John ‘Papa’ Gros
6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 28, Piedmont Arts
Join Move to Martinsville and Piedmont Arts for an evening of New Orleans piano with John “Papa” Gros at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 28, at Piedmont Arts.
Gros is a New Orleans pianist, organist, and singer-songwriter whose career reflects the city itself — resilient, rhythmic, steeped in tradition, and always evolving. For more than 30 years, he has served as both a keeper and a translator of New Orleans music, blending funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, and Americana into a sound that is deeply rooted yet forward-looking.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 per person. Beer and wine will be available at the cash bar.
Current Exhibits
Neither Here Nor There
On view through June 6
In this series of work, Betsy Hale Bannan examines the microcosm of the airport and uses the act of seeing the earth from above to explore a sense of place. She considers the aesthetics of infrastructure by focusing on the unexpected geometry of hard surfaces, the choreography taking place on them, and the scale of these vast spaces.
Accelerations
On view through June 6
In this multidisciplinary installation, Lisa Beth Robinson explores interconnectedness and vanishings, particularly in relation to the environment. Her work is propelled by the hidden lines she sees sewing the universe together. Sometimes close, sometimes loose, there are parallels and commonalities to be found among these lines. By bringing them to light, she weaves a space where viewers can see themselves as part of a larger whole, finding meaning, connection, and agency over life’s outcomes.
Hot, Fresh, Brioche … Knitting
On view through June 6
Lauren Thornhill is a knitter from Collinsville, Virginia. Her piece “A Crow’s Gift” won Best in Show in “Expressions 2024,” the annual open-entry exhibition presented by Lynwood Artists and Piedmont Arts.
Forty Years of Fabulous Fiber
On view through June 6
The Reynolds Homestead Weavers Exchange was founded in 1985 by Cecelia Cassady and Johanna Britt. Since that time, the group has grown from informal sessions where members worked on personal projects to organized meetings with programs and workshops led by weavers of regional and national reputation. The group meets bi-monthly at the Community Engagement Center at Reynolds Homestead in Critz, Virginia.
Upcoming Events
Art Scholarships
Applications due: Thursday, April 30
Hufford Memorial Arts Scholarship
• For graduating high school seniors.
• Up to $1,000 available to awardees.
Work Memorial Arts Scholarship
• For rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
• Up to $2,500 available to awardees.
Clyde Hooker Awards
5:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, Piedmont Arts
Piedmont Arts will honor DelShana LeGrant and Thrid Bay Cafe for their support of the arts at the 24th annual Clyde Hooker Awards at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, at Piedmont Arts.
The museum will also recognize Arts in Education Award recipient Kourtney Merricks and the recipients of the Nicodemus Hufford and Harold Knowlton Work Memorial Art Scholarships.
The awards ceremony will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. with a reception to follow. In place of an admission cost, please consider donating to the Piedmont Arts Scholarship Fund.
RSVP with the number and names of the attendees in your party by Friday, May 29.
Artwork Entry: Expressions 2026
10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, June 13, Piedmont Arts
Artists living within a 100-mile radius of Martinsville, Virginia, are invited to enter work in Expressions 2026: America250 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, June 13, at Piedmont Arts. All entries must be made during the designated time frame. No early or late entries will be accepted.
“Expressions” is an open-entry exhibition presented annually by Lynwood Artists and Piedmont Arts. In honor of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, artists are asked to submit work focusing on the theme “America250.”
Community Partners
Smith River Singers Concert
6:15 p.m., Monday, May 11, Galilean House of Worship
The Smith River Singers, under the direction of Dr. Pamela Randall, invite the community to their upcoming spring concert, “America the Beautiful,” a moving musical journey celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The performance is free. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m.
Classes
Bob Ross Workshop
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 7
Yoga in the Galleries
10-11 a.m.
Saturday, May 9
Summer Art Camp
9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Grades K-2: June 8-12
Grades 3-5: June 15-19
Grades 6-8: July 20-24
Chix with Stix
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Second and fourth Tuesdays
