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115 Second Street SE, Charlottesville, VA 22902

434-977-7284 – virtualssg.org

NEWS RELEASE

November 15, 2020 Contact Information:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kristen Chiacchia, Executive Director
Office: (434) 977-7284
E-mail: kristen@secondstreetgallery.org

ART EXHIBITION BY LAURA WOOTEN OPENS DEC. 4 AT SECOND STREET

GALLERY

99 landscape paintings on view of Virginia scenery by Charlottesville artist

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Second Street Gallery is pleased to announce a new exhibition of

landscape paintings by Laura Wooten, titled ​View From The Ridge​. On view from Dec. 4 to Jan.

22, the series illustrates the changing seasons of Virginia's landscape and human connection to

the land. Wooten painted over 90 small works for the exhibition, inspired by the daily walks she

and her dog took to the same spot every day for a year.

Wooten is a local artist based in Charlottesville. She earned her undergraduate degree in

Art and Architecture at the University of Virginia and continued at UVA as an Aunspaugh

Post-Baccalaureate Fellow in Studio Art. She went on to receive her MFA from American

University. Her landscape paintings have exhibited at the Baltimore Museum of Art and the

Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover, Delaware.

When asked about her current work, Wooten was interested in painting her daily

experience: the fields and meadows of central Virginia, views to the distant Blue Ridge

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Mountains from her hilltop neighborhood, and the way trees mark the passing of time in her

backyard. ​The View From The Ridge​ follows the natural beauty of Virginia's landscape, each

work painted at a different time of the day, passing from one season to the next. In sharing her

experience with others, Wooten hopes her exhibition takes visitors on a personal journey through

nature.

In conjunction with Second Street Gallery’s partners at Apex Clean Energy, visitors are

encouraged to write down their thoughts and reflect on their relationship to the land with

interactive prompts.

The View From The Ridge ​will be open for viewing by-appointment-only

Thursday–Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm. Social distancing will be followed to ensure the health and

safety of all visitors.

About Second Street Gallery

Founded in 1973, Second Street Gallery (SSG) is the oldest nonprofit (501(c)3) artspace

in Virginia. SSG is committed to bringing accessible, contemporary art to Charlottesville and

Central Virginia. SSG encourages art appreciation by presenting 10-14 exhibitions each year and

educating the public through workshops, classes, lectures, and tours. The gallery is supported by

memberships, donations from the local community, and grants from foundations and the state.

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