Fall for the arts
Get cozy, crafty, and creative in Manchester.
Richmond is an artsy city, and Manchester is certainly an artsy neighborhood. Full of opportunities to see, create, and experience art, you can visit a local gallery’s exciting new exhibition and turn that inspiration into a proud piece of art that’s all your own. Classes, studio space, galleries, Manchester has everything an artist or art-lover needs to survive.
Southside Contemporary Art Gallery
Open to the public Thursday through Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Southside Contemporary Art Gallery is emboldened to make contemporary fine art accessible to its community. Showcasing a range of established and emerging talents, the gallery has a prescience for trending work that gives Manchester a first look at incredibly forward-thinking artists.
The owner and lead curator of the gallery, Rosetta, uses his knowledge of the art world to select pieces that he feels will create impactful conversation, while also establishing an environment where people feel comfortable having those discussions.
“I want them to feel like it is a safe space to engage with artwork, but also become involved within a creative ecosystem.”
No matter your relationship to art, as an artist, collector, curator, consultant, or what have you, everyone is welcome to share in the collective experience that this space and these works provide. You’ll be mesmerized by the mixed media and intense cultural dialogue evoked by these challenging pieces. Founded in February of 2023, SCAG has quickly become a destination for artists and curators from all over.
“They're telling me that we're a beacon. When people are telling people to come to galleries in Virginia, they're telling people to come to Southside.”
Rosetta not only understands art but also how it can shape and foster a community. In September, Southside featured a solo exhibition for Coppere Ford, a local collage artist who has been privately collaging for thirteen years. And though this was his debut as a visual artist, he’s long been known in the Richmond community as a music producer. Ford’s art simultaneously piques the interest of the contemporary art world and the Richmond music scene. But no matter the subject, medium, or message, Rosetta knows that “different artists pull different people,” and he uses that to his advantage.
“Curation is about research. Curation is about telling stories that aren't being told. You know, telling stories that you enjoy.”
Equally astonishing and relevant, it’s not enough to browse their website; you have to experience these works in person. The SCAG’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices plays a large part in their pushing the boundaries of contemporary fine art. The gallery’s team focuses on curating breathtaking work that otherwise might have gone unnoticed, so do yourself a favor and check them out. And for those who curate their own bodies like an art gallery, Manchester’s got you covered, too.
Ink Masters
Richmond is the third most tattooed city in America, and if you’ve walked around town for more than five minutes, that doesn’t surprise you. Tattoos are an extremely popular way for people to express themselves through art. Not only are they a beautiful statement of illustrative body modification, but tattoos have varied cultural significance dating back thousands of years. Contemporarily, they can act as a means of commemorating loved ones, celebrating milestones, showing support for a favorite sports team, or simply be employed as an aesthetic choice.
If you have tattoos, you know how addictive they can be, so if you’re in the market for your next piece, visit one of Manchester’s tattoo shops and add one or even two more to your collection. Heartfelt Tattoo, right down the road on Hull Street, is “a Queer and Trans Femme owned tattoo studio that has a focus on creating a sensory-friendly space for queer, trans, and nonbinary people.” A safe and comfortable environment is imperative when you’re lying on a table and a needle is making frequent contact with your skin. Heartfelt’s artists are experienced with linework and American Traditional tattoo styles. They will go above and beyond to ensure that you have the best possible experience and walk away with a piece you are proud of.
Also in the neighborhood is the Piece of Mind Art Studio and Mecca Art Studio, which both dabble in linework and photo-realism. Their work plays with shadow and contour with such delicacy that you will think they printed the image right onto your body. Tattoo is a timeless and powerfully impressive art that requires a level of skill accumulated over years. The Richmond tattoo scene is a lively one, and it’s growing every day. Get to know these Manchester artists and put them to the test. You won’t be disappointed.
Art Is Everywhere
The Richmond Mural Project sparked a street art revival in 2012. By inviting the handful of local muralists Richmond had at the time, along with a few international artists to supplement the project’s city-wide undertaking, Richmond imbued the next generation with a blank canvas of possibilities. Now over a hundred murals dress the outsides of shops, restaurants, and apartment buildings across every neighborhood in the city, including Manchester.
Walking down Manchester’s iconic Hull Street, you’ll spot gorgeous murals like Austin Miles and Kristal Brown’s “Brown Girl Narratives” depicting a group of Black women closely embracing one another. Born out of community discussions led by Brown, the mural puts voices and lived experiences to the data from her research, with words like “Courage,” “Strength,” and “The audacity to be great” woven into the imagery. The painting blends the visual depth of realism with whimsical loops of color to bring life and movement to these characters. This illustration of solidarity and empowerment is permanently displayed for all to appreciate. It’s murals like this that make you stop and think about more than just the subject of the piece, but the greater message the artist has in mind.
Just around the corner, “Her Flowers” by Amy Smith and S. Ross Browne features a young African-American woman in a surrealist environment that encompasses representations of the past, present, and future. Standing tall in front of an empty field and a pedestal where a statue once stood, she holds tightly a picture of local community leader and civil rights activist, Maggie L. Walker. This smart young woman has a lot of learning still ahead of her, but will eventually lead us into a more enlightened and socially conscious future.
Now painting in New York City, local muralist Humble entered the world of art after studying philosophy and religion at VCU. He lived in Richmond for 14 years, and in his time here, fell in love with painting. You may be familiar with his “Welcome to Richmond” mural in the Richmond International Airport. Each letter of “RICHMOND” illustrates a snapshot of the city’s culture, educating and embracing the viewer as an honorary citizen of the river city.
“[The art] just comes from me, and I think that that's super important. I'm not trying to achieve anything great besides bringing conversation to public spaces and linking people together.”
But community comes from more than the final product. By subjecting himself to the public whenever he’s working on a mural, Humble finds himself connecting to his work in ways he never expected.
“I have stories from every piece I've ever done of community members telling me about the area, who they are, and what this means to them, and it becomes a special place.”
His recent work includes a mural of two herons playing in the river, painted on the wall of a Manchester apartment building, Eddy on the James. The story being told by this bright blue piece is a token of the art’s proximity to the James and the neighborhood’s sense of closeness. He has also been commissioned to complete a mural for the South Falls Tower nearby, putting his artful handprint on Manchester yet again.
Murals are a bit of eye candy on the street, but they have the opportunity to be much more than that if you give them the time and consideration they deserve. Next time you see a mural, stop for a second and really look at it, and feel where you are. They’re not just a piece of art to spruce up the building; they are a part of this city’s heart and soul.
Crafting And Curating
Autumn is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby, and there’s no better place to learn a new creative skill than Studio Two Three. This nonprofit art space in the heart of Manchester is constantly putting on workshops and events at their 15th Street studio. Can’t come to the studio? The studio can come to you! Studio Two Three’s print truck is “great for field trips, parties, community events, and team-building.” For $300 an hour, their print truck will meet you anywhere within 20 miles of the studio and teach a print workshop. This is the kind of commitment to community that makes Studio Two Three a home for so many established and aspiring artists in Manchester.
But sometimes you just want to feel connected to your city’s artists from an audience’s point of view. There’s something calming about standing in front of a painting and ruminating on its message. East on Hull Street, near the Railroad Museum, Art Works is an art gallery that features both local and international artists of all styles. Steep yourself in the Manchester art world at one of their six galleries, or attend their monthly art show to see what’s new. They also display work throughout their 82 studios, which you can view in person or online, all available for purchase. While touring Art Works’ studios, we met a few of the artists there and learned a bit about their individual styles and projects.
Blake Davis owns and operates Tula Woodworking out of his studio in Art Works. He uses hand tools to craft all his furniture, so every piece is painstakingly and precisely made to his specifications. His Etsy shop offers a beautiful variety of handcrafted furniture, including benches, mirrors, cabinets, tables, and more. Made from the finest materials and imbued with Blake’s blood, sweat, and tears, his work is worth every penny.
Misti Nolen, another Art Works studio resident, sources natural fiber yarn by carefully deconstructing sweaters she finds at second-hand stores, and sells the yarn in bundles to creators like you, under the name Natural Recycled Yarn. High-quality yarn can be hard to come by, but vintage sweaters are a dime a dozen in Richmond. Misti recycles old, unworn clothing so its materials can be given a new life, re-woven into something completely personal.
Christian Keener is the sole operator of Precision Jewelry Service and has been professionally crafting and repairing jewelry for over 30 years. You can come to him for resizing, stone setting, and custom design; he even restores heirlooms. Big-name jewelry stores hire him for repairs, so you know he’s the real deal. If you’ve got jewelry troubles, just give Christian Keener a ring.
Linda Allard Jewelry, run by Linda and her husband, Andrew, is a jewelry shop that sells custom pieces inside Art Works’ studio space. Each gemstone is hand-selected by Linda because every ring, necklace, or bracelet they sell has a one-of-a-kind story to tell. And when you buy their jewelry, a portion of the proceeds is donated to FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of loved ones and those diagnosed with hereditary breast, ovarian, and related cancers. The organization picked by Linda and Andrew changes every year, with one exception. For every Forget-Me-Not pendant sold, they donate to the Richmond chapter of the Alzheimer’s Foundation. It’s beauty that gives back. And you can stop by and peruse their collection anytime.
Artworks’ doors are open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. so walk right in and immerse yourself in inspiration.
This is truly just a taste of the art scene here in Manchester. If you want to experience it for yourself, sign up for a workshop, visit a gallery, or just walk around. The art of Manchester isn’t going anywhere.
