ve never done before.

Our meetings cover BVAA organization business from 6:30-7:00pm and then go into the workshop part of the evening. Feel free to come for whichever half interests you the most. In general, our monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise announced.

All are welcome – this workshop is open to members and non-members. Feel free to bring along a friend! We’d love to see you there to try some new things and explore your creativity!

NOTE: We did record this session. The video is available for BVAA members to view. If you’re a member, contact us for the information.

Ask with any questions!

Our meetings are supported in part by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

The Blackstone Valley Art Association is sponsoring our fourth annual “Show of Hands” open art show! We had this show in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and then the pandemic interfered. We are back in the groove!

The public is warmly invited to participate in this art show! This show is open to all forms of artistic expression EXCEPT photography. It is the counterpoint to our photography-only show in January. We would love to see watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, sculptures, pottery, mixed media, drawings, pastels, and other non-photographic forms of artwork.

We award cash prizes!

When:
September 10 to September 24, 2022

Where:
BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery
5 South Main Street
Uxbridge, MA 01569

There is a LOT of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.

BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Art Gallery Information

Entering the Show
The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly and is not photography. 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.

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. The fee to participate is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. You can submit up to 2 pieces for that fee. The deadline to submit the online form for labels is Saturday September 3rd at midnight.

Drop Off of Works
Work must be dropped off on Saturday, September 3rd or Saturday, September 10th between 10am and 3pm. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).

Opening Reception
The show reception will be Friday, September 23rd, 2022 from 5-7. Invite family and friends – all are welcome!

Pick Up
Saturday, September 24th, 2022, from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, contact us for other arrangements.

Address any questions via our BVAA Contact Information

Ask with any questions! We look forward to seeing your entries!

2022 Show of Hands art show video with winners:

Here’s the video from our very first ever 2017 Show of Hands –

The BVAA Uxbridge SketchFest is back for its fifth year! Grab your pads of paper, pencils, and pens, for it’s SketchFest time!

Here’s the plan.

Sometime between October 1st and October 31st, head out to your favorite locations in Uxbridge. Make sketches of whatever catches your eye. Send them into us at info@bvaa.org. Each person can send us up to three sketches. Please have the last JPGs in to us by midnight on October 31st. Participation is completely FREE!

If you can also send a photo of what you were sketching, or its location, that would be lovely. That way people can tour Uxbridge and see the locations of the artwork.

We will make a virtual gallery of the sketches and also a YouTube virtual presentation! We’ll share all the beautiful artworks for the entire community to enjoy!

All ages and abilities are warmly encouraged to participate. This is open to the public!

Here is Dennis Smith’s great map of wonderful locations in Uxbridge. Click on it to get a larger version along with details about each location. This is a starting point. You can make your sketches anywhere in Uxbridge.

What Is A Sketch?

Just what is a sketch? We’re glad you asked!

For the sake of our SketchFest, a sketch is a quick representation of a scene done with pen or pencil on paper. It can then be colored in with colored pencil or watercolors. Here’s a beautiful example done by Pamela Siderewicz of a lawyers’ office building on Uxbridge Common.

At our 2019 in-person Uxbridge SketchFest we had the amazing Laura Sfiat from the Urban Sketchers Boston group come guide us through sketching. Here is one of Laura’s examples (not of Uxbridge) which provides a few details about how she works.

Here’s Laura’s website which has all sorts of great information and advice:

https://belleartwork.wordpress.com/

Here’s a video of the afternoon session with Laura, which focused more specifically on portrait sketching.

Portrait Sketching by Laura Sfiat using Reilly Method

Here’s a 22-minute YouTube video by Alphonso Dunn that goes step by step through how to create an urban sketch. You can skip the first two minutes – those are an ad for his book :).

To get some inspiration, here are sketches from the 2021 Uxbridge SketchFest:

If you can’t get out to a site in person, here are some photos of locations that our BVAA members have allowed you to use as a basis for a sketch!

Uxbridge SketchFest Source Photo Library

Here’s a flyer for our 2022 Uxbridge SketchFest. Please share this flyer with local websites, libraries, and schools!

Ask with any questions, and we look forward to seeing your beautiful sketches!

The amazing town of Uxbridge, Massachusetts holds a big summertime celebration in September on the Uxbridge Town Common. In 2022 the date is Sunday September 4th from 9am to 2pm. The Uxbridge Town Common is FULL of vendors, food, events, and more.

Our gallery will be open!! We’ll have cards, prints, artwork, and much, much more. Hang out and paint!

Location:
BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery
5 South Main Street
Uxbridge, MA 01569

The space is fully handicapped / disability accessible with no stairs. It is immediately next to a large free parking lot.

All are welcome – this session is open to members and non-members. Feel free to bring along a friend! We’d love to see you there to try some new things and explore your creativity!

Ask with any questions!

Make sure you follow the official Uniquely Uxbridge Day page and support all the local vendors!

https://www.facebook.com/UUxbridgeDay/