Franks + Dranks
6-9 p.m., Friday, July 18, Art Garden
Piedmont Arts’ annual summer cookout and concert is back! Enjoy a meal of hot dogs and fixings, a cash bar and live music by Jake Earles.
Earles is a singer and guitar player from Axton, Va. He spent 20 years living in Nashville, Tenn., playing everywhere from honky tonks to the Grand Ole Opry. He has toured the country with acts such as Tim McGraw. Earles brings a mix of country, Americana, folk and soul to the stage.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. In the event of inclement weather, Franks + Dranks will be held at Piedmont Arts.
Admission is $20 per person and includes food.
Sponsored by Burton & Company.
News
(Left-right): Katherine Boaz, the daughter of J. Clyde Hooker Jr.; Marty Gardner; VisitMartinsville Director of Tourism and Talent Sarah Hodges; and Piedmont Arts Executive Director Heidi Pinkston pose at the Clyde Hooker Awards on June 18.
Marty Gardner and VisitMartinsville receive Clyde Hooker Award at ceremony on June 18
Piedmont Arts presented Marty Gardner and VisitMartinsville with the Clyde Hooker Award at a ceremony on June 18 at the museum.
The award was established in 2003 by the Piedmont Arts Board of Directors to recognize individuals and businesses in Martinsville-Henry County who have made significant contributions to Piedmont Arts and the arts and culture in our area. It is named in honor of J. Clyde Hooker Jr. for his generous support of the arts.
Gardner has been a dedicated supporter, tireless volunteer and vocal ambassador for Piedmont Arts for more than 50 years. She served as project chair of the Shared Vision Campaign in the late 1990s, acting as a key liaison between the expansion of the building and its ongoing operations during a critical time in the museum’s history. More recently, she co-chaired the Growth and Restoration Campaign, which funded urgent facility needs and strengthened Piedmont Arts’ foundation for years to come. She and the campaign committee continue to work on major projects, like outfitting the museum with solar panels. Her fingerprints and name are all over Piedmont Arts from its day-to-day efforts to the major projects that have shaped the museum into the cultural icon it is today.
VisitMartinsville plays an indispensable role in shaping how people experience and appreciate the community. As the official tourism office for Martinsville and Henry County, operating under the umbrella of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation, the organization has become an invaluable partner to Piedmont Arts, consistently promoting museum events through its website and interactive calendar. The organization’s support ensures that both locals and travelers are aware of the vibrant arts offerings in our community. Its mission perfectly aligns with Piedmont Arts’ vision of connecting the community through the arts and reinforces the essential role that the arts play in our economy and daily lives.
The museum also recognized Arts in Education Award recipient Charity League of Martinsville and Henry County and the recipients of the Nicodemus Hufford and Harold Knowlton Work Memorial Art Scholarships.
Charity League is a service organization of more than 400 active and sustainer women in Martinsville and Henry County. Members of Charity League coordinate the Foster Gallery at Piedmont Arts, which provides a space for students attending local schools to show their work throughout the year. The organization has also supported major Piedmont Arts educational programs like Minds in Motion. The group has helped fund educational scholarships, Missoula Theatre and programs by Patriot Players, Boys & Girls Club, Girls on the Run, 4H Summer Camps, YMCA, Brighter Christmas, Grace Network, Smart Beginnings and the Martinsville Library.
Breanna Boyd and Scarlett Norman were the recipients of the Nicodemus Hufford Memorial Arts Scholarship. Nathan Hopkins, Ainsley Jones and Onyinye Ugbomah-Otunuya were the recipients of the Harold Knowlton Work Memorial Arts Scholarship.
Exhibits
Expressions 2025
On view through July 25
This annual open-entry exhibition presented by Lynwood Artists and Piedmont Arts features work by 117 artists from Southern Virginia and the surrounding regions.
Visit the museum to vote for the People’s Choice Award. Voting is open through July 25.
Sponsored by Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson Jr. Charitable Foundation Trust, King’s Grant, Sovah Health and What’s Your Sign.
Upcoming Events
Exhibit Opening Reception
5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, Piedmont Arts
Join Piedmont Arts for an opening reception in honor of its new exhibits from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8 at Piedmont Arts. A gallery talk will be held at 6:15 p.m. Complimentary refreshments will be served.
Exhibits on view:
• What Memory Wears: Works by Barbara Hardy and Bob Ray
• In a Different Light: Photographs by Russell Hart
This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP with the number and names of the attendees in your party by Wednesday, Aug. 6.
Sponsored by Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson Jr. Charitable Foundation Trust, Sovah Health and What’s Your Sign.
Family Day
10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, Art Garden
Join Piedmont Arts for a free Family Day with crafts, snacks and games.
Sponsored by Carter Bank.
Savory September: Wild, Wild West
6:30-10 p.m., Friday, Sept. 26, Piedmont Arts
Get ready to boot scootin’ boogie at this Wild West-themed fundraiser. Local chefs will prepare themed dishes and custom cocktails. Take part in the 50/50 raffle for a chance to win big. Raffle tickets will be available soon at Piedmont Arts.
Event tickets are $50 per person and include food and drinks.
Community Partners
Author Talk with Sonja Womack-Miranda
12:30 p.m., Thursday, June 26, Piedmont Arts
Join the Piedmont Arts Guild for a talk by author Sonja Womack-Miranda. She will discuss her book “Un-Named: The Search for Sarah Miller,” which chronicles her decade-long quest to uncover the truth about her great-grandmother and enslaved ancestors. This event is free and open to the public.
Classes
Bob Ross Workshop
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 3
Needle Felting
2:30-4:30 p.m.
Friday, July 11
Pet Portrait
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Saturday, July 12
Needle Felting
2:30-4:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 15
Chix with Stix
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Second and fourth Tuesdays
