Upcoming Events
Crossing Cultures: International Works from the Collection of Sue Ott Rowlands
Crossing Cultures features international works from the private collection of Sue Ott Rowlands, President of Randolph College and world-traveled theatre artist."I began collecting almost 30 years ago," Sue notes, "with the discovery in Prague of a wonderful, whimsical painting by a Ukrainian artist." The subject matter was three women with bubbles above their heads, as if they were each dreaming of their future: one a bubble of wealth, one a bubble of love, and one a bubble of power. "From that moment on, I realized that I could search for three woman paintings and, indeed, photographs and statuary around the world as I traveled. And so the collection grew to the point it is today, around 500 pieces of artwork from over 60 countries." The central theme of Sue's collection has always been, and continues to be, that of the female figure, how it is perceived and interpreted by artists in various cultures around the world.Crossing Cultures is Sue's second exhibition at Riverviews, following The Feminine Spirit: American Works from Sue Ott Rowlands' Private Collection in 2025.Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun, 12-4 pm
Free general admission
E.C. Glass: AP Art Exhibition & Senior Art Show
Riverviews Artspace is proud to host the E.C. Glass High School AP Art Exhibition & Senior Art Show, featuring work by AP and Advanced Art seniors exhibiting their sustained investigation series. Come see the next generation of Lynchburg artists in action.
Featured Artists: River Baird, Lily Gray, JP Mancier, Lily Hunt, Madeline Stone, Wren Kuk, Helen Grace Sackett, Deitrich Mullins
Free and open to the public.
Mixed Media Fabric Square Workshop
Gather. Create. Connect. Many hands. One voice. Your hand-stitched square becomes part of a large-scale collective work assembled by artist Santé Johnson — and unveiled in an exhibition on June 26 at Riverviews Artspace.
Sessions are April 25, May 9, May 22, May 30, and June 3 — $40 per person. Group reservations are also available, perfect for book clubs, civic groups, workplaces, or any group looking for a meaningful shared experience.Materials provided:22×22 fabric square (screenprinted with historical map of the James River)embroidery hoop, thread, and needleassorted fabric scraps, paint markers, beads, and fun extras
May 22 facilitator: Simone Paterson
Mixed Media Fabric Square Workshop
Gather. Create. Connect. Many hands. One voice. Your hand-stitched square becomes part of a large-scale collective work assembled by artist Santé Johnson — and unveiled in an exhibition on June 26 at Riverviews Artspace.
Sessions are April 25, May 9, May 22, May 30, and June 3 — $40 per person. Group reservations are also available, perfect for book clubs, civic groups, workplaces, or any group looking for a meaningful shared experience.Materials provided:22×22 fabric square (screenprinted with historical map of the James River)embroidery hoop, thread, and needleassorted fabric scraps, paint markers, beads, and fun extras
May 30 facilitator: Pamela WinegardMixed Media Fabric Square Workshop
Gather. Create. Connect. Many hands. One voice. Your hand-stitched square becomes part of a large-scale collective work assembled by artist Santé Johnson — and unveiled in an exhibition on June 26 at Riverviews Artspace.
Sessions are April 25, May 9, May 22, May 30, and June 3 — $40 per person. Group reservations are also available, perfect for book clubs, civic groups, workplaces, or any group looking for a meaningful shared experience.Materials provided:22×22 fabric square (screenprinted with historical map of the James River)embroidery hoop, thread, and needleassorted fabric scraps, paint markers, beads, and fun extras
June 3 facilitator: Emily Edmonds
Collage Break ✂️
Drop in. Cut things up. Make something!Take a break from the summer heat and get your hands busy! Join us for a laid-back collage session in the gallery—no experience needed, no rules to follow.We'll have a fun prompt to spark your imagination, but feel free to ignore it completely and make whatever calls to you. Flip through magazines, tear, cut, layer, glue, and see what happens. That's the whole plan.All materials provided. All ages welcome, little ones, grown-ups, seasoned artists, and total beginners. There's a seat at the table for everyone. Come for five minutes or stay the whole time. No pressure or expectations, just a good excuse to make something with your hands.Dates: June 4, July 9, August 6
Cost: by donation (suggested donation of $5)
Drop in. Cut things up. Make something!
Take a break from the summer heat and get your hands busy! Join us for a laid-back collage session in the gallery—no experience needed, no rules to follow.
We'll have a fun prompt to spark your imagination, but feel free to ignore it completely and make whatever calls to you. Flip through magazines, tear, cut, layer, glue, and see what happens. That's the whole plan.
All materials provided. All ages welcome, little ones, grown-ups, seasoned artists, and total beginners. There's a seat at the table for everyone. Come for five minutes or stay the whole time. No pressure or expectations, just a good excuse to make something with your hands.
First Friday: June 5
Join us for our monthly First Friday open house!
On view: Crossing Cultures features international works from the private collection of Sue Ott Rowlands, President of Randolph College and world-traveled theatre artist.First Friday:
Free & open to the publicConcessions, snacks, & drinksOpen artist studios
Opening: How Will Our Ancestors Find Us? Don't Forget the Chiclets
Join us for the opening night of How Will Our Ancestors Find Us? Don't Forget the Chiclets, a sweeping multi-media exhibition by Philadelphia-based artist Duwenavue Santé Johnson—and witness the unveiling of The Great James River Banner.The large-scale collective textile is comprised of fabric squares created in our A Space Between the Stars workshops, a true reflection of the greater Lynchburg community. Stitched, painted, beaded, and woven by many hands over many months, the work represents our shared stories and the everyday memories that connect us across time.Free and open to the public.
How Will Our Ancestors Find Us? Don't Forget the Chiclets
How Will Our Ancestors Find Us? Don't Forget the Chiclets is Duwenavue Santé Johnson's exploration of shared human experience. An imagined collection of "random memories from the past, displayed in the present," this narrative delves into the profound connection of living memories that we, as individuals, keep. These memories serve as anchors, helping us to navigate fear, combat loneliness, and solidify our sense of self, ultimately fostering confidence, balance, and the profound understanding that we are part of a grander design. We are all connected by small, everyday moments. The Great James River Banner, created by the community in our “A Space Between the Stars” workshop series, accompanies Johnson’s own installation landscapes, textured paintings, and hand embroidery.Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun, 12-4 pm
Free general admissionCollage Break ✂️
Drop in. Cut things up. Make something!Take a break from the summer heat and get your hands busy! Join us for a laid-back collage session in the gallery—no experience needed, no rules to follow.We'll have a fun prompt to spark your imagination, but feel free to ignore it completely and make whatever calls to you. Flip through magazines, tear, cut, layer, glue, and see what happens. That's the whole plan.All materials provided. All ages welcome, little ones, grown-ups, seasoned artists, and total beginners. There's a seat at the table for everyone. Come for five minutes or stay the whole time. No pressure or expectations, just a good excuse to make something with your hands.Dates: June 4, July 9, August 6
Cost: by donation (suggested donation of $5)
Drop in. Cut things up. Make something!
Take a break from the summer heat and get your hands busy! Join us for a laid-back collage session in the gallery—no experience needed, no rules to follow.
We'll have a fun prompt to spark your imagination, but feel free to ignore it completely and make whatever calls to you. Flip through magazines, tear, cut, layer, glue, and see what happens. That's the whole plan.
All materials provided. All ages welcome, little ones, grown-ups, seasoned artists, and total beginners. There's a seat at the table for everyone. Come for five minutes or stay the whole time. No pressure or expectations, just a good excuse to make something with your hands.
Collage Break ✂️
Drop in. Cut things up. Make something!Take a break from the summer heat and get your hands busy! Join us for a laid-back collage session in the gallery—no experience needed, no rules to follow.We'll have a fun prompt to spark your imagination, but feel free to ignore it completely and make whatever calls to you. Flip through magazines, tear, cut, layer, glue, and see what happens. That's the whole plan.All materials provided. All ages welcome, little ones, grown-ups, seasoned artists, and total beginners. There's a seat at the table for everyone. Come for five minutes or stay the whole time. No pressure or expectations, just a good excuse to make something with your hands.Dates: June 4, July 9, August 6
Cost: by donation (suggested donation of $5)
Drop in. Cut things up. Make something!
Take a break from the summer heat and get your hands busy! Join us for a laid-back collage session in the gallery—no experience needed, no rules to follow.
We'll have a fun prompt to spark your imagination, but feel free to ignore it completely and make whatever calls to you. Flip through magazines, tear, cut, layer, glue, and see what happens. That's the whole plan.
All materials provided. All ages welcome, little ones, grown-ups, seasoned artists, and total beginners. There's a seat at the table for everyone. Come for five minutes or stay the whole time. No pressure or expectations, just a good excuse to make something with your hands.
That Which Forms
That Which Forms by Mariam Aziza Stephan is an exhibition of haunting, precise drawings that treat the landscape as portraiture, each image carrying its own layered history of place, memory, and time.Stephan's practice is rooted in the idea that seeing is never passive. Her drawings accumulate marks the way research accumulates evidence—fragment by fragment, impression upon impression—building images that function simultaneously as historical record and active interpretation, asking viewers to reckon with what we think we see and how we come to know anything at all. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with poet Julia Johnson, whose poems written in response to Stephan's work serve as the titles of the drawings, a true dialogue between image and language, vision and voice. Stephan is Professor of Painting at UNC Greensboro and a Fulbright Scholar; Johnson is Professor of English and Founding Director of the MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Kentucky.Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun, 12-4 pm
Free general admission
Workshop: A Space Between the Stars
Gather. Create. Connect. Many hands. One voice. Your hand-stitched square becomes part of a large-scale collective work assembled by artist Santé Johnson — and unveiled in an exhibition on June 26 at Riverviews Artspace.
Sessions are April 25, May 9, May 14, May 22, May 30, and June 3 — $40 per person. Group reservations are also available, perfect for book clubs, civic groups, workplaces, or any group looking for a meaningful shared experience.May 9 facilitator: Karen LangsethWorkshop: A Space Between the Stars
Gather. Create. Connect. Many hands. One voice. Your hand-stitched square becomes part of a large-scale collective work assembled by artist Santé Johnson — and unveiled in an exhibition on June 26 at Riverviews Artspace.
Sessions are April 25, May 9, May 14, May 22, May 30, and June 3 — $40 per person. Group reservations are also available, perfect for book clubs, civic groups, workplaces, or any group looking for a meaningful shared experience.April 25 facilitator: Jill Jensen
Installation In-Progress
The main gallery is temporarily closed from April 20-30, as we install artwork and prepare the gallery for our next exhibition.Join us on Friday, May 1, for the opening of Crossing Cultures from 5-8 p.m. Regular gallery hours resume May 2nd.
Friends & Families Reception: James River Day School
Friends & Family Reception — For the Love of Art
Friday, April 10 | 5–7 p.m. | Main Gallery, Riverviews Artspace
A special evening celebrating the student artists of James River Day School. From the youngest elementary student to the oldest middle schooler, every student's work is represented — come see For the Love of Art and cheer on the young makers whose work fills the gallery.
Live music performed by students
Button making in the gallery
Concessions, snacks, & drinks
For the Love of Art is on view April 3–19, 2026. Free and open to the public.
First Friday: April 3
FIRST FRIDAY: JRDS STUDENT SHOW
Opening Night — For the Love of Art
First Friday, April 3 | 5–8 p.m. | Main Gallery, Riverviews Artspace
Join us for the opening of For the Love of Art, a student exhibition celebrating the joyous spirit of making and creating in the art classes at James River Day School. From the youngest elementary student to the oldest middle schooler, every student has a piece on the wall.
Free & open to all ages
Concessions, snacks, and drinks
Button making in the gallery
Friends & Family Reception | Friday, April 10 | 5–7 p.m.
For the Love of Art is on view April 3–19, 2026. Free and open to the public.
For the Love of Art: James River Day School Student Exhibition
For the Love of Art: James River Day School Student Exhibition
Middle school and elementary students are naturally curious. They love using their imaginations and bringing ideas to life through the arts. This exhibition, For the Love of Art, celebrates that joyous spirit of making and creating encouraged in the art classes at James River Day School. From the youngest elementary student to the oldest middle schooler, every student's work is represented.
For the Love of Art is on view April 3–19, 2026 in the Main Gallery at Riverviews Artspace. Free and open to the public.
Opening Night — First Friday | April 3 | 5–8 p.m.
Friends & Family Reception | April 10 | 5–7 p.m.
Sophie Blackall Art Auction
Bid on exclusive framed prints by two-time Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator Sophie Blackall. Twenty framed prints from her recent exhibition at Riverviews Artspace are now up for auction — created in a limited colorway and size you won't find anywhere else.
Winning bidders take home art by one of today's most celebrated illustrators and directly sustain the exhibitions and programs at the heart of Riverviews.
Auction closes April 10 at 7:00 pm. Don't miss your chance.
Browse all available works and place your bid below. Winning prints can be picked up in person at Riverviews Artspace beginning April 10. 
Installation In-Progress
The main gallery is temporarily closed from March 15-April 3, as we install artwork and prepare the gallery for our next exhibition.Join us on Friday, April 3rd, for the opening of James River Day School’s student exhibition For the Love of Art from 5-8 p.m. Regular gallery hours resume April 4th.
VCCA Connects
VCCA CONNECTS: BRINGING ART TO THE COMMUNITY
The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) is thrilled to continue its new traveling event series in our region! In partnership with neighboring community spaces, we’re connecting local art lovers to the creative work of VCCA Fellows who visit VCCA from around the world. Each program features a small group of VCCA Fellows who share their creative work and answer questions from the audience.
VCCA Connects events are always free and open to the public.
First Friday: March 6
International group show Presently features the works of Chris Arabadjis, Nelleke Beltjens, Reed Danziger, Thomas Kemper, and Sarah Walker.
First Friday, March 6
Free & open to all ages
Concessions, snacks, and drinks
Early Bird Artist Mixer
Calling all artists! Whether you’re seasoned or emerging, or simply curious about the art scene in Lynchburg, this is your chance to connect. Join us for a casual morning of conversation, community, and creativity. Meet fellow artists, exchange ideas, and grow your network in a welcoming, informal setting. Drop in on your way to work or stay awhile—just bring your curiosity and creative spirit… and maybe a friend!
For a free coffee at the event, please register in advance!
Simone Paterson's Ascending/Descending
The Riverviews hallway gallery features a colorful, contemplative selection of works by Simone Paterson, "best in show" winner of our 17th Annual Juried Show. Ascending / Descending traces the movement of energy through cycles of rise, fall, gathering, and release, using the chakra system as a conceptual framework rather than a belief structure.
Presently: International Group Show
International group show Presently features the works of Chris Arabadjis, Nelleke Beltjens, Reed Danziger, Thomas Kemper, and Sarah Walker.
EXHIBITION DATES: FEBRUARY 6 - MARCH 15