VMFA offers a variety of programs throughout the year, from films to lectures to art classes. For more information about these programs, please call Visitor Services at 804-340-1400 or visitorservices@vmfa.museum. Also, keep in mind that some events may change and the best way to find an updated list of programs is on the calendar or program page.
Recurring Events
Thursday Jazz Café
Groove to an eclectic mix of jazz ensembles every Thursday, 6 – 9 p.m., at VMFA’s Best Café. The Jazz Café is presented to the public by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, in conjunction with the Richmond Jazz Society, free of charge! Light fare and beverages available for sale. Artists subject to change.
Friday Art & Wine
Now you have more reasons to hang out at VMFA on Friday nights! Head to the museum and enjoy discounted beverages and free half-hour gallery tours at 7 and 7:30 p.m. On the first Friday of each month, check out our First Fridays entertainment, too.
First Fridays: Performing Arts
The First Fridays series features an eclectic mix of multicultural performing arts showcased in different spaces within the museum. Take advantage of extended hours on Friday evenings (open until 9 pm) to also stroll through the galleries, explore the VMFA Shop, or enjoy dinner and drinks in Amuse Restaurant or Friday Art & Wine at Best Café.
Second Fridays: Wine Tasting
Taste different wines from around the world as Tony Karabaich, Amuse Restaurant Service Manager, pours his choices of interesting wines-reds, whites, sparkling, and more. Refine your palate and learn about different wines and winemaking regions from a variety of wine experts, who will be available for discussion and questions. Also enjoy discounted beverages and guided tours as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Third Fridays: Tango After Work
Join in the fun and exotic beauty of the tango with Richmond’s tango community, while enjoying the food and social atmosphere in Best Café. You can also take advantage of half-price beverages as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Fourth Fridays: Meet Up with Art
Connect with newcomers to Richmond and those new to the arts scene as you make new social and professional contacts. You’ll enjoy delicious café cuisine as well as discounted beverages and guided art tours as part of Friday Art & Wine.
Walk-In Highlights Tours
Mon – Wed: 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
Thurs – Fri: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m.
Sat – Sun: 11 a.m., 2 p.m.
JUNE
June 19
Jazz Café: The KG Experience
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
The jazz tradition fearlessly blended with other styles! Kenneth Gill on trombone, Nelson Valentine on keyboard, Zion Charity on electric bass, and Leonard Jones Jr. on drums.
June 21
Celebrate African and African American Art – Free Style!
1 – 4 p.m.
Dig dip in the roots of African American culture and identity. Join in the conversation of style while enjoying hip hop dance performances by IllStyle and a call and response storytelling by author of Nappy Hair, Carolivia Herron; book signing to follow. Artist and stylist demonstrations of braiding, wrapping, head dressing, and hat making will take place for the entirety of the event. Participate in art activities that really make a statement. Don’t forget to come creative and dress your best so that you can leave with a special head shot from the VMFA photo booth.
June 22
Conversations: What is Beauty?
3 p.m.
Free, no reservations required, Claiborne Robertson Room
Join us for a conversation with author, educator and founder of Epic Center Stories’, Dr. Carolivia Herron, inspired by Posing Beauty.
June 24, 25
Young@Art: Pictures & Puzzles
10 – 11 a.m., Art Education Center
$10 per child/adult (VMFA members $8)
Ages 2 ½ – 5 | Explore collage and assemblage by piecing together different shapes and materials for your own fantastic creations.
June 26
Jazz Café: Michael Hawkins & Friends
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Contemporary jazz and popular hits with bassist Michael Hawkins, Dr. Weldon Hill on piano and featuring Washington, D.C. vocalist Sindy Williams.
JULY
July 3 – 24 (Thursdays)
Art History: Tradition and Innovation: The Contemporary Native American Arts
1 – 2 p.m.
$75 (VMFA members $60)
This course begins with an introduction to the impact of European culture on indigenous art forms—and how museums, critics, and art historians respond to this “non-Western” tradition. It then goes on to examine some of the major Native North American artists—Norval Morrisseau, Maria Martinez, Bill Reid, Preston Singletary—and movements in the 20th and 21st centuries. As students explore objects in VMFA’s permanent collection, they discover how these artists both carry on traditions and move in new directions.
July 3
Jazz Café: Curv Appeal
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Straight ahead vibraphone Jazz with a funky, contemporary flair! Thurman Hargrove on keyboards; Michael Hawkins on bass; McCoy Eaton on drums; Curvey Reid on vibraphone and congas.
July 6
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m., free
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between noon and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers!
July 7 – 11: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Drawing Compositions
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Enhance skill and technique in drawing while building confidence and style. Enjoy setting up interesting compositions, creating perspective, and applying value in a series of projects.
Studio Sampler
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Welcome to a world of creativity! Have fun exploring a new art concept each day, inspired by everything from landscape paintings to animal prints in VMFA’s permanent collection.
Mixed Media Studio
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Draw it, print it, paint it, felt it, and sculpt it. Select a work of art in VMFA’s permanent collection and each day use the principles of design to interpret it with a different medium.
Elements in Painting
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Practice traditional techniques and explore new methods for painting with acrylic, watercolor, and tempera media. Combine lines, shapes, colors, and textures using a variety of brushes.
July 7 – 11
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp
This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 7 – 11: TEEN CAMPS
Mixed Media: Painting & Printmaking
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Explore a range of applications, processes, and quality materials to design a series of prints and paintings that center around composition, creativity, and identity.
Fashion: Sewing Essentials
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | From basic hand stitching to using a sewing machine, learn the fundamental skills necessary to boost your fashion ambitions.
Drawing: History of Manga
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Learn the history, style, and characteristics of manga and anime through expert instruction and guided practice. Then apply these methods to illustrate stylistic comics and characters.
Digital: Filmmaking
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Write, record, and edit your own movies inspired by the museum’s collections and grounds. The goal is for these films to represent your unique relationship with the art and the environment.
July 8
3 in 30: Posing Beauty
11 a.m., free
What is beauty and who defines it? Is true beauty a reflection of inner nature or is it defined by outward appearance? Ponder these questions and more through the exploration of three objects in VMFA’s permanent collection.
July 8, 15
Art History: Dig Deeper
2 – 3 p.m.
$30 (VMFA members $25)
Inspired by the introductory course Dig Deep, this two-part follow-up focuses on visual and contextual exploration of selected works of art in VMFA’s permanent collection.Through a variety of facilitated, in-gallery activities, as well as group interaction and conversation, participants “dissect” works in VMFA’s collection and learn new ways to connect with art.
July 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30
Young@Art: Primary Power
10 – 11 a.m., Art Education Center
$10 per child/adult per session (VMFA members $8)
Ages 2 ½ – 5 | Mix, mash, and splash the primary colors: red, blue, and yellow! Discover how only three hues can make all the colors of the rainbow!
July 10
Tots of Art: Musical Me
11 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$10 per toddler/adult pair (VMFA members $8)
Ages 16 – 30 months | Explore music in art! Hear and learn about sounds and rhythm, and then create your own artistic composition inspired by beats.
3 in 30: Posing Beauty
6:30 p.m., free
What is beauty and who defines it? Is true beauty a reflection of inner nature or is it defined by outward appearance? Ponder these questions and more through the exploration of three objects in VMFA’s permanent collection.
Jazz Café: Mary Hermann Garcia
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Jazz standards, bossa novas, blues, and New Orleans music with vocalist Mary Hermann García, Antonio García on trombone, percussion, vocals; John Conley on guitar, and Brian Sulser on bass.
July 14 – 18: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Creative Cultures
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Be inspired by the ingenuity of cultures from around the world and create works much like coil baskets from Ancient America, prints from Eastern Asia, and other fine crafts throughout the museum.
Drawing Studio
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Develop personal style, boost confidence, and advance your skills as you learn about composition, value, line quality, and more. Sharpen your technique using tools such as graphite pencils and pastels.
Drawing in the Galleries
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | What better place to strengthen your artistic talents than in an art museum?! Young illustrators enhance their technical drawing skills and focus on principles in design while drawing from observation.
Plaster Masters
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Embrace your creativity and imagination by learning to construct an armature, apply plaster, and paint interesting patterns. Careful planning and craftsmanship help turn ideas into 3-D masterpieces.
Beginning Drawing
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Boost confidence, creativity, and skills in this fundamental drawing camp. Learn to use lines, shapes, and textures to illustrate objects from observation and imagination.
July 14 – 18
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp. This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 14 – 18: TEEN CAMPS
Fashion: Fabric Design
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Using a variety of printmaking methods on fabrics, create trendy patterns and build a set of cohesive designs for your own “product line.”
Drawing: Perspective
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | “Scale” the galleries for inspiration and learn tips for depicting space, volume, and depth on a flat surface.
Fashion: Salvaged Love Jewelry
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | With artist and owner of Salvaged Love Jewelry, conceptualize innovative designs using salvaged accessories and found objects. Then apply jewelry-crafting techniques as you create your own wearable art. Some salvaged pieces are supplied but feel free to bring your own.
Digital: Photograph & Purpose
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Interpret artistic concepts, improve shooting techniques, and gain insight into portfolio development, professional photography, and photojournalism. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own DSLR camera and user manual.
July 16
Collection Connection: Ryan McGinness and European Tapestries: Weaving the Present from the Past
11 a.m. – Noon, free
Current exhibition Ryan McGinness: Studio Visit provides an excellent opportunity to reconsider VMFA’s outstanding collection of European tapestries in contemporary terms. Join curators Mitchell Merling and John Ravenal in the galleries for a discussion of the formal and conceptual dialogues between historical and contemporary design as explored by McGinness.
July 17
Artsy Infants: Movin’ & Groovin’
11 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$10 per baby/adult pair (VMFA members $8)
Ages 3 – 15 months | Focus on the importance of tummy time and movement in art. Twist, swish, and groove through the galleries in this interactive infant class.
Jazz Café: Tony Mata Trio
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Sophisticated Jazz in a Trio format with Tony Mata on guitar; Brian Jones on drums and Jimmy Masters on bass.
Artist Talk: Sonya Clark & Robert Pruitt
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Leslie Cheek Theater
$8 (VMFA members $5)
Join artists Sonya Clark and Robert Pruitt in a discussion about their work, which is included in the exhibition, Identity Shifts.
July 21 – 25: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Intro to Botanical Drawing
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Discover how plants relate to art, science, and history while working with tools and technical methods to create realistic drawings. Observe, document, and research interesting discoveries in VMFA’s galleries and grounds.
Adventures in Asia
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Take a trip to the other side of the world! Explore cultures and creations from East Asia while fabricating your own festive art objects.
Sculpture & Design
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Fascinated by sculpture, building, or simply using your imagination? Gain an understanding of three-dimensional objects and the fundamental principles of sculpting. You’ll be amazed by your own creations!
Land of Imagination
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Inspired by art movements, cultures, and natural environments, this mixed-media camp encourages creativity and self-expression. Projects involve making masks, air-dry clay pots, and whimsical creatures!
Drawing in the Galleries
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Explore the museum for lines, shapes, and textures! Learn helpful tips and techniques to draw objects from observation.
July 21 – 25
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp. This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 21 – 25: TEEN CAMPS
Sculpture: Kinetic Construction
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Experience innovation in action! Be inspired by kinetic works at VMFA In the galleries or check out Theo Jansen’s wind sculptures online. Construct your own movable sculpture using recyclable products and materials.
Animation: Stop Motion Picture
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Make your drawings come to life! Explore the history, language, and technique of animation through exploratory exercises, stop-motion works, and more.
Mixed Media: Books Beyond Words
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Stitch, bind, and design your way from traditional bookmaking techniques to experimental “books of art.”
Digital: Art & Design
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Broaden your understanding of digital arts and design while learning about the tools and interface of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to edit images, design logos, and much more!
July 24
VMFA Book Club: Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher
5:30 – 7 p.m., Pauley Center Parlor
$8 (VMFA members $5)
VMFA Book Club: Using books about artists or works of art currently on view at VMFA to pique curiosity and open discussions, VMFA Book Club explores these specific works of art as well as the setting and period surrounding the art. NOTE: Reading the book is helpful but not required. The VMFA Shop stocks a limited supply of each book.
July Book Club: Christopher Oliver, Assistant Curator of American Art, discusses this biography of Edward Curtis, a popular early 20th-century photographer who was best known for his evocative portraits of Native Americans. Financed by J.P. Morgan, Curtis and his staff spent more than 30 years researching, photographing, and writing about Native Americans and their way of life, which was rapidly disappearing. One of his iconic oratones (glass-plate photographs) was recently acquired by the VMFA.
Jazz Café: Reginald Cyntje Band
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
A celebration of the music and culture of the Caribbean with the release of his new CD, “Elements of Life” featuring Reginald Cyntje on trombone; Victor Provost on steel pan; Herman Burney on bass and Amin Gumbs on drums.
July 25
Film: Question Bridge: Black Males (2013, 75 mins.)
6:30-9 p.m., Leslie Cheek Theater
$8 (VMFA members $5)
This film is a project that critically explores challenging issues within the black male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among black men across the geographic, economic, generational, educational and social strata of American society. Question Bridge uses video mediated question and answer exchange to provide a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite and puzzle black males in the United States. During the film, at intervals, a moderator will lead discussions.
July 28 – August 1: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Manga Illustration
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Discover the history and style of Japanese comic arts, manga and anime. Through art talks, step-by-step instruction, and drawing exercises, learn the basic techniques that define this popular art.
Painting Pets & Portraits
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | See how famous artists depict their furry friends! Try your hand at painting portraits of animals and people, focusing on proportion, composition, and paint applications.
Ancient Art Studio
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Experience the wonders of the ancient world. Make clay vessels, royal attire, and much more, inspired by Olympic sports, royal emperors, and everyday life of early civilizations.
Artsy Animals
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | For kids who love animals or making art, this camp centers on elements in art while drawing, painting, and making small-scale sculptures of animals.
Intro to Digital Art
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Gain a fundamental knowledge of Adobe Photoshop tools and filters to edit images and design logos.
July 28 – August 1
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp. This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
July 28 – August 1: TEEN CAMPS
Pottery: Exploring Material
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Discover the many forms and functions of clay while experimenting with methods of hand building, sculpture, and glaze applications. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up in the Art Education Center on Sat., Sept. 6.
Drawing: Botanical Arts
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Where art and science unite with beauty and aesthetics — this class, led by a certified botanical artist — focuses on detailed observations, craftsmanship, and technique to illustrate realistic images.
Fashion: Wearable Arts
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Make your own wearable works of art! Enjoy painting silk scarves, needle felting beads, and crafting stylish accessories using “upcycled” materials.
Drawing: History of Manga
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Learn the history, style, and characteristics of manga and anime through expert instruction and guided practice. Then apply these methods to illustrate stylistic comics and characters.
July 31
Jazz Café: Quintessential Jazz
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Jazz, Funk, Soul & Gospel with William Prentiss on Flute/Tenor Sax; Chris Moseley on Trumpet/Flugelhorn; Sam Craddock on Bass; Eron Gray on drums; Hannon Lane on guitar; Keith Henderson on Percussion; and Keith Wallace on Keyboard.
Over Here: Responses to World War 1 in Art and Architecture
6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Leslie Cheek Theater
$8 (VMFA members $5)
Co-presenters and art historians Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary, former VMFA Associate Curator of American Art, and Jessica Witek, MA, discuss various ways that American artists and architects responded to World War I. The talk features paintings by George Bellows and Childe Hassam, as well as Virginia’s World War I Memorial, the Carillon, in Richmond’s Byrd Park.
AUGUST
August 3
Open Studio Sunday
1– 4 p.m., free
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between noon and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers!
August 4 – 8: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Architecture & Design
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Using VMFA’s building and grounds, examine architectural styles through the centuries and then design your own unique structures.
Museum Treasure Hunt
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Search the museum for inspiration in creating your own Art Nouveau belt buckles, Egyptian charms, and other exciting artifacts.
Painting with Style
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Study the styles of artists like Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe. With acrylics, inks, and oil paints, create your own colorful still lifes, bold landscapes, and abstract images.
Art without Limits
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Experiment with nontraditional applications in drawing, painting, and mixed media. Activities explore gesture drawings, abstract renderings, and altering books to make creative works of art.
August 4 – 8
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp. This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 4 – 8: TEEN CAMPS
Painting: From Canvas to Critique
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Build, stretch, and gesso your own canvas; experiment with a series of applications, styles, and acrylic media; and critique final paintings with peers.
Art History: From Comics to Film
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Find out where your favorite superheroes, such as Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and even Hulk, came from through art talks and movie clips of their early attempts at TV and film adaptation.
Pottery: Hand Building
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Unearth basic methods of hand building with clay and enjoy experimenting with surface textures and underglazes to add dimension, color, and creativity to original forms.
Digital: Filmmaking
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Write, record, and edit your own movies inspired by the museum’s collections and grounds. The goal is for these films to represent your unique relationship with the art and the environment.
August 5
3 in 30: At Work: Labor in American Art
11 – 11:30 a.m., free
While each work of art in VMFA’s collection is a labor of love for its creator, this gallery talk examines three objects that depict Americans at work. Assistant Curator of American Art, Christopher Oliver, looks at how artists incorporate scenes of manual labor into their own productions.
August 7
3 in 30: At Work: Labor in American Art
6:30 – 7 a.m., free
While each work of art in VMFA’s collection is a labor of love for its creator, this gallery talk examines three objects that depict Americans at work. Assistant Curator of American Art, Christopher Oliver, looks at how artists incorporate scenes of manual labor into their own productions.
Jazz Café: 31 Fingers Jazz Trio with special guest Charles Owens
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Jazz from the sophisticated styles of Cole Porter, Count Basie and Dave Brubeck, to the sun drenched sambas of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Featuring Alex Heroux on piano, Vince Newton on bass, Pat Zampetti on drums and Charles Owens on tenor sax.
August 11 – 15: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Cartoons & Characters
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Encouraging creativity and originality, an award-winning illustrator teaches fundamental drawing and animation techniques to develop entertaining characters.
I Love Textiles
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Discover how fabrics are used in fine arts throughout the VMFA galleries and then receive basic instructions for weaving, silk painting, stamping, and stenciling.
Stepping Outside the Box
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Go beyond your artistic limits and experiment with nontraditional applications of drawing and painting. Focus on abstract works, self-expression, and the creative process.
Beginning Painting
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | This camp puts the fun in fundamentals of painting! Find inspiration in the lines, shapes, and colors found in contemporary paintings, and then use these elements in your own paintings.
The Art of Native Americans
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Through hands-on art activities and gallery explorations, learn the importance of tradition, culture, and the natural world in the lives of the first peoples of America.
August 11 – 15
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp
This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 11 – 15: TEEN CAMPS
Painting Art-isms
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Study a new art movement each day, gaining knowledge in the galleries and painting experience in the studios.
Fashion: Costume Jewelry & Accessories
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Conceptualize and create trendy works of wearable art, jewelry, and accessories with unexpected materials and methods.
Pottery: Wheel Throwing
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Wheel throwing teaches not only about art, but also discipline and self-awareness. Learn to center clay, make basic forms, and paint pots with colorful slips and underglazes. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up in the Art Education Center on Sat., Sept. 6.
Fashion: Digital Arts & Advertising
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | See how technology is used in the fashion industry — from designing to marketing — and learn the computer skills to design a brand and ad for yourself.
August 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
Young@Art: Land, Sea, and Sky
10 – 11 a.m., Art Education Center
$10 per child/adult per session (VMFA members $8)
Ages 2 ½ – 5 | Capture the warmth of the season through reflective seascapes, movement-filled landscapes, and summer nightscapes.
August 14
Tots of Art: Over Under
11 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$10 per toddler/adult pair (VMFA members $8)
Ages 16 – 30 months | Practice and play with spatial concepts and experience the galleries from different perspectives. In the studio, experiment with dimensional art materials.
Jazz Café: M-Law & Modern Prophets of Jazz
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Traditional Jazz mixed with smooth grooves and electronic experimentation. Led by trumpet player Mary “M-Law” Lawrence with Larri Branch on piano, Scott Chambers on bass, Kelli Strawbridge on drums.
August 18 – 22: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Intro to Photo
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Explore the fundamentals of digital photography—from camera settings to photo editing—and develop a series of photographs that reflect an original concept. Students are encouraged to bring their own DSLR camera and user manual (but it is not required).
Colors of the Season
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Enjoy painting and collaging warm landscapes and cool seascapes, while learning about colors and seasons.
Creative Caps
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | This cap-tivating camp encourages earth-friendly habits, creative thinking, and proper use of power tools! Enjoy constructing innovative mosaic projects and sculptures using repurposed material such as plastic bottle caps, Styrofoam coolers, and vinyl records.
Brickworkz LEGO® Art
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Collaborate with peers to construct a 2-D mosaic-style mural with LEGO® tiles, layers of opaque and translucent blocks in a monochromatic color palette, and some cool math formulas. Also make your own mini-mosaic to take home!
Dance into Art
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | View artworks that depict movement and dance, such as Edgar Degas’s Little Dancer. Then participate in movement exercises, group activities, music making, story time, and creating colorful collages.
August 18 – 22
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp. This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 18 – 22: TEEN CAMPS
Drawing: Figures & Faces
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Increase your proficiency drawing portraits and figures. Work from clothed models in the studio and objects in the galleries to practice proportion, tone, and line quality.
Pottery: Wheel Throwing
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Wheel throwing teaches not only about art, but also discipline and self-awareness. Learn to center clay, make basic forms, and paint pots with colorful slips and underglazes. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up in the Art Education Center on Sat., Sept. 6.
Painting: Techniques in Oil
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | From the classical to contemporary oil paintings in the galleries, discover traditional techniques and explore alternative applications to integrate into your own works.
Digital: Photography for Beginners
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Explore the history and art of photography and digital media through practical demonstration and hands-on experience. Use Adobe Photoshop for postproduction work. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own DSLR camera and user manual.
August 21
Artsy Infants: Color Me Glad!
11 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$10 per baby/adult pair (VMFA members $8)
Ages 3 – 15 months | Learn why bright colors are better than pretty pastels for your baby’s eyes. Play with colored instruments, view vibrant paintings in the galleries, and create a colorful work of art.
Jazz Café: Victor Haskins Trio
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Exploring the many genres of Jazz with original and popular tunes by Victor Haskins, cornet/compositions; Randall Pharr on bass, Tony Martucci, on drums.
August 25 – 29: CHILDRENS’ CAMPS
Brickworkz LEGO® Art
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Collaborate with peers to construct a 2-D mosaic-style mural with LEGO® tiles, layers of opaque and translucent blocks in a monochromatic color palette, and some cool math formulas. Also make your own mini-mosaic to take home!
Sensory Studio
9 a.m. – Noon, Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | Experience art through sight, sound, and touch while learning about colors, shapes, lines, and textures. Students enjoy painting to music, drawing with their eyes closed, and most importantly, using their imaginations!
Brickworkz LEGO Art
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 10 – 12 | Collaborate with peers to construct a 2-D mosaic-style mural with LEGO® tiles, layers of opaque and translucent blocks in a monochromatic color palette, and some cool math formulas. Also make your own mini-mosaic to take home!
Treasures from China
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 7 – 9 | Be inspired by the royal treasures and riches of China. Create gilded dragons, patterns on porcelain, silver-colored coins, and hanging scrolls with beautiful landscapes.
Picture This…
1 – 4 p.m., Art Education Center
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 5 – 6 | While gathering inspiration from talented authors and illustrators like Eric Carle and Dr. Seuss, explore a new story, style, and art technique each day. Make colorful collages, creative characters, and much more!
August 25 – 29
Connect-a-Camp
Noon – 1 p.m., Art Education Center
$20 (VMFA members $18)
All ages, available only to students enrolled in both a morning and afternoon camp. This program provides supervision between camps, which allows time for lunch* and daily activities such as drawing in the galleries, reading, playing games. *Students are required to bring bagged lunches from home.
August 25 – 29: TEEN CAMPS
Mixed Media: Experimental Arts
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | From weaving bicycles wheels to making mosaics, this studio class puts a fun and funky spin on art history while utilizing found objects and leftover supplies!
Animation: Character Development
9 a.m. – Noon
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Learn how to turn basic renderings into visual entertainment from an award-winning illustrator. Using digital tools for animation, focus on design principles to create characters and bring ideas to life.
Drawing in the Galleries
1 – 4 p.m.
$130 (VMFA members $115)
Ages 13 – 18 | Spend a relaxing week in the galleries sketching and studying new art concepts and history. Each day highlights a different collection and artistic style.
August 28
Jazz Café: Lady E & The Blues Synsation Band
6-9 p.m.,Best Café
Vocalist Lady E sings “Blues with a touch of Jazz” with Al Campbell on piano; David Drew on bass; Mike Hoggard on drums; Rolando Jordan on trumpet; Doc Ralph Branch on bari sax; and, featuring 16 year-old guitarist Morgan Burrs.
SEPTEMBER
September 7
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m., free
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between noon and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers!
OCTOBER
October 5
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m., free
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between noon and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers.
October 25-16
Trunk Show: Virginia Raku Clay
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Inspired by many contemporary artists such as Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, and Klimt as well as African, Asian, and Islamic art forms, Tanya Tyree incises her raku-fired clay sculptures, vessels, decorative objects, wall art, and jewelry with abstract drawings that reveal their own mystery, sweet spirit, and mood. Tyree, who is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, conceptualizes and hand builds her pieces from flat slabs of clay, using copper and colored glazes to produce unexpected hues and tones in each work.
NOVEMBER
November 2
Open Studio Sunday
1 – 4 p.m., free
Make Open Studio Sundays part of your family routine! Come by the studios anytime between noon and 4 p.m. to enjoy “make-it, take-it” art activities inspired by objects from the VMFA collection. A new art project offered every month, with assistance from VMFA volunteers.
November 3-8
Trunk Show: Frankie Slaughter, Virginia Textile & Jewelry Artist
Museum hours
An internationally known mixed-media artist who divides her time between Richmond, VA, and Hong Kong, Frankie Slaughter bridges East and West with her one-of-a-kind textile jackets and jewelry. Approaching each design as a creative journey with no preconceived destination, Slaughter allows her keen eye and artistry to guide her as she combines layers of texture, color, and pattern, as if creating a painting or collage, and weaves ancient traditions with new experiences.
November 29-30
Trunk Show: Oxide Pottery
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Justin Rice and Chatham Monk, both from Lynchburg, Va., with degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Art, use their backgrounds in drawing, printmaking, and decorative patterns to collaborate on this stunning line of porcelain scraffito work. Without the use of templates or stencils, the pair hand-carve images into a black under glaze to expose the white clay body, yielding beautiful, one-of-a-kind porcelain pieces with slight variations in shape and glazes. This work is dishwasher- and microwave-safe and lead-free.
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
VMFA’s permanent collection encompasses more than 33,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of world history. Its collections of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, English silver, Fabergé, and the art of South Asia are among the finest in the nation. With acclaimed holdings in American, British Sporting, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist, and Modern and Contemporary art – and additional strengths in African, Ancient, East Asian, and European – VMFA ranks as one of the top comprehensive art museums in the United States. Programs include educational activities and studio classes for all ages, plus lively after-hours events. VMFA’s Statewide Partnership program includes traveling exhibitions, artist and teacher workshops, and lectures across the Commonwealth. VMFA, a certified Virginia Green attraction, is open 365 days a year and general admission is always free. For additional information, telephone 804-340-1400 or visit www.vmfa.museum.
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